The Philippine Textile Council's annual fair is back and ready to showcase the best local textiles and artisanal ware from across the country.
Now on its 12th year, the Likhang HABI Market Fair, running 14-16 October at the Glorietta Activity Center, will have more than 60 vendors offering handmade pieces such as woven fabrics, ready-to-wear clothes, home accessories, and even locally made furniture and pottery.
Event stylist Kitty Bunag has been tasked to transform the Glorietta Activity Center into a heritage hub showcasing the best creations from some of the most celebrated artisans around the Philippines.
"The overall look and feel for the Habi Market Fair will be inspired by outdoor souks and markets here and in other parts of the world. Vendor booths will be made of wood and canvas where each retailer can best showcase their products. Textiles hanging from dried ornamental trees serve as the main focal point of the venue. We're creating a space that will be familiar for both local and foreign patrons," says Bunag.
"We're the first in this line of promoting indigenous fabrics as fashion," says Maribel Ongpin, Founder of HABI. "Second, while most of the other bazaars have reached a sophisticated level, we continue to go grassroots."
The three-day fair is HABI's biggest and most talked about fundraising activity. Aside from direct donations from individuals and companies, the fair is one of the main sources of funding for the council's projects, which includes preserving the art of weaving, educating consumers, and pushing locally made products and artists to the national and global markets.
"As a country, we carry important fibers like piña and abaca that are uniquely ours. [These] are world-renowned. Since museums in the world feature [these pieces, it's] considered a legacy of Filipino craftsmanship, identity, and the nation," Ongpin says.
'Threaded Traditions'
In conjunction with the fair, "Threaded Traditions: Ikat of Cordillera" will be shown at Ayala Museum on 14-31 October 2022. This 30-minute documentary records the place and journey of textile in the culture of the Cordillera people. This film will be shown in tandem with the museum's "Skeins of Knowledge, Threads of Wisdom" exhibition.
Shoppers who spend a minimum P2,500 at the Likhang Habi Market Fair will be entitled to a special ticket rate of P350 upon presentation of their receipt to the Likhang Habi cashiers.