Page 173 - Philippine Tatler (April 2019)

patis tesoro

The act of donning the traditional
baro’t saya when she joined the
Patrones de Casa Manila in the
’80s led to a personal epiphany
for the woman who has become
one of the strongest advocates
for heritage conservation in the
country. Since then, she has
championed the revival of the
country’s national attire by raising
awareness on traditional fabrics
such as piña and local cotton.
Likewise, she has employed
the talents of local artisans in
her own work—a move that has
ensured that traditional forms
of weaving and embroidery are
neither lost nor relegated to
mere footnotes in the history of
Philippine fashion.
Tesoro once stated, “If we
lose what is integral to being
Filipino—our dress, our food,
our homes—then we lose who
we are.” These simple words
perfectly encapsulate the need
to uphold our culture, heritage,
and pride in our national identity.