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Philippine Women Centre of BC
Press Release
Local Filipino-Canadian designers stretch the limits of dress in upcoming political fashion show
October 15, 2008
(VANCOUVER , B.C.) – Local Filipino-Canadian designers say they will be “stretching the limits of dress” in an upcoming political fashion show.
The Philippine Women Centre of B.C. (PWC-BC) is injecting politics into the world of fashion by staging “Scrap: A Political Fashion Show to Stop Violence against Filipino Women” on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at Centre A (Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art) located at 2 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC. A matinee show will take place at 2:00 p.m., with a gala evening show (with wine and cheese reception) taking place at 7:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by calling: 604-215-1103.
The show aims to raise public awareness about violence against Filipino women. It will feature the work of local young and upcoming Filipino-Canadian designers, artists and activists such as: Jill Laxamana, Davidson Manaloto, Carlo Sayo and Denise Valdecantos. All the original pieces are based on the stories of struggle and empowerment of Filipino women victims of violence.
“We want to stretch the limits of dress,” says Laxamana, a graduate of the Fashion Design Program at the Art Institute of Seattle. “Beyond a simple fashion statement, we hope to make a political statement through our designs. We’ve seen how fashion itself can draw the connections between politics and our daily realities as Filipino women,” said Laxamana. Laxamana’s portfolio collection won the Fashion Forward Award in her graduating year. She has been active in the fashion industry since 2002.
“We hope that by wearing our politics, others will listen to the courageous stories of Filipino women and help stop violence against women,” says Carlo Sayo, a graduate of Emily Carr University ’s Communication Design program and a spoken-word artist. Sayo has been involved in various art and theatre projects including 2007’s visual arts exhibit, Maleta [suitcase].
The show will also feature designs of Davidson Manaloto, a recent graduate of the Vancouver Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design. Manaloto won the Golden Bobbin award for fashion design of his 2008 graduating class. Originally a mechanical engineering graduate from Calgary , Manaloto decided to pursue his dreams as a fashion designer in the steps of his tailor grandfather and seamstress grandmother.
Others community members, even without a formal design background, are also getting involved in the process. Valdecantos, Vice Chair of PWC-BC, is also helping to design the fashion pieces. Valdecantos, who worked with prostituted women in the Philippines in 2002, says, “It’s exciting for me to be able to express my belief that community action can change the situation for women facing violence through this art form.”
“Scrap” also features direct involvement of the Filipino-Canadian community through the use of models wearing original fashion inspired by the stories of Filipino women who have experienced and are resisting violence in all its forms -- whether economic, social, verbal, physical or sexual.
“Scrap” is part of the Living Blanket exhibition at Centre A which will display an ever-growing quilt made by women and women’s groups around the world. The events coincide with the WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery .
“Scrap” is the third political fashion show of its kind is part of PWC-BC’s current project to help support women facing violence. The project is funded by Status of Women Canada.
According to Statistics Canada, Filipino women comprise 57 percent of the overall Filipino community. Their average annual income is $22,500, approximately $8,000 less than the average Canadian. Filipinos are the third largest visible minority in BC, numbering 88,100. There are approximately 500,000 Filipinos across Canada .
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For more information or to arrange media interviews, please contact Niki Silva at 604-215-1103, pwc@kalayaancentre.net
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