Paper, pen and clothing
Please do not misinterpret this post as an endorsement of a clothing brand. I am posting this to say out loud what I found “inappropriate” or “not right” (to minimize the hardness of verdict I thought of) in one of FREEWAY’s clothing line. This clothing line was called National Artists Collectors’ Series. From the name itself, this clothing line will feature various and noted Filipino National Artists. All their famous works will be printed on FREEWAY’s clothes.
When I learned about this latest collection of FREEWAY I actually found it very timely. Why? Well simply because, not only the younger generation but Filipinos can actually be educated about our own National Artists and their works. Through this Filipinos can have “a bit of experience” of the culture that these artists tried and still trying to instil on us.
I learned about this via the internet but it was only a few months ago when I personally saw the designs and fabrics used for the National Artists Collectors’ series and I found several “glitches” which greatly disappointed me. I am not a professional critique of fashion or the arts. I am merely a concerned Filipino who happens to love all F. Sionil Jose’s works and a Filipino who wishes good change will happen to this country and its people.
Glitch #1
The collection features FILIPINO works so why use a foreign-looking model? With the current notable rise of Filipina models in the fashion industry I doubt if they can’t find anyone who will fit their “taste.”
Glitch #2
The designs used for F. Sionil Jose’s line were not impressive at all. The impression it gave me was that, it seemed like the excerpts used in the clothings were too profound and “formal” for the graphics and fonts used. In short, the graphics and fonts used did not fit the designs neither did it complement the excerpts from F. Sionil Jose’s works.
Again, I’m not a fashion critique but I just have to say that the fabrics used were also not comfortable to be worn. It was like with one forceful move the clothes will immediately be torn in half.
Glitch #3
Again FREEWAY used a foreign woman instead of a Filipina beauty.
I know the Moai (gigantic human figures carved from rock or Easter Island heads) at Easter island is one of the important and mysterious, if I may add, structures in history but do they really need to use these (another) foreign rock figures to pass across a message pertaining to the essence of knowing and putting into heart your nation’s history? I think not.
Overall I think this particular clothing collection is not really successful in relaying the message that Filipinos need to go back to their, our roots. This is for us be educated more about our past and learn from it. Yes LEARN not to REPEAT the mistakes our forefathers and our older relatives did.
I hope on the next products of the National Artists Collectors’ edition everything will be in order.
