By Dara Clariza Evangelista
The Philippines is poised to make a powerful cultural statement on the international stage as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC), unveils “Malikhaing Pinoy: Lahi,” a landmark fashion and heritage showcase featuring a 30-piece couture collection by celebrated Filipino designer Rajo Laurel. The presentation, set for January 30, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, marks a milestone partnership between PCIDC and Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency (CEA), underscoring shared efforts to deepen creative diplomacy and expand opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
At the heart of this initiative is Laurel’s lifelong question: Who is the Filipino? It is a question he does not answer simply with fabric or silhouette, but with a sustained inquiry into identity, geography, memory, and community. “Fashion has been my medium to understand heritage, identity, and culture,” he reflects. “Not only through materials, but through how our people interact, the values that guide us, and how these stories can remain relevant for today and for future generations.” For Laurel, the urgency of advocating Filipino identity cannot be overstated. “Because that’s who we are,” he says. “Tatak natin yun. If we don’t show the world who we are as Filipinos, then what’s the point? That’s what makes us different. That’s what will make us stand out globally. We have a particular way of designing, a particular aesthetic. Meron tayong tatak, meron tayong panlasang atin. And you honor that by being proud enough to shout from the highest mountain: this is who we are. Pilipino tayo.”
Rajo Laurel presents its Couture 2026 Collection for Malikhaing Pinoy: LAHI
“Lahi” is built on that conviction. Developed together with some of the country’s most respected artisans, including Arnel Papa, Celestina Maristela Ocampo, Cholo Ayuyao, Monchét Diokno Olives, and MX Studios by Maxine Santos Tuaño, the collection becomes a moving portrait of Filipino identity shaped through collective imagination. Laurel describes the creative process not just as inspiration, but as immersion. “It’s like going to the palengke,” he says. “You look around, you touch everything, you taste everything. The inspiration comes when you actually see it, feel it, taste it. You have to go out there, you don’t wait for these things to happen. Puntahan mo. You visit provinces, markets, weaving communities. You talk to them. And through that process, something beautiful comes out.”
Rajo Laurel presents its Couture 2026 Collection for Malikhaing Pinoy: LAHI
That process materializes in the many stories embedded within the garments: the reinterpretation of the palma and camisa using Iloilo jusi and Abra abaca; the celebration of Mindanao through hand-woven Sorsogon straw paired with Ilocos textiles; the honoring of T’boli heritage through ramie, paper silk, and the traditional malong; the metropolitan reframing of the barong through contemporary silhouettes; the homage to Baguio’s weaving culture inspired by Nada Capunan; and the ethereal tribute to Palawan, brought to life with pearls, capiz, and oversized raffia. Every ensemble becomes a chapter of Philippine geography, craftsmanship, and memory told through modern couture.
For Laurel, honoring tradition means refusing to freeze it in time. “We have to borrow from our grandparents and our parents, but we also have to move forward,” he explains. “We have to modernize these things and make them contemporary.” “Lahi,” then, becomes a bridge, a space where what we inherit and what we aspire toward meet in dialogue. It is fashion as cultural continuity.
And if Laurel were to describe Filipino fashion identity in one image, he chooses something charmingly familiar. “We are an incredibly delicious, complex dessert,” he says. “The only way to understand who we are is to try our halo-halo. Our halo-halo is us, a mix of unlikely ingredients mashed together, smashed together. And when you taste it, it’s a little bit like heaven.”
The Malikhaing Pinoy Program, under R.A. 11904 (PCIDA), was created precisely to champion this spirit. As a flagship initiative supporting the country’s creative industries, it aims to nurture local artisans, protect cultural heritage, and open pathways for Filipino creativity on domestic and global stages. “Lahi” stands as a testament to that mission, a reminder that telling our stories is both a responsibility and a privilege, and that the world is more than ready to listen when we speak in our own voice.
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