DESIGN in fashion can be diverse based on the designers’ interpretation of the things around them.
For Dabawenyo designer Egay Ayag, diversity is interesting, especially when it is applied in the fashion pieces he creates. This is something he has consistently embraced through the years. In fact, his latest design for the Habi Kadayawan is a representation of this.
This special event of the annual Kadayawan Festival features the 11 tribes of Davao City. Among them, Ayag chose to focus on the Maranao tribe.
By adopting the theme “MAORI de Coloeur” or the future of colors, he emphasized the conservatism of the Maranao culture.
Ayag explained that his collection “highlights the rich and colorful culture of the tribe” as embodied by the semi-structured pieces in drapes and “patola-effect” patterns.
When asked what makes this new set of designs special, he was quick to share that the tribe is close to his heart “because some of my clients are Muslims, too; that is why it’s easy for me to create such a collection.”
In the meantime, he narrated that his latest line is different from the previous ones.
“Most of these pieces are more modern in terms of cut and style. The design is more diverse,” he said, adding that the new fashion staples carry the traditional aesthetic, which is conservative.
Ayag admitted that the pandemic has indeed hurt the business he built together with his partner Rodwel. It even came to a point when they had to transfer to a new space to save on cost, particularly on rental fees. They had to sell some of their sewing machines as well. But thanks to their loyal and ever-supportive clients who have helped them get through.
“The business dropped low but we are thankful and grateful to some of our valued clients and the connection we have in the medical sector for we have made PPE (personal protective equipment) and reusable face masks for them. That helped us survive,” he said.
The fervent prayers and unending desire to innovate have also been their greatest weapon.
“We were able to cope by praying and continuously thinking outside the box on what else we can do with the talents and skills that we have. So, we came up with our Rainbow Bag Collection for our Design 8 Philippines brand,” he said.
Times have been tough. However, a creative mind and a passionate spirit can be tougher. Keep going, Egay and Rodwel! Congratulations!
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