Wearing Filipino culture thru Terno
THE brand has attracted international clients or expatriates in the UAE. Babylyn Buchan, (above, left) with Filipino artisan Sammy.
Photograph courtesy of TERNO by TCG
From a personal longing to wear something proudly Filipino in a foreign land, Terno by TCG was born.
Terno by TCG (The Cultured Group) is an online boutique introduced in November 2022. It specializes in authentic, handcrafted Filipiniana clothing, including ternos, barong tagalog and kimona. Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and catering to the Middle East and beyond markets, the brand promotes sustainable, artisan-made Filipino heritage wear, offering both purchases and rentals.
A MODEL wears a reversible poncho of Terno by TCG which are co-created with artisans and weavers from Abra, Ilocos, South Cotabato, Ifugao and the Tinguian tribe.
Photograph courtesy of TERNO by TCG
In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Usapang OFW, Terno by TCG owner Babylyn Buchan shared how nearly two decades of working abroad inspired her to build a brand that brings Philippine national attire closer to overseas Filipinos.
Buchan has been based in Dubai for 18 years. As an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), she regularly attended formal events where her husband would proudly wear his traditional attire. She began to feel the desire to do the same.
“I feel like I also want to wear our own national attire,” she recalled, noting how wearing something distinctly Filipino brings a sense of pride and identity.
That simple but powerful realization led to the formal launching of Terno by TCG in January 2023. Together with her business partner, Buchan saw the need to make Filipino national clothing more accessible to Filipinos working and living in the Middle East.
“We wanted to give access to Filipinos here to our national clothing,” she said.
Photograph courtesy of TERNO by TCG
Co-creation of artisans
Terno by TCG operates on a co-creation model. Rather than designing pieces alone, Buchan works closely with independent artisans across the Philippines. Many of them are mothers who work from home, preserving traditional craftsmanship while earning a livelihood.
Their barong and Filipiniana pieces come from Lumban, Laguna, known as the embroidery capital of the Philippines. They also collaborate with weavers from Abra and Ilocos for inabel fabrics, artisans from South Cotabato for t’nalak bags, and indigenous communities in Ifugao and the Tinguian tribe for woven and embroidered pieces.
“We co-create,” Buchan explained. Artisans develop the fabrics and traditional designs, while her team refines the tailoring — adjusting cuts, linings and silhouettes to ensure comfort and suitability for modern wear.
“It’s not only wearable but comfortable,” she emphasized.
