Francis Libiran, unique finds and freebies

If Team United States had Ralph Lauren, the Philippine team at the Paris Olympics 2024 opening had Francis Libiran dressing them.

Among the Philippine representatives who wore Libiran’s “Sinag” design was Carlos Yulo, the first Filipino and Southeast Asian gymnast to win multiple gold medals at the Paris Olympics 2024.

According to Libiran, “Sinag,” inspired by the rays of the sun in the Philippine flag, is a symbol that reflects the Filipino spirit of optimism and hope.

These values — hope and optimism — are a great way to start the new year, especially since Libiran’s famous “Sinag” shirt, launched August last year in time for the Buwan ng Wika, and P60,000-worth Barong Tagalog are now at the center of Kultura Crawl Fiesta, an all-Filipino bazaar that opened at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium last Wednesday and will last at the same venue only until Sunday, 25 January.

David Yap, Kultura Filipino assistant marketing manager and head for events, told DAILY TRIBUNE in an exclusive interview that the bazaar features about 64 exhibitors — some are staples at their stores, while some can only be seen at the bazaar and are not available in stores, such as personalization services.

Personalization at the bazaar ranges from laser engraving of names on sustainable bamboo products, to do-it-yourself pearl and charm jewelry, to machine-pressed design-your-own bags and shirts, to hand-painted shirts.

“We really just want to help MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) grow and make them more well-known through our events,” Yap shared the motivation behind the bazaar.

According to him, while many locals shop at their stores, foreign tourists and balikbayans (visiting Filipinos from abroad) are still their majority shoppers, which is why for the crawl, they partnered with shipping company Airspeed.

“You get 10 percent off for any items you want to ship abroad or anywhere in the Philippines. So it’s for our friends, we’re trying to help the balikbayans bring their items abroad and make it easier for them to be more seamless,” Yap explained.

He said that while Filipino products like Barong Tagalog are usually patronized by older generations, their brand is “trying to get the younger generation on board.”

“I think they’re starting to appreciate Filipino culture more. As you know, mostly it’s the older people who appreciate Filipino arts and crafts the most. So we’re trying to tap into that market,” he said.

At the bazaar, among those that has a booth is Satchi, because the brand’s camera film rolls and vinyl records are increasingly becoming popular among the youth, the label’s representative told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Also among the unique finds at the bazaar are products from Sonya’s Garden — you no longer need to go to Tagaytay as you can now take the wellness haven’s homemade and natural jams, balms and salad dressings to your home.

There are also brands selling the Philippines’ famous virgin coconut oil in different iterations — most notably as natural hair shine and face balm.

For chocoholics, Philippine cacao products from Batangas to Davao are spread throughout the bazaar — from the favorites such as Auro and Theo and Philo; to relatively new ones like Cacaomistry, which offers a free bundle of suman for every three boxes of instant chocolate drinks bought.

Elsewhere at the bazaar, there are a lot of exotic flavors to discover. Among them are chips in Litson Kawali and Sinigang flavors, as well as Salbahe’s peanuts in wasabi flavor and with homegrown salted egg and curry leaves from Ilocos. 

Foreign visitors and Balikbayans, said Yap, usually shop for key chains, refrigerator magnets and wooden keepsakes.

“I think everyone’s happy about the community we’re growing through our brand,” he affirmed. 

Indeed, since its inception in 2004, SM’s Filipino-themed store chain Kultura has set high industry standards and has helped define Filipino identity through design.