A shock of freshness: ‘Filipino’ through Carl Jan Cruz’s lens

Carl Jan Cruz | NASTASHA VERAYO DE VILLA

Gasgas na, right?” Carl Jan Cruz the designer said with a soft chuckle. He was referring to his design sensibility—“Filipino,” he’d answered.

But far from being overdone, the self-named label’s lens of “Filipino-ness” is a shock of freshness, even in its comforting familiarity.

Carl Jan Cruz the brand (CJC) held a one-day fashion exhibit at the art gallery Silverlens in Makati City titled “2023 Collection: International Interbarangay” on July 17, featuring 24 pieces of what could only be described as wearable contemporary art that took almost two years to complete.

The amalgam of textiles, textures and techniques is a reflection of his own team’s eclectic blend of Pinoy perspectives brought on by each member’s unique background—from age to roots to expertise.

Carl Jan Cruz at his eponymous brand’s one-day fashion exhibit, “2023 Collection: International Interbarangay,” at Silverlens Gallery —PHOTOS BY NASTASHA VERAYO DE VILLA

“I didn’t realize how beautiful the interaction would be, to hear people who have the same interest in creating clothes but from different perspectives,” Cruz said, adding that the exhibit marked the first time the team, composed of fashion veterans and Gen Zers alike who all grew up and trained in various parts of the Philippines and the world, were designing as a brand.

“Even though the brand’s 9 years old, this is the time when it formally feels like the departments were really their own respective moving parts. There’s someone who’s focusing on pattern making or textiles design, research and development even.”

The collection is an amalgam of textiles, textures and techniques reflective of Cruz’s own team’s varied backgrounds, generations and skills.

But it all boils down to CJC being “a Filipino brand with a Filipino team.”

However, Cruz admitted that setting up his headquarters in the Philippines and creating different design job opportunities for Filipinos weren’t always part of the plan. In fact, after attending university in his second home of London, he had intended to work as a designer for a brand there.

While the Carl Jan Cruz pieces have elements of Filipiniana, Cruz wouldn’t go so far as claiming them as such. Instead, it’s “Filipino from our perspective.”

But having started his career early in the Philippines—not just in design, but in styling and show production as well—got him acquainted to the limitations of the local production industry. “It made me so passionate to maybe work with what we have, which is so Filipino to say, actually, ‘no?”

His innovations caught the attention of non-Filipinos. As he started making a statement abroad, it got him thinking about what-ifs.

Now, Cruz is focused on reeling in international attention to “Filipino” right from his home court.

Filipino-ness

While the CJC garments have strong elements of Filipiniana (with the use of abaca or piña fabrics, or details like the pañuelo), Cruz is hesitant to claim the collection as such.

“There’s Filipiniana, but not really a butterfly sleeve. There are pañuelos but there are actually no camisas. There are baros without being baros,” he said.

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The collection does feature one surprisingly traditional-looking piece: a barong.

“We would never really usually go for something that has a very traditional thought. Everything’s quite abstracted here, may bale (there’s a bent). Wherein there, the twist was kept more internally.”

To the naked eye, the top just looks like an edgy barong. “But we were able to put the cuts differently and to kind of innovate in a more subtle way by respecting the bones still,” Cruz said, adding that they have fully lined the garment as well to make it more comfortable to wear.

“I would say this is ‘Filipino’ from our perspective. We wouldn’t want to claim at all that this is Filipiniana, but if it does resonate with you being Filipino, that’s more than enough for us to feel like we’ve done our part.”

It is time more than ever to reinforce “Filipino-ness,” he added. And just as the terms “Japanese style” or “French design” conjure such distinct imagery, it is his wish that the same would come true for the word “Filipino,” saying that he hoped that his team’s efforts and designs are able to build toward that.

“This is just a small part of contributing to the culture of Filipino fashion,” Cruz said. “I feel that is a mission in itself right now.”