bago, a fresh take on american design through filipino heritage

what inspired the creation of bago, and how does the brand reflect filipino culture and values?

bago was born during the pandemic when we all had a lot of time to sit, reflect and think. specifically the increase in aapi hate crimes compelled our founder, brandon comer, to reflect on his own experience growing up as filipino american. it highlighted how different and unique it is to be both filipino and american. this time of reflection also pushed brandon to be more curious about his heritage. it helped him discover the rich tradition of design and craftsmanship of the filipino people. more specifically, he discovered and became immediately intrigued by the hand weaving traditions of the filipino people. 

however, he also uncovered that not only are the indigenous weaving communities and artisans struggling to compete in this capitalistic world, they are also struggling to merely pass on their tradition to the next generation. it became clear to him that without the support of the filipino diaspora these weaving traditions may eventually die off. and so he set on a journey with a group of friends and bago was launched.

bago builds upon the legacies of those who came before us and serves as balikbayan (a way to return home) to our heritage. we seek to preserve filipino heritage by directly collaborating with filipino businesses and indigenous artisans, showcasing their craft through our designs. by working directly with filipino businesses and artisans, bago provides an avenue for filipino americans to give back to their homeland and their heritage. 

our brand embodies the filipino concepts and values of kapwa and bayanihan.

how does filipino heritage influence your designs and approach to fashion?

we strongly believe that what sets us apart is that we are a filipino american brand actively seeking to express both our filipino culture and american upbringing in our designs and brand identity. through the products we’ve already released to the design ideas being developed for future episodes (collections), we’re looking to shape what filipino american design looks and feels like.

we also seek to express and proudly showcase our filipino culture in a way that’s deeper than surface filipino cultural references and tropes.

we chose the name “bago” because it doesn’t simply have one translation from tagalog to english. it has multiple meanings, which reflects the multifaceted nature and complexity of our brand. it can mean “new” but also fresh, modern, or change. this is so fitting to our vision as bago exists to create something that is uniquely and authentically both filipino and american.

this is even reflected in our logo. the bago primary logo itself is an expression of duality. the top typeface is chiseled and inspired by handcrafted design, while the bottom typeface has a more modern aesthetic. the two styles were intentionally split in half and flipped to create a bold statement that matches our vision of honoring our heritage while shaping our future. together, they create a complementary whole.

our garments' details, silhouettes, and lines subtly reference and pay homage to traditional filipino fashion. we also find inspiration from the memories of our childhood and things we are learning as we further discover filipino history. our current designs in development will further advance this approach.

examples of how we storytell through our produco oversized heritage shirts are inspired by traditional filipino fashion: the kamisa and the work barong, which were common everyday wear for the working class.

binakol textile in kusikus pattern found on heritage shirts. handwoven by the master weavers of mang abel ti abra.

binakol textile is indigenous to the ilocanos and itneg communities of ilocos and the cordillera region. the weavers keep track of the complex geometric patterns of squares and rectangles completely in their minds without a manual or guide.

dating all the way back to the 1400s, the binakol is traditionally a ceremonial cloth used for protection as the optical illusion of the pattern is said to create a dizzying effect that drives away evil spirits. this particular pattern is known as kusikus, designed to resemble swirling, circular whirlpool vortices in the ocean.

an artistic representation of a cloudy day in ilocos sur, philippines, where the pinilian textile on the hood is handwoven. the complex brocade textile found on the hood takes weavers in the philippines an entire day to hand weave just one to two meters. our oversized cropped hoodie and wide leg pants are inspired by traditional filipino fashion: the kamisa, the saya skirt, and the work wear barong.

handwoven by the corazon agosto weaving community. due to the complexity of the textile design, the weavers are only able to hand weave 1-2 meters per day.

pinilian is made by the ethnolinguistic group of the itneg in the cordillera region. pinilian blankets serve prestigious and ceremonial functions rather than utilitarian ones. during the wakes of important members of the group, they are put on display as a sign of wealth. they are also believed to offer protection for the spirits against malevolent beings.

bago garments start from scratch. no blanks. no branding or design templates. We manufacture our products locally in los angeles, to ensure we can personally oversee quality control and an ethical production process. we design to the millimeter and strive to be intentional with every detail – with love for our community and our heritage. this makes our production and our garments much more expensive than the average consumer is used to. it then obviously makes it very difficult to compete against large corporations and fast fashion businesses.