One thread at a time. That is the slogan of Tapis & Baag.

This Cordilleran brand set the scene for the New York Fashion Week 2024 last February 9, 2024 at Sonny Hall, New York City, less than a year after its launching. With their love and appreciation towards the Cordilleran weaving, one cannot bypass the beauty of culture embedded in every design they create.

“Our vision is really just to take out our inabel fabric—that heritage outside the Philippines…” Ginalyn Brown-Tayag, the Cordilleran CEO of Tapis & Baag said.

Each of the five designs showcased during the fashion show was meticulously hand-woven by the indigenous people in the Cordillera. It took them only five months to prepare.

According to Ginalyn, she even decided to launch Tapis & Baag after witnessing how detrimental inabel fabrics in a printed form were being sold and enticed cheaply in the market, dismissing the hard work of the indigenous people who vigorously weave.

Furthermore, apart from being fashionable, this brand accentuates the reputation and prestige of Cordilleran weavers in the global context.

“Ano ba ang aim, magiging aim ng Tapis & Baag—the brand is to you know empower our weavers and mainly bring our inabel tradition, our heritage, our fabric out in a wider audience, globally.

The brand is now working closely with a Cordilleran professional weaver on creating a school for weavers with no age limit to encourage even the youth to the world of weaving.

Indeed, stitching their admiration for their culture in every fabric is what made Tapis & Baag notable compared to any other designs during the New York Fashion Week 2024.

As Ginalyn said, the Cordilleran weaves are indeed a showstopper that latches on to the eyes of those who see.

The brand continues to enter the international stage, as they were also recently invited to LA Fashion Week.

“We will not stop.” Ginalyn said.

Currently, Tapis & Baag has upcoming event for their anniversary this June at the Baguio Convention Center.

~Cielo Angel Nicole Abendan~