MATATAG
Category: Design
Competitions: Philippines
I named my design “MATATAG”- which means in English “stable,firm,strong, enduring and durable”. “Matatag” is a Filipino positive trait and best describes us Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who stayed strong conquering not just the different parts of the world but most especially the fear of the unknown. Enduring homesickness and the hardships to provide for their family back home. Our OFWs are the new heroes of our nation, and the hero of their own family. Their love for their family is incomparable as they selflessly sacrifice their dreams to be able to give hope, sustain and provide a future for their family. My design is inspired by Neoclassical Architecture in the Philippines. As a Drafting Student I am always amazed and captivated with architectural drawings, designs, structures and landmarks. And from this where i conceptualized my design entry for this competition. And what inspired me the most to make my design is the columns specifically the Ionic Column. The columns are perhaps the most fundamental structure in classical Architecture. It originated from a simple post and lintel system which has been used for thousands of years. The MATATAG Design can be categorized as transformative fashion, It has 4 special features, one, it is Ionic- Inspired bag, second it can be transform into a above knee dress that is perfect for any casual events or meetings , thirdly it has a tulle made of indigenous Filipino fabrics, pinya, abaca or cotton, that hidden and roll in a neck pillow inspired shape but this tulle is wrap around just above the waist and contained by a zipper, once the zipper is open the tulle will roll down and will give you a wow factor effect perfect for any evening event, and lastly and the special feature of the MATATAG design is the geometric shape Apron that is hidden and folded like origami, it can be detachable also. As you can see on the Design in the front of the bag it has 2 triangles on it , it actually represents my hometown in the Philippines, Marikina City . Marikina City is a lush valley bounded by mountain ranges and sliced by a river. The chosen color of my MATATAG design is Midnight Blue and Gray . The reason is because I love looking at the midnight skies , the stars and the moon. The Capiz Shells on the ionic-inspired bag represent the moon and pearls represent the stars. Whenever I feel overwhelmed with all the adversaries in life and all the happenings around me. I just look up and pray and know that I have a God who is in control of everything and He knows me. Believing and trusting that He can turn the night into day , the overthinking and raging seas of life to calm and peace and that He's watching over me and cares for me. Why Apron? I chose to make an apron leather design because it represents me as a pastry chef. It tells a story about my food industry work experiences. Apron signifies a vital role in us as a chef and also to those who are in the food and healthcare industry . Apron for me is a representation of “service” or “ready for duty and service”. Apron protects our uniform from food stains, it is a protective or decorative garment worn over the front of one’s clothes and tied at the back. Aprons are Functional and essential. My geometric apron design is inspired from Origami and the Japanese Fashion Designer Issey Miyake . In 1993, he launched the PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE line using the unique “garment pleating” process. The label offered clothing as a product that was easy to wear, to care for and to travel with; practical for all aspects of daily life, comfortable, affordable, and elegant. The Apron is one of the special features of my MATATAG Design, it can detachable from the Ionic-Inspired bag or it can be worn with the Ionic-Inspired Dress. It has 3 secret pockets , foldable and easy to wear. All in all My MATATAG Design aims to help the Sustainable Development Goal Number 2 “ZERO HUNGER” and is about creating a world free of hunger by 2030. I know how it feels like having nothing . Growing up with a broken family and having to work at an early age to provide food for my family awakened my desire to help those who are in need and especially to ease the hunger. (“ In 2020, between 720 million and 811 million persons worldwide were suffering from hunger, roughly 161 million more than in 2019. Also in 2020, a staggering 2.4 billion people, or above 30 percent of the world’s population, were moderately or severely food-insecure, lacking regular access to adequate food. The figure increased by nearly 320 million people in just one year. Globally, 149.2 million children under 5 years of age, or 22.0 per cent, were suffering from stunting (low height for their age) in 2020, a decrease from 24.4 per cent in 2015. The number of people going hungry and suffering from food insecurity had been gradually rising between 2014 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis has pushed those rising rates even higher and has also exacerbated all forms of malnutrition, particularly in children. The war in Ukraine is further disrupting global food supply chains and creating the biggest global food crisis since the Second World War.”) -This is taken from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/ Given the opportunity to be part of this design competition, I am very grateful and excited to showcase my skills, talents and knowledge in drafting and incorporate it with fashion designing. In the end, It's all about the details. Not only architecture impresses us with their details, forms and structures, but fashion means the same. I always believe that art is limitless and so even architecture, drafting and fashion design can collaborate to create meaningful artworks and masterpieces that are durable, functional, versatile, sustainable and aesthetically stunning designs. Lastly, I would say that my designs can be called …”Wearable Architecture”.
