Joining BAYO’s Changemakers & Fashioning Change

by Monette Iturralde-Hamlin / July 24, 2023

Last May, I was invited by BAYO to join a photoshoot for their upcoming campaign. Little did I know that I was in for such a lovely time and that I would meet some truly amazing and inspirational people too, starting with my fellow models’ architect Rebecca Plaza-Ti and NGO founder Kara Rosas.   

Rica, short for Rebecca, is the founder and managing director at Plaza + Partners, a multi-award-winning design firm that takes on an entire spectrum of projects, from small ones like a 13-sqm mobile house, private homes, office towers, hotels, and the like, to large ones like the city development plan for Manila. She is also a director at the annual 3-day Anthology Festival, Southeast Asia’s largest architecture and design gathering that increases awareness and showcases architecture within the SEA region. Rica is a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum, sharing her expertise on designing cities in the fourth industrial revolution. Rica is expecting her first child, a daughter, and this made our photoshoot truly meaningful, as there were not just the three of us, but four of us there.  

Kara is a director and co-founder of Lokal Lab Siargao, an NGO that supports the local community through sustainable and impactful projects. Passionate about helping the Siargaoans get back on their feet after that devastating Typhoon Odette, Kara’s group has raised over $2.5M through crowdfunding and grants, and is plowing this back into projects that empower the local community of Siargao, including teaching regenerative farming practices; simplifying the supply chain through a subscription platform that ensures consistent demand for products from hotels and restaurants; and developing Lokal Tropical School, an educational platform for innovation, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skills training focused on and driven by the local community and nature. Lithe and tanned, Kara is a surfer, just like my daughter Cara.

Our photographer, soft-spoken Artu Nepomuceno, quickly put us at ease by telling us to allow our bodies to move to the music he put on, as it affected our senses and emotions. I was first to be photographed solo, and it was so touching! I focused on my journey as a woman—as a daughter, as a sister, as a friend, as a wife, as a mother—its highs, its lows. Little did I know that tears had begun to flow as I slowly moved, and even danced, to the music. Later, the team told me that they were moved as well. I was thrilled to find out from Meg that her husband Artu is a renowned fashion photographer who has done numerous fashion editorials and magazine covers for a variety of magazines, including photographing 106-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang Od for Vogue Philippines! What an honor that was!   

Preparing for the shoot, I chatted with make-up artist Johnson Estrella and learned that he had previously worked in the BPO industry but had decided to learn a new skill and go for certification, which turned out to be quite lucrative, especially now that events are opening again after the pandemic lockdown. I confided to Johnson Estrella that I hardly ever go for professional make-up and begged him to make sure that the result still looks like me. He and his assistant Sabrina Alona did an amazing job!

Huge thanks to the rest of the photoshoot team last Saturday, including Meg Manzano-Nepomuceno who coordinated with me from the beginning and who produced the shoot together with Regina Ang; Chi Magos and Austine Velasco who handled the video recording; Trish Estomo who interviewed me after; and of course, the exceptional mother and daughter team of Anna and Alyssa Lagon.

I love the clothes that we modeled, their feel, the style, the colors, but more than that, I am totally impressed by what they represent. There’s a feel-good factor when purchasing and wearing a Bayo creation, as each garment is locally produced, made with natural materials, certified safe from toxic substances, and printed using water-based ink. Bayo’s clothes are made of carbon neutral products, which means each purchase you make supports projects that promise stronger communities, cleaner skies, and a greener Earth. Some of these projects include producing renewable energy through the Burgos Wind Project in the Philippines, reforesting the Sea Trees REDD project in Cambodia and degraded land in India, and improving access to safe and clean water in rural areas of Rwanda by repairing and maintaining existing boreholes, among others. Visit their website at https://styleshops.com.ph/ to learn more about their earth-friendly initiatives.

In fact, their website (as of the time I am writing this at 5:37 pm on July 16) shows that Bayo Manila has effectively offset 45,358 kgs of carbon, which is equivalent to charging 8,662,655 smartphones, growing 756 tree seedlings for 10 years, or crossing transatlantic on 135 flights! The numbers grow as each purchase is made! And if you visit their app, you can see the carbon offset for each item of clothing that they carry. Pretty neat!

So, is it possible to marry Style, Sustainability, and Women of Substance? Well, that is exactly what Styleshops founder Anna Lagon is doing with her labels Bayo, Vice Versa and Unica. By creating sustainably made garments, Anna is forging the way ahead for other fashion houses to transform their business, reduce the wastage caused by the fashion industry, and contribute to a cleaner, greener Earth. And I am humbled and honored to be invited to be part of this campaign, which will be launched on August 10. Thank you, Anna, and Bayo!

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