Silk Cocoon designs for Asean leaders

The barong Tagalog takes center stage at the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to be held next week in Cebu City.

When the ASEAN leaders and foreign ministers step forward for their photo-op amid long meetings and formal dinners, they will be wearing something proudly Filipino: barong Tagalog designed by Silk Cocoon.

Silk Cocoon’s Jean Goulbourn has been appointed to dress the participating leaders with her innovative barong designs. Goulbourn also did the barongs for the 1996 APEC Summit in Subic with her design theme "Windows of the World," inspired by windows of ancestral homes.

This time, Goulbourn adopts the Asean theme "One Caring and Sharing Community," mixing art and culture into her design as she interprets renowned Filipino artist Manny Baldemor’s artwork entitled "Togetherness" for the Asean leaders’ handwoven silk-piña barong. The design depicts a village scene of a community working in harmony. Goulbourn also takes elements from the Asean logo, which is surrounded by 10 sampaguitas representing the 10 member states. She has stylized the national flower for a range of barongs for both formal and casual wear.