Designing from One's Roots

I have an affinity for the province of Ilocos, not only because the Ilocano blood runs through my veins, and because I lived there until I was 6 years old, until I had to attend school in the city. The region has become a significant place during my formative years. I still remember the basket of mangoes that my Inang and Tita Fely would keep away from me because, according to them, I loved mangoes so much they couldn't stop me from eating. I still remember the old lady who lived across the street who'd welcome me every morning to play in her house. I remember going out with my older female cousins in the afternoon to the fields to catch beetles. They would carry me on their back being their "bunso" (an affectionate term for "youngest"). I remember pretending to be asleep when it's time for my afternoon nap, because I was afraid that my Inang will give me a spanking, if she found out that I was awake. 

Both of my parents were born in Ilocos Norte, one of the northern provinces in the Philippines.  Although my siblings and I were raised in  Metro Manila for most of our lives, we grew up in a household that introduced us to the culture of the Ilocanos. Before my grandmother migrated to Hawaii, we used to travel back and forth from the city to the province, especially during summer. In the following years, when my grandmother lived in Hawaii, our Tita Fely would bring us to Ilocos Norte. Most of my childhood years were spent there. 

We were first introduced to the Abel handwoven cloth in the form of a blanket,  a common use for the Abel cloth in an Ilocano household. We had a variety of Abel blankets of different  designs. I loved the material so much that during a lone travel in the province, I went out to find souvenirs made of Abel to bring home to the city. A few years later, I became acquainted with the fabric  as a fashionable bag during my travel to Ilocos in 2001. The bag had a black and white checkered pattern, which I gave as a present to my good friend who is now living in the United States. 

Not knowing that I'd pursue a career as an entrepreneur and designer, my fascination for this locally handwoven cloth has kept me wanting to incorporate this traditional material into our designs. A part of my vision for Palamuti is to use local and homegrown materials that represent the story of my country. Through the years, I have been experimenting on how to make use and elevate the Abel into my costume jewelry designs. This year, I've decided to focus on bead embroidery, and experimented on combining the hand loomed fabric with hand stitched designs. It was imperative that both elements complemented one another because the Abel fabric was a beautiful cloth on its own; especially those with silver and gold thread accents. We couldn't bead on the fabric itself, since it spoiled the Abel's natural beauty. Finally, I decided to use the Abel in place of the chiffon fabric that we use to attach a bead embroidered necklace. 

This new improved merging of two elements and techniques represents our "Nagapwa" Collection. Last year, we released a "Nagapwa" collection, although we only used basic linking and stringing instead of bead embroidery. This year, after several attempts, "Nagapwa" Collection truly represents both me as a bead embroidery artisan-designer and a child of Ilocos Norte Philippines. 

Keeping it real. - PJV 

SCARF FASHION: BALASANG

The Philippines has an abundant and diverse selection of fabrics and traditional clothing from its many provinces. Because of this we have been experimenting on how to incorporate different indigenous materials with our items.One of our favorite materials in some of our collections is the Inabel fabric, known locally as Abel, a handwoven textile made by the Ilocanos with traditional wood-looms.

Balasang is our latest take on incorporating the Abel fabric in our scarves. These pieces are currently available on NIMLI.COM. We very much look forward to making more scarves using traditional handwoven fabrics.

Neutral Staples

There are bold women who prefer loud colors over muted ones. At the end of the day, however, it's really about a person's preferences and taste. Some prefer colorful hues, while others prefer neutral tones, and it's all perfectly okay, as long your choices don't defy your fashion philosophy.

Here are some staples we've made to address your love for neutrals.

1. CALLIOPE STATEMENT NECKLACE

2. EDEN- SNAKE INSPIRED NECKLACE

3.  NAGAPWA LONG NECKLACE

4. ISHTAR SCARF-NECKLACE (with raw quartz in black and white)

5. OLIVIA PLEATED CHIFFON SCARF-NECKLACE 

6. QUEEN OF HOLLYWOOD WIRE ART SET 

7. ROSALINA SCARF 

8. HIRAYA SCARF-NECKLACE 

9.  BLACK LOTUS STATEMENT NECKLACE (with a hint of pink)
 

Inabel in Long Necklaces

We having been toying around with indigenous materials. One of the recurring materials in some of our collections is the Inabel or commonly known as Abel, handwoven fabric made by the Ilocanos. 

We chose to name this piece “Nagapwa”,  an Ilokano word which in English, roughly translates to “where one came from". We opted to incorporate Inabel fabric, something deeply ingrained to the Ilocos province's native culture, and added seed beads to complete the necklace.  It's a pretty piece that falls on one's figure opera style, and contrary to how it looks, it's lighter than you think. You can pair it with just about anything, for it was designed to be fashionable and practical at the same time. Truth be told, it's one of our favorite pieces and count on us to make more!

Nagapwa Long Necklace

Wear it with your casual outfit

Wear it to a special occasion

WHY WEAR LONG NECKLACES: They are flattering and can give illusion of height or thinness to the wearer! 
HOW TO WEAR: They look best on the following necklaces: Turtleneck, Crew, Strapless, Square, Off Shoulder Asymmetric, Boat and Sweatheart. You can even wear it on a collared top.  Check out different kinds of neckline at Charming Posies.

Wear your long necklace with these outfits

References for the photos

1. UNIQLO Women Combination Boat Neck 1/2 Sleeve Dress
2. GIAMBATTISTA VALLI VAULT Turtleneck dress
3. Vanessa Bruno Crew-neck sweater
4. Vanessa Bruno Embroidered Top
5. Esme Off The Shoulder Frill Crop Top
6. L'AGENCE Square Neck Pocket Dress

Gameng ni Maria (wealth of Maria)

Inabel with embellishment
* Bringing tradition to contemporary costume jewelry


~for my Inang, love PJ
Pride and wealth of the north
...Of culture and tradition
Of now and eternity

***

"Abel Iloko, also called inabel, has a long tradition and history, and is justly
famous for its quality and durability. Its patterns and colors are derived from
the natural environment of Ilocos - the whirlpools in the water, the
whirlwinds that bring much destruction, the leaves and flowers of local flora,
the stars, indeed the Milky Way itself."