Turning on the terno in Switzerland

Proud Filipino visual artist Pamela Gotangco flew in from her current residence in Zurich, Switzerland to personally man her first ever store at last weekend’s ArteFino in Rockwell Complex, Makati City.

Her brand PamPinay came home bringing the bacon: as a jury favorite at the recent Un-Dress, touted as the biggest sustainable fashion show in Switzerland organized by its eponymous association in St. Gallen.

“Filipino design and fabric have a space in the global arena,” she declared in a DAILY TRIBUNE exclusive.

Originally from Rizal, Nueva Ecija, Gotangco moved to Zurich before the pandemic. During the pandemic, she thought of helping seamstresses and weavers back home. Since she is an artist, she commissioned them to make blank canvases for her paintings initially.

“It’s very good, you know, we do a lot of events with the Filipino community, Philippine embassy. That’s why that (the brand) was made during the pandemic because we miss the camaraderie of Filipinos, you know, during that time when we can’t go out.”

Eventually, she ventured into painting in ternos and vests. After the pandemic, her works continue to flourish here and in Switzerland, prompting her to expand into kimonos, bags and even home accessories — most of these incorporating not only her art, but also upcycled materials and local weaves.

From sourcing Abra fabric and helping seamstresses in Baler in Aurora, Gotangco shared that her brand has also tapped a cooperative of T’Boli women in the south.

She admitted that shuttling from north to south and from Europe to the Philippines and back could be taxing, but for Pamela, there is no stopping PamPinay.

“In the beginning, we thought of just doing this just to provide income opportunities for the economically challenged women in the Philippines,” Gotangco shared, “but then we were so grateful because we got so many support from the consumers… Then we said, ‘OK, you know, we’ll continue doing it.’ It’s kind of difficult, but it’s also very satisfying. It’s a different feeling when you are able to help people and also have the joy of creating things.”