MANIFESTO
bago is the start of a journey to discover and define oneself.
It is an expression of duality. The balance between being both
Filipino/a/x and American.
bago is about identity. A bold celebration of culture.
A gift to our heritage through the shaping of its future.
Family. Heritage. Community.
These are the values we live by. Both brand and community together
unraveling the tapestry of Filipino heritage. We honor it by forging our
own story as Filipino/a/x Americans.
PURPOSE
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.
We hope our journey inspires our people to not only connect with their
heritage but also with their families at a much deeper level.
STRUCTURE
Each bago episode (or collection) acts as a vignette telling the
story of the community’s upbringing as Filipino/a/x Americans
through the lens of fashion and design.
Many years into the future, one may come across objects that were
designed by bago. With enough of them in hand, they may piece
together the story of our journey.
PARTNERS
We work with Anthill Fabrics to ethically source handwoven
textiles directly from the indigenous weaving communities in the
Philippines. Learn more.
We manufacture our products locally in Los Angeles, CA to ensure
we are creating an ethical and sustainable supply chain.
ORIGIN
You are not alone if you think you don’t know much about your history as a
Filipino. We feel the same.
But we believe this is a byproduct of how our story has unfolded in America as
we were taught to blend in and assimilate. In the midst of that, we must have
lost our connection to our culture.
This is what prompted our Founder and Creative Director, Brandon Aquino Comer,
to start his research on the Philippines. 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 struggling to compete in this capitalistic world, they are also
struggling to merely pass on their tradition to their own children. It became
clear to him that without the help of the Filipino diaspora these weaving
traditions will eventually die off. And so he set on a journey with a group
of friends and bago was born.
CONTACT
community@bago.la
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram
Facebook