PamPinay, an up-and-coming Philippine avant garde fashion house, will showcase its latest collection in the House of Ikons runway on 18 February 2023 at Leonardo Royal Hotel London St Paul's during London Fashion Week.

The innovative designers of PamPinay, Pamela Gotangco and Christian Belaro, have created a new spin on traditional Filipiniana dresses and costumes like the bolero, the terno and the baro’t saya, making them wearable, sleek and fun.

PamPinay designers Ms. Gotangco and Ms. Belaro’s creative use of sustainable materials such as the binakol and kantarines handwoven fabric from Abra, the embroidery, art and beading of the T'boli tribe in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, and the inabel from Ilocos will also be put on display during the fashion show.

The opportunity to showcase its wearable art limited edition at the London Fashion Week is a testament to PamPinay’s creative use of sustainable materials, upcycled pieces and incorporation of handwoven fabrics from Philippine indigenous groups. 

PamPinay’s story started at the height of the worldwide lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic.  In March 2021, Europe-based Filipina artists Gotangco and Belaro set up a social project to help and answer the needs of Filipina seamstresses and weavers in the Philippines. The up-and-coming fashion brand was born out of the creativity of Gotangco, a multi-awarded visual artist based in Switzerland, and Belaro, a graphic fashioner based in England. Both women designed and produced a collection of high-quality wearable art showcasing fully Filipino-crafted designs, with the aim to promote social entrepreneurship, sustainability and responsible branding. 

An online collaboration was formed when strict travel restrictions were imposed during the pandemic. The first design was ready by May 2021 and was produced a month after. 

Working across three countries, the first collection was launched.  The PamPinay process starts with Ms. Gotangco painting the fabric design in Switzerland, translating the design digitally in the UK, printing the fabrics in the Philippines, and then coordinating with several communities of seamstresses and weavers to create the final product.

With its participation in this year’s London Fashion Week, PamPinay hopes not only to promote Filipino creativity and culture but also to make a positive impact in the fashion world.

PamPinay focuses on promoting ethical fashion, and most importantly empowers women seamstresses in the Philippines. The brand encourages thoughtful consumption by offering an alternative based on meaning, culture, and social impact. Both Gotangco and Belaro advocate a slow fashion approach that is observed through the entire supply chain – from the ethical sourcing of raw materials to fair trade practices for people, animals, and the environment. “We promote women empowerment by providing fair income opportunities for seamstresses back home,” both of them shared.