Pia Wurtzbach Looks Avant Garde In Indigenous Creations Shot At Okada Manila

Pia Wurtzbach looked every bit a supermodel in her latest shoot for Vogue Italia. With Okada Manila as the backdrop, the all-Filipino team and creations made for a historic moment putting Philippine craftsmanship to the forefront. 

Dubbed “Indigenous Futurism”, the artistic collaboration lensed by MJ Suayan, featuring clothes by Victor Baguilat, Jr., and given life by Philippine arts and culture ambassador Pia Wurtzbach was one for the books. The shoot had the intention of supporting the arts and fashion design industry through raising awareness during the pandemic, locally and now even globally. Okada Manila, a patron of Philippine fashion and the arts, was the venue partner and co-producer for the shoot.

“The arts and design industries are affected by the pandemic since it’s easy to see them as non-essential. This collaborative work shows different designers and groups coming together to jumpstart these industries. Kandama Collective and the designers bring the spotlight to the fabrics and creatives, Okada Manila shared resources as a patron of the Philippine arts, and arts and culture advocate Pia Wurtzbach played her part by donning the clothes. It’s good to have such a creative project at a time like this, so people are more inspired during this challenging time. It gives everyone something to look forward to,” says MJ Suayan.

The clothes, though highly conceptual, push for Philippine fabrics to be integrated into everyday-wear.

Raising awareness about handwoven Ifugao fabrics is the heart of my advocacy through the Kandama Collective,” shares Victor, who is the first Filipino to have showcased his work in a fashion show staged in the Eiffel Tower. “In addition to raising awareness, supporting the textile industry gives livelihood to the artists and artisans of the region, which, in turn, enriches their lives and their homes. It was fun working on this project because you see people from different industries helping each other out during this difficult time.” 

Pia embodied the shoot’s concept and is the perfect ambassadress for this collaboration. “I hope that more Filipinos can also support our local artists and designers by buying their creations,” she shares.

Okada Manila, one of Asia’s top integrated resorts, continues to support various local industries, most especially fashion and the arts. They housed this year’s Manila Fashion Festival, a runway show featuring hallmarks and emerging Filipino designers. The resort also supported the HABI Philippines Textile Council, an organization devoted to the preservation, promotion, and enhancement of “Philippine textiles through education, communication, and research using public and private sources.”

See the official photos in the gallery below and the full feature here.

Vogue Italia photos by MJ Suayan 

Behind the scenes photos by Rax Mercado

Behind the scenes video by BLKMRKT

Metro Art Card by Raff Colmenar

Kandama @kandamacollective MJ Suayan @mjsuayan

Pia Wurtzbach @piawurtzbach

Okada Manila @okadamanila  

Producer and Venue Partner Okada Manila @okadamanila 

Special thanks to Donna Patricia Manio @tightropezoetrope  

Stylist Victor Baguilat Jr. @victorbaguilatjr  

Makeup Mickey See @mickeysee  

Hair Renz Pangilinan @renzpangilinan  

Weavers Lih'han Di Immipugo of Kiangan, Ifugao @lihhan_di_immipugo  

Fashion Designers Victor Baguilat Jr. @victorbaguilatjr Thian Rodriguez @thianrodriguezmnl  

Accessories Ron Aguro @ronaguro Christine Tiu @amami.ph Marigrace Reano @mjorian Victor Baguilat Jr. @victorbaguilatjr  

Shoes Joel Wijangco @joelwijangco Tal De Guzman @taldeguzman @risquedesigns Victor Baguilat Jr. @victorbaguilatjr Roweliza Landicho @roweliza Mara Piñon @marapinonph  

Cinematographers, Editors & Photographers BLCK MRKT @blckmrktstudios2021 Jaydee Gungon @blckmrktsf Jeremy Lim @jeremyxlim Krisanto Blanco @krisanto.blanco Michael Peñalosa @penalosa_mike Rax Mercado @rax.mercado @raxmercado.art  

Event Organizer Tophat Entertainment and Events @tophatph   Music Joseph Rigodon @josephrigodon Eich Abando / BLCKMRKT @eichabando  

Styling Assistant Patrick Henri Caunan @ilovemotherhen  

Security Team LIT Management Consulting  

Executive Assistant Shih-Hao Hsu @shihhaohsu06  

Testing Provider Housecall MD @housecallmdph