With five months of war, 360 thousand Filipinos displaced, and 95 percent of the city destroyed, the Marawi crises has definitely been one of the most devastating incidents that transpired recently in the Philippines. But even with the negative news and heart-wrenching occurrence in Mindanao, the true Filipino spirit still prevailed.
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In the hope of a brighter future for Mindanao, especially for Marawi, Arnold Galang opted to continue his peace series collection for spring/summer 2019 at the Philippine fashion week. According to him, “it is my own small simple way of telling these stories that we can rise above all these if we just embrace it with deeper understanding, acceptance, and a lot of love. So tonight, my entire advocacy is personifying.”
As he showcased oversized and flowy pieces, one thing that would really caught one’s attention was its beautiful vibrant hues. Arnold shared to MEGA, “I have brighter colors now because I really have bright hopes for Mindanao. In fact tonight, I gave a face to my advocacy through Samira Gutoc, because she is one person and leader that I found along my travels in Marawi.”
And to signify the unending need for communication and help, he highlighted colorful wave-like prints and floaty strings in utilitarian aesthetic. He explained that these small details actually “symbolize the waves of ideas, the waves of help, the waves of how people respond to Marawi. The strings [signifies] connection, communication, and the binding element which will make everybody look forward to achieving peace.”
Scroll down to see the Arnold Galang’s full collection.