You’ve been waiting for this— it’s time for our favourite underrated VINTA pieces! These pieces deserve way more love and let me tell you why. You’ll see that most of the pieces on this list are not cookie-cutter Filipiniana, because that’s not who we are. We’re all about elevating and pushing the boundaries of what Filipiniana can be. So don’t be afraid to wear a daring piece, because trust us, you’ll be the coolest one at the function. Let’s begin, shall we?
1. Relaxed Classic Pechera Barong (Neo Classic)
The coziest barong you’ll ever own. The Relaxed Classic Pechera Barong is made with 70% cotton and 30% silk. It’s a barong that feels like expensive pajamas. Wear it to the beach or to a wedding, it’s that effortless and cool. On top of that, we invented a zipper slit on the side to make these kinds of half open barongs easier to take on and off. Just to let y’all know that that’s a VINTA Gallery invention. So when you see side zippers on other barongs, just know where it started. Oh and the embroidery—yeah, it’s rice plant (palay in Tagalog). What’s more Filipino than that??
2. High Neck Crop Barong
This is not modern Filipiniana, this is future Filipiniana! This particular High Neck Crop Barong came in a hand-dyed cerise jusi with navy blue embroidery and mother of pearl buttons that went all the way up to the top of the neck. I don’t know if y’all just weren’t ready for this colour combo, but it is absolutely impeccable! And if you look at the details of the exaggerated cuffs and mockneck, you cannot convince me this is not the future of fashion. This design has since been archived, but let us know if you’d like to see it again in a different variation!
3. Freshwater Palawan Pearl Triangle Hoop Earrings (1.5” x 2”)
You wanted pearls, so we gave you pearls. Not only did we give you circular pearl hoops (in three different sizes, might I add), we also gave you a triangular pair with 24 pearls each! It’s edgy and bold, but also classic and elegant. It’s the dichotomy for me.
4. PAMANA Biggie Barong (Cross-Hatch)
Usually our heritage line, PAMANA, does not go over $200, but this particular piece is special because it is made with 100% silk. Yeah that’s right, 100% silk for $225! It’s a deliberately simple design because we wanted to give you an affordable silk barong. The cross-hatch embroidery is giving tinikling vibes, to be honest, in the chicest way. We still have a few pieces of this left, so get it now while it’s in stock because you’ll never find a better deal for this kind of quality and ethically produced barong.
5. Unisex Ifugao Anorak Tracksuit
Okay, so we are bringing a similar silhouette back through REGALO Studios (coming soon—sign up for the newsletter to know when we launch), but I need you to take a moment and really look at this because… this is the coolest shit ever. Tell me who was doing Filipiniana streetwear like this in 2019? I’ll give you a minute. Yeah, no one. Just us. Next!
Yes, the girls are out on this one, but it’s all about styling. You can wear it as-is or add a cute little bra or even a whole turtleneck underneath. It’s up to you how provocative or modest you wanna be with the Slit Front Terno Top. This is the Rebel Filipiniana you came for. I need you to look at the hand manipulated multicolour thread embroidery on this. A machine did not (and could not) do that, our incredible embroiderers at the VINTA atelier in Manila did that. That is not easy to do, my friends. It’s chic, it’s daring, it’s whimsical, but not in a juvenile way. We gave you a terno in a barong material, which we rarely do because we’re picky about how we combine those two Filipiniana things.
7. Two-Tone Waist Crop Barong
I don’t think y’all were ready for the Two-Tone Waist Crop Barong when we released it back in 2021. The colour blocking of the white cotton and the sheer hand-dyed wisteria jusi cutouts that also came down onto the sleeves was too much for you. It was the perfect spring/summer piece that could’ve transitioned into the fall. At the time, crop tops for men hadn’t hit the mainstream yet, so I guess we were just a little too advanced for you. And now here we are, cishet men love a little crop in their tops and guess what? We’re sold out of this na. In the past year we received a few questions about this piece asking if we were planning on restocking it and the short answer is: no. Moral of the story: trust us.
Made from deadstock lace, this Lace Camisole is the sweetest little thing! Yeah it might not be super Filipiniana, but we made it specifically to be worn under a barong or a terno harness (and I know y’all love those). You can also just add it to any outfit to add a vintage feel. It’s simple in its essence, but it’s really the lace and the construction that gives it a touch of luxury.
Speaking of Terno Harnesses, this Lace variation is surprisingly underrated. Constructed the same way as our iconic Terno Harness (Jusi), it’s a “throw on Filipiniana” situation. Literally add it on top of any outfit and it instantly becomes Filipiniana with an added sweetness thanks to the lace. There are some people out there who have tried to copy this pattern, and let me tell you, it just isn’t the same and will never compare to the original. I keep talking about construction because that is so important when it comes to your garments, especially the ones you’re tryna keep forever and pass down. Not only has the Terno Harness become synonymous with VINTA Gallery, it also perfectly sums up who we are: one of a kind.
10. Unisex Box Shirt (Cotton Dobby)
This is underrated because the fabric looks so Filipino without looking explicitly Filipino. It’s an if you know, you know kind of situation. It’s not flashy because sometimes a little bit of subtlety is all you need. And it’s also just a super chill and comfortable shirt. What’s not to love?
11. Freshwater Palawan Pearl Ear Lace
Is it a necklace? Is it an earring? Baby, it’s both! Inspired by the bekelew that T’boli women wear, the Freshwater Palawan Pearl Ear Lace (which comes in silver and gold) is an incredibly unique piece of jewellery to add to your outfit. It’s giving subtle, but also futuristic, Filipiniana. It’s personally my favourite jewellery piece that I own and she gets worn A LOT.
There you have it—our fave Underrated VINTA Pieces. So what we’ve learned here today is that you should trust us when it comes to colour combinations–put some respect on the unexpected colours we choose. Trust that what you’re getting is not some microtrendy garment that’ll be out of style in a year. What you’re getting is heritage-wear. It’ll last you a lifetime. Have you ever looked through your parents’ closets and found the coolest vintage pieces? Yeah, that’s gonna be your closet one day. What we do is not your average cutesy girl-next-door Filipiniana. We’re all about elevating without compromising Filipino cultures. Don’t underestimate us because we’ve got you covered. And if you made it this far, have 20% off your next order on us. Use code “FUTURE20” at checkout. Thank us later. Kisses! Xx
