By Marane A. Plaza
One proudly Filipino clothing brand that has raised generations of stylish women is Bayo. For over 30 years, Bayo has catered ladies with comfortable and chic wardrobe pieces any fashionista can elegantly don in their daily lives, life milestones, and everything in between.
Bayo‘s dresses, bottoms and tops come in nice silhouettes and lovely designs for sure. But the brand takes its prowess even a notch higher in recent years with its new collections that are more advocacy-driven than usual. Bayo has been actively and closely working with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) these past years on pushing sustainability efforts in fashion retail, as led by Anna Lagon, Bayo‘s chief creative officer. The fashion pieces are backed up with a clothing production process driven with worthwhile causes and advocacies— a business culture one can describe as That’s Bayo.
The cause-driven movement called That’s Bayo, as the brand described, started with “simply looking a little closer, noticing what we might have missed, and asking if there is a better, more thoughtful way to do things. This curiosity shows up in how we design, how we choose our materials, how we build our stores, and how we stay connected to the people who wear what we make.”
The fashion house has unveiled another That’s Bayo milestone recently, as it has partnered with Eco-Uling social enterprise founder Aya Fernandez for a thought-provoking and advocacy-inspired style collection. Known for her work at Eco-Uling, Aya has been pushing sustainability efforts by transforming discarded coconut shells into highly useful yet eco-friendly charcoals. What started as a research idea has grown into a charcoal alternative that reduces waste and provides livelihood for Filipinos.
Introduced during a launch event at Vestido in Makati City recently, the Bayo x Aya Fernandez collection unveiled pieces inspired by Aya’s Eco-Uling journey: earthy tones, natural textures, prints drawn from her story, and details like buttons made from coconut shells. Even the event’s fixtures and elements echoed this commitment, designed with Eco-Uling’s charcoal and boards made of production offcuts.
The metro’s fashionistas and glitterati enjoyed a shopping party during the launch, and was delighted with a worthwhile inspiration from the story of Aya’s journey and creative collaboration with Bayo.
Charcoal illustrations of Aya by artist Katrina Garcia were also showcased during the event. Katrina completed the artwork live at the photoshoot using Eco-Uling’s charcoal that she personally processed for sketching. These finished works were then presented at the launch, highlighting the collaboration’s commitment to creativity and sustainable innovation.
One of the most meaningful moments of the event program was the pinning of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) pin on changemaker Aya Fernandez by Bayo‘s chief creative officer Ana Lagon — a symbolic recognition of her role not only as Bayo’s newest ambassador but also as a partner in carrying forward the shared values of sustainability, creativity, and purpose.
“For Aya, curiosity turned into action and action turned into impact. She reminds us that thoughtful work does not always begin with a bold plan. Most of the time, it begins with what’s already in front of you and the choice to see it differently, ” Bayo‘s Ana shared during the event. “That’s Bayo is shaped by that same belief: in noticing more, in asking better questions, and in staying open to what’s possible. The collection pieces were crafted by curiosity, made with purpose, worn with ease, and That’s Bayo.”
Indeed, a work done with a heart of purpose and made with a worthwhile cause is always in style.
For more info, follow Bayo on socials and web: Instagram @bayoclothing | Facebook: Bayo Clothing | styleshops.com.ph.
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Miss Jay-Ann is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine’s special Women In Style cover edition as she talks about her business, vlogging, and her luxury bag collection — from Chanel to Hermès.
Read our cover story here.
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