World-renowned Filipino fashion designer Francis Libiran put a spotlight on what modern Filipino elegance is in his recent interview with CBC’s Dwight Drummond, ahead of the 27th Mabuhay Philippines Festival in Toronto, Canada.
Libiran joined the Filipino community festivities with a fashion show at Nathan Phillips Square on August 24, presenting his stunning creations that highlight Filipino artistry.
The proud Filipino designer told Drummond that the showcase was not only about fashion but also about celebrating the creativity and modern elegance of the Filipino people on the world stage.
“I just want to showcase Filipino talent to the people of Toronto and let them see how fashion in the Philippines has truly evolved—making it more accessible to the entire world, not just for Filipinos. I want the whole world to wear me, because when they do, they also wear the Philippines,” he said.
He also highlighted what he calls modern Filipino elegance, a contemporary take on fashion where Pinoy craftsmanship shines through. While the clothing may be Western in form, it is enriched with local materials, designs, and elements—making Filipino fashion more accessible to all.
“Modern Filipino elegance is more like using our native materials like piña, pineapple fibers, our embroideries, our beading, and making it like people could wear on a daily basis,” Libiran explained.
“I want the whole world to wear our fashion. That’s why we want to make it a bit Westernized, yet there’s a Filipino touch to it,” he added.
He shared that the fashion industry is vast and highly competitive, and one way for his work to stand out both to the public and the world is by incorporating Filipino culture into his creations.
“My industry is really big around the world. How can you make a mark when you’re doing something on the international stage? Putting your culture to it. Putting your heart and soul into your work. And at the same time, putting a Filipino touch to it,” he revealed.
And speaking of the Filipino touch, Libiran and Drummond also talked about the Sinag Barong he created for Filipino athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“The challenge was they asked me to design for the athletes for the Olympics, and it’s going to be held at the river in Paris. It’s far, so you could just see a white shirt from afar. So how can I incorporate our colors, the colors of our flag—the bright red, the blue, and the yellow?” Libiran recalled.
“So I said, ‘Ah, this is tricky.’ I need to put it on the Barong. So I made an armor-like sleeve by the chest, by the heart, and that’s where I put the Filipino sun and the colors of it. It’s like an armor that the athletes wear in their battle,” he explained.
His creation was a success—it generated buzz online and was even recognized among the most beautiful uniforms of all the teams that joined the sporting event.
Recently, Libiran launched a T-shirt version of the Sinag Barong, making the iconic design more wearable and accessible to the public for everyday style.
Despite his career success, the A-list designer chose to remain in the Philippines, saying he could not see himself working outside his homeland.
“I decided to stay in the Philippines because I love our country. I love the people. I couldn’t see myself working outside the Philippines because I love my own,” Libiran shared.
He also highlighted the advantage of modern technology, as he continues to attract clients from around the world through the power of social media.
“I said to myself, I could still make it outside the Philippines when I’m living in the Philippines with social media around. You could put your work out there, and the whole world could see it. And it worked,” he said.
Libiran believes that Philippine fashion can stand proudly among the best in the world, emphasizing the abundance of Filipino talent shaped by diverse cultural influences throughout the nation’s history.
“Of course, yes. Definitely. I mean, Filipinos are so talented in so many ways. We could see it through arts, music, food… Filipinos love to sing, you know. That’s our soul. And fashion is something that Filipinos are very proud of,” the designer shared.
“If you study our culture, we have the Muslim territory, which is very colorful, we have the Spanish influence, we have a lot of influences, that’s why our culture is very unique,” he proudly added.
Watch Francis Libiran’s full interview with CBC’s Dwight Drummond here:
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