Weaving

Our Piña Exhibit includes a display of the Philippine fabric made of piña and its origin. A gallery of photos shows the Filipino attire from Barong Tagalog for men to the evolution of costumes for women. The highlight of the exhibit is a private collection of the three gowns made of piña with intricate embroidery – circa 1936. These were gifts from the late Mrs. Aurora Quezon, wife of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, to her friend Mrs. Ann Schinazi.

It is strikingly akin to most basic female garments in the Southeast Asian world, and seems somehow related to the Indian sari. The Filipino wrap-around skirt called tapis or patadyong my have emerged from environmental conditions and technical repertoires similar to those that produced the sarong and the sari. As the female counterpart to the [...]