As part of the month-long celebration of Filipino-American History Month (FAHM) last October, the Philippine Consulate General, together with the Filipino-American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA), organized a gala and cultural fashion show, entitled “Ani” or “harvest” in Filipino, on 16 October 2021 in Burbank, CA, featuring Filipino artistry and talent in the realm of the performing and visual arts.
In his keynote speech, Consul General Edgar B. Badajos explained that the commemoration of FAHM every year is a tribute to the arrival of the first Filipinos in Continental United States in 1587.
“After almost four and a half centuries, Filipinos and Filipino-Americans have created an indelible impression in their adoptive land, significantly contributing to the economic development and cultural diversity of the United States,” noted the Consul General.
Mr. Concon Siñel, the fashion show’s director, said that the concept of the show is to “celebrate the beauty of Filipino traditional costumes through the works of three Filipino fashion designers, namely, Ms. Laura Santos, Mr. Jhay Layson, and Mr. Edwin Uy.” The designers used native Philippine fabrics from different parts of the country to come up with a collection that combines Philippine tradition and the modern art of fashion.
Over 70 models donned modern Filipiniana-inspired creations of the three designers in three segments for Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon, respectively. Each segment was preceded by performances of traditional Filipino folk dances from each region.
In addition to the fashion show, the audience was also regaled with song performances by the Brown Brothers Choir (a chorale group composed of mostly Filipino medical professionals and practitioners), Mr. Enzo Morales, Ms. Priscilla Hunt, Mr. Ralph Moore, Ms. Nineth Tenza, Ms. Christine Love, Mr. Michael Keith, and Consul General Badajos himself.
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For more information visit https://www.philippineconsulatela.org and https://www.facebook.com/PHLinLA.
