Hagondon and Habindang: Keeping Cavite’s weaving tradition alive
Fashion designer Carl Arcusa may be a true-blue Caviteño, having been born and raised in the city of General Trias, but he admitted to not knowing about the weaving tradition in the municipalities of Maragondon and Indang. That changed when he joined, and eventually won, the design competition organized by the Cavite Fashion Congress (CFC) in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
“With this initiative, my fellow designers and I were delighted to discover that we can get fabric from practically our neighbors,” he told Lifestyle at the awards night on Sept. 13 at the gymnasium of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Maragondon campus.
The event, billed as “Sintang Habi: A Celebration of Heritage, Talent and Weaving Traditions,” was CFC’s way of honoring local weavers. Its founder and CEO, Jacinta D. Remulla, pointed out in her welcome remarks, “Their work is a testament to the beauty and the resilience of our cultural identity, which is why it is our collective responsibility to keep this tradition alive.”
She added in Filipino, “We need to pass on this weaving culture to future generations. That’s why I’m happy to launch tonight the official signature design of our weavers. From now on, the distinct design from Maragondon will be called Hagondon, and the one from Indang, Habindang.”
The traditional weave designs were showcased through the entries of Arcusa and four other contestants, namely Jham Bautista, Aurora Salvador, Jesus Sindayen and Jonathan Latona. They were each mentored through the course of the competition by established designers like Jojie Lloren, and Cavite’s own Joey Samson, Al Banzon, Olé Morabe and Adrian Rios.
Both mentors and mentees participated in a fashion show that also featured the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.
Winning collection
Arcusa’s winning collection, titled “Lady Physician,” paid homage to Dr. Mercedes Cuello Lazaro Musngi, who is recognized for her heroic acts during World War II. It came in the form of contemporary streetwear with a Filipiniana touch in black-and-white motif.
Bautista’s “Elemento” honored the beauty of Cavite’s traditions and the Chavacano language, which is spoken is some parts of the province.
Salvador chose the colors of the Philippine flag in presenting her “Drag Queen” collection.
Sindayen’s “Baluti” revolved around that type of armor used by female warriors to symbolize bravery.
Latona opted for a celebratory tone in his “Pagdiriwang” collection.
On the mentors’ side, Lloren highlighted Cavite’s coastal scenery through his “Yndan” collection—he also collaborated with the brand called Yndan, which uses Cavite weaves.
Samson, known for avant-garde tailoring, presented his own vision in “Reyadillo.”
Morabe’s “Kamakalawa” underscored the province’s shift from agricultural to industrial industry.
Rios chose vibrant colors for his “Blooms” collection, while Banzon went for pastels in demonstrating patriotism through “Alab ng Lahing Kabitenyo.”
New generation
Arcusa, 27, has been designing for almost 12 years. He has dressed up the likes of beauty queen Ahtisa Manalo, actress Liza Soberano, drag artist Eva Le Queen and girl group Bini.
“That’s what I really love doing,” he told Lifestyle. “I come from a family of tailors—my grandmother and my mother. It’s not just about doing this for the money, but also doing it for a purpose. When I first heard about ‘Sintang Habi,’ I really wanted to join, and to win, of course. Cavite is a very diverse and very beautiful province, and in my own way, I want to promote it.”
He recalled working on his collection for about three months. “But not continuously since we have a lot of orders, too. I also wanted to make sure that the collection would be made with love and that it served its purpose, which is to really promote Cavite weaves. We wanted to showcase it in a way that the weave can be worn by this generation, and not let it become a dying tradition. I hope for it to continue for the next generation—and I will make it work.”
He also shared what he learned from Samson, his mentor in the competition: “The valuable advice I got from Sir Joey is to make my collection wearable, make the Cavite weave wearable for normal people and not just for special events. It can be promoted more effectively that way.”
