Wearable art is simply Art that happens to be wearable. It’s value isn’t in the stones used or the metals it is made of.
Sculptural three dimensional cuff plated in gold, accented with interwoven gold ball chains and Bungisngis cuff is a three dimensional cuff in oxidized silver, with a dangling charm of the “Bungisngis” (Philippine Cyclops).
oxidized and distressed sculptural cuff, accented by oversized safety pins which are lodged into the embedded gromets.
The artist Michelline Syjuco.
‘Alakdan’ neckpiece is inspired by the Philippine scorpion. Created with welded brass hooks and accented with a vintage glass stone.
Sculptural modular cuffs in oxidized and distressed brass and bronze finishes. These cuffs interlock when worn.
hefty industrial cuff is created from thin aluminum shapes held together with classic stainless screws and bolts.
Michelline Syjuco does not merely design; she conjures armor for the modern soul. After a decade-long slumber, the high-fashion alchemist who once captivated London and Paris has returned to ignite the Philippine art landscape with Return of the Savant-Garde. In her hands, fashion becomes a beautiful, brutal poetry of transformation: discarded bullet casings are baptized into sacred talismans, and the delicate wings of cast-metal angels are grafted onto brass cockroaches. This is wearable art born from the mystical dirt of Quiapo and the dark elegance of Philippine folklore — a breathtaking collision of folklore, memory, and reassembled history. As she breaks her silence to redefine the boundaries of adornment and artifact, NewNowNext meets the pioneer who proves that what was once broken can always be made sublime.
NewNowNext: What’s the exhibit all about? How did you come up with the idea?
Michelline Syjuco: I’ve been on an extended hiatus for the past 10 years, and “Return of the Savant-garde” marks my return to the wearable art scene.
What’s your inspiration and why?
The collection is inspired by my childhood fascination with anting-antings and my love for Philippine mythology and folklore. Ill be exhibiting wearable art pieces as well as life size sculptures inspired by this theme.
How long were you able to create each piece? What are made of?
As always, each piece is different. Some take me a week to make, and others are in the conceptualization period for way longer than that. It all depends on whether or not the pieces fall into place as they do in my head like pieces to a puzzle. As a whole, I’ve been working on everything non-stop for the past two years in preparation for this comeback.
How different is it from the past creations you’ve made?
They’re different in the sense that this collection uses cannibalized pre-fabricated metal objects that are collages with other odds and ends. For instance, I cannibalized metal wings from brass angels and welded them onto cockroaches and skulls to create entirely new objects.
You’ve been on hiatus for quite a bit, could you tell us why?
I started my career in 2008, and it was pretty much non-stop from there. There were shows in London and Paris, and then back home back to back exhibits, trunk shows, fashion shows… I just got burned out. At a certain point, I wondered if I was missing out on other aspects of my life. It was time to take a step back. Then Covid hit, and that whole time I started questioning myself. The longer you’re away from the scene, the more u start to wonder if you’ve lost your mojo. But I didnt. It was just dormant, and when I started to use my hands again, it all came flooding out like a tsunami of ideas waiting to come into being. The looming 10-year mark jolted me out of hibernation. I knew I had been absent for far too long.
What made you decide it’s time to return? Are you excited?
Im very excited to make my return, as Im very proud of this body of work. Its a return to what I love, and because I had all the time in the world to stage it, everything is as it should be. No short cuts. No filters.
Now that you’re coming back to the scene? What do you feel has been the change in the fashion landscape?
I feel like fashion has become more Filipino culture driven— which is wonderful, as we get to showcase who we really are as a people, to the global stage.
Is wearable art sustainable in the Philippines ? Why?
Wearable art is simply Art that happens to be wearable. It’s value isnt in the stones used or the metals it is made of. The value lies on the idea and the execution—- in the piece being one of a kind and therefore precious. I think Art is a constant in any country. What more in the Philippines, where we have such a rich culture. Wearable Art is here to stay and thrive. The Philippines has the potential to be a forerunner in this field, and I really want to encourage other creatives to jump on the band-wagon and go crazy with it. The creative possibilities are endless.
What’s the message you wanna tell everyone with your latest creations?
My latest creations highlight transformation. Things are always in a state of flux. And there is beauty in every stage of being.
In a world fixated on the transient, Michelline Syjuco’s return reminds us that the most potent art requires both the courage to withdraw and the conviction to resurrect. Return of the Savant-Garde is an intellectual manifesto on creative hibernation. By transmuting violent artifacts into protective armor and cultural folklore into high-fashion dominance, Syjuco asserts that wearable art is an enduring, complex mirror of the Filipino soul. As her tsunami of ideas reclaims the contemporary landscape, she leaves us with a brilliant, overarching truth: nothing is ever truly lost, and everything — no matter how fractured — is in a permanent, beautiful state of becoming.
