Casa del Shai

Centuries of Spanish colonial period refined the distinct artistry of the Barong Tagalog, the Philippine National Costume for men. When the Spanish ruling dictated a demarcation against the lowly Indio, Filipinos were made to wear their shirts not tucked under the waistbands. To add to that, Barongs were fashioned out of sheer fabric and with no pockets, appeasing the Spaniards’ fear that Filipinos are not out to attack them with hidden bolos and other weapons. As a result, the people focused their skills into defining their clothing as a symbol of resistance. Each shirt is handcrafted and embroidered with the distinctive piña cloth (fiber from pineapple leaves) or Jusi fabric made from abaca or banana silk. Despite its seeming flimsiness, the Barong Tagalog stood proudly against a revolutionary canvas of freedom uproars and rebellion.

Casa del Shai offers you the Barong Tagalog in all its glory as it evolved with the modern times. Worn formally in either traditional and mandarin collared styles, the Barong Tagalog’s craftwork is presented in three colours; Antique, Ebony and the more common Ivory. The embroidered shirts come with the Camiso De Chino, a simple long sleeved undershirt similar to the Henley and the ubiquitous black dress pants.

Sharing with you more of our Filipino flavor at the Casa del Shai Deco.

Inspired by the glamour of a glittering former first lady, this terno is an embodiment of how she moved the dark & powerful decade of Philippine History with her style. Imelda Marcos popularized the Philippine national costume with butterfly sleeves and stylized column serpentina skirts. Each public appearance was a work of art. She was keenly aware of Filipino cultural constructions of the lady as the icon of national tradition, and used these insights to achieve her nationalista goals. Everyone secretly loved her fashion sense.

And oh god the shoes. We went to see the infamous wardrobe when i was young and I was fascinated by the disco shoes encased on a pedestal. There were rows of shelves with endless shoe styles, I was in heaven and I thought it was a shoe library. Frivolity sparked in my little heart.

Casa del Shai pays tribute to the lady with the Imelda Terno. A creation of lavish draped silks flowing into a column, adorned with sculpted lace butterfly sleeves. Akin to a dipped paintbrush, this terno is ink-stained at the hems with burnt Spanish lace.

The Imelda Terno radiates her beauty at the Casa Del Shai Deco in Ivory and Verdant. Wrap yourselves with royalty now.

At the turn of the century with the Spanish and Spanish American war, Filipinos asserted themselves through crystallizing their identity with costume. Through the four hundred years of colonization, Filipinas wore plain wrap-around skirts (saya) fashioned out of opaque plaid or striped cotton and sinamay varieties, while the baro (blouse) was fashioned out of sheer lace fabrics. Since the baro was also made of fine material, a piece of cloth of the same fabric as the saya was worn over the baro to cover the breasts. This piece of cloth (which doubled as a veil) later evolved into the pañuelo. According to historians, the use of the pañuelo was an imposition of the Spanish missionaries on the ‘Indian’ women who resisted undergarments. In the American colonial era (1902-1946), sleeves evolved from the bell-shape to the butterfly sleeves design associated with the terno today.

The Traje de Mestiza as featured here is an early offspring of the Maria Clara, a creation of delicate lace bell sleeves and detailed embroidered skirts. The gown became the star of the zarsuelas with all the glittering glamour of a beauty queen.

Be a fin de siecle belle of the ball with the Traje de Mestiza terno now available at the Casa Del Shai Deco.

Maria Clara is the heroine of love and beauty in Rizal’s novels. She shines as Crisostomo Ibarra’s muse and as an affluent Binondo debutant , also the illegitimate daughter of an evil Spanish friar Padre Damaso. The ultimate Dalagang Filipina, Maria Clara inspires all the generations of women with her child-like innocence and strength of character. The Terno effuses such radiance in bright magenta pink, dotted with embroidered roses and spun with rare Spanish lace. The tapis worn around her skirt is joined at the back with a big satin bow and two silk rosettes. The bodice is also adorned with the same Spanish lace and fastened with a row of pearls down her back. Again, the sculpted prim butterfly sleeves can be worn traditionally or without.

Doña Victorina was a fictional character in Jose Rizal’s 19th century revolutionary novel, Noli Me Tangere. Married for convenience to a Spaniard, Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, she was depicted to be a Kastilain wannabe, influential and snobbish yet strong in her wiles. The Donya Victorina Terno is a rendition of how colourful her life is, in royal blue Piña with embroidered rosettes on her skirts that run up to her shoulder. The gown is cut low on the back, draping fluidly down as it is tied together with a big satin bow. The butterfly sleeves are sculpted with sheer alencon lace as well as those on the skirt. Filipiniana glows with the colours of spring as roses bloom at the Casa Del Shai.

Casa del Shai introduces The Shai Filipiniana series, a loving tribute to the glorious Filipina ancestors, drawing inspiration from our history and colorful literature. We celebrate our Independence Day every June 12, when the first flag was raised over Taal, and I thought it was a good time to showcase true Filipina flavor. These Ternos are stylized variations of the Philippine National Costume adorned with lace butterfly sculpted sleeves, bell sleeves, the Panuelo (shawl), shirred bodices, pearls and flexified ball gown skirts. Each gown harks back to the Filipina Mestizas of the 1800s as it evolves into the the ternos Imelda Marcos personified in the 70s . They symbolize the grandeur and beauty of the Dalagang Filipina, mysteriously demure yet amazingly proud and strong.

These gowns were made with much heart and love. A proud independent nationalist, and a culture geek at heart, this is why I am proud to be Filipina.