A reunion of artists, friends and clients happened at Silk Cocoon’s anniversary cocktails at New World Hotel, Silk Cocoon’s home for 18 years since it was founded by fashion designer Jean Goulbourn. Known for her innovative designs using hand-woven textiles bearing Filipino artistry, Jean has raised the bar for a Philippine-made product, the barong tagalog with her artistic eye and flair for embroidery. Silk Cocoon’s “signature barongs†have been worn by world leaders who attended the APEC summit held in Subic in 1996, international celebrities like Nelson Mandela and Prince Albert of Monaco and influential business leaders here and abroad. At the anniversary celebration, a special limited-edition barong collection featuring artwork by a veritable Who’s Who in the Philippine art scene (National Artists Arturo Luz and BenCab, Kenneth Cobonpue, Impy Pilapil, and Claude Tayag, to name a few) was launched. Each barong will bear the stamp of the artist’s uniqueness, making it a collector’s item that can be passed on from generation to generation. Proceeds will be shared with the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda with the kind support of New World Hotel general manager Farid Schoucair. Congratulations, Jean!