Due to the Philippines’ drawn-out history with colonization by countries such as Spain, Japan, and the U.S, their fashion is most notable for its unique look. This look was frequently associated with intricate textiles that were meant to represent their spirituality, sacred rituals, cultural values, and essentially the foundation of their rich culture prior to colonization. These textiles and color schemes were heavily used and appropriated by high-class Spaniards during their rule in the early 1500s’-making similar fabrics and colors a symbol of wealth and high fashion luxury for years and years to come.
Aside from influencing the aesthetic of luxury, we can also attribute Filipino influences for piña fabric-a sustainable and elegant fabric made from pineapple leaves. Carmen Hijosa, the founder of Ananas Anam, recently used this ideology to create Pinatex, a natural alternative to leather by using pineapple leaf fibers. We’re currently seeing this fabric rise in popularity due to the major push for sustainable fashion in recent years-most notably used by H&M, Hugo Boss, and Nike's latest sneaker launch!