Kat jumpsuit (left photo) with two patterns of handloom Yakan weaves by Linea Etnika; handloom yakan weaves drop waist Betty dress(named after her mom Betty Go-Belmonte) in modern stretch fabric
Joy Belmonte
Joy Belmonte–Alimurung has served as Vice Mayor of Quezon City for three terms. Her pet projects include the Kabahagi Resource Center for Children with Disabilities which provides free services to kids suffering from various disabilities; and the Tindahan ni Ate Joy, a livelihood support project for single parents. A staunch advocate of Philippine-made products, she and her partner Looie Lobregat promote love for local through their Linea Etnika line.
My interest in Philippine-made clothes and accessories began when I first got elected to public office and was required by protocol to wear Filipiniana on numerous occasions during the year, such as the State of the City Address, the annual Quezon City Gabi ng Parangal and the many celebrations commemorating historical events or milestones in the lives of our national heroes.
The person that opened my eyes to the beauty of local products was my father, Congressman Feliciano Belmonte of the 4th District, who always gave me authentic tambourines and other locally crafted jewelry he would buy from antique dealers. Some would have been museum pieces had they been excavated scientifically rather than looted by treasure hunters and sold to collectors, thereby eradicating their provenance.
Growing up, I thought locally made wares and clothing were costume-like and worn only during Linggo ng Wika.
Now, my favorite RTW local brands are Amarie, Linea Etnika, Kaayo, Allegre, Christiana and Great Women. My favorite designer for Filipiniana gowns and barong blouses is Tippi Ocampo. For bags my choices are Beatriz, R2R and Louie Bayong. I also love buying Filipino-made textiles and designing my own outfits. People know me so well now that I get a lot of fabric from Mindanao for Christmas and my birthday, which I turn into office attire.
What I appreciate most about the local wares I use is that they are actually very comfortable and can be worn from the barangay, to office meetings, to conferences, all the way to evening functions. All I need to do is to change my shoes, pants or skirt to befit the occasion.
When I wear local, I feel really proud of my heritage, and as a role model for women and girls, I am happy that some of our barangay and SK officials have started copying my look and are now going local as daily staples, too.
My wish for local artisans, designers and weavers is that their products become globally recognized and appreciated to the extent that our country will not only be known around the world for our talented entertainers and filmmakers, but also for our quality craftsmanship, competitive designs and innovativeness in the field of fashion. However, I also wish that someone out there can democratize them more because at the moment, I feel that many of these products are very costly and only accessible to a select few.
I am happy though that with the influx of all these local artisanal brands, the well-to-do people I know who once only patronized European couture now also purchase local with pride.
My local must-haves when I go to work meetings or when I travel abroad for conferences are the Elena jackets of Linea Etnika, the short-sleeved pastel barong tops of Amarie Studio and the linen dresses of Kaayo. My signature outfit for everyday use is undoubtedly the Joy dress by Linea Etnika, which my dearest friend and business partner Looie Lobregat designed and named after me. I must have about a dozen of them.
Read more at https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/fashion-and-beauty/2018/10/17/1860574/11-best-dressed-women-nationalist-soul#9Y3AOxmtIsV8rTpx.99