Finding my soul at Kultura

A store that warms my patriotic heart and excites the shopaholic in me is Kultura.

I have seen Kultura evolve from just being the Philippine Handicrafts section of SM Department Store to the standalone creative store that it is now. It reflects SM’s vision to promote locally-made products, but with a relevant contemporary tweak.

The store makes me feel that there is much curating and editing of the products. There are traditional barongs and ternos there, yes, but also very wearable and comfortable native attire with clever craftsmanship and whimsical details one would love to wear not only for Independence Day events. Kultura has liberated us from too ethnic remnants of the past that feel costumey and elaborate.

I espy a lot of foreigners happy with their shopping finds at Kultura. My own American balae feels the store is her prime destination in Manila. I can leave her at Kultura and come back for her after several hours. It’s easy to find her: Just look for a brown-haired lady lining up at the cashier with loads of goodies—from placemats, table linen, bags, parol, clothes, pearls, coffee packs to snack items. I cannot understand why, with the abundance of chocolate brands in the US, her favorite has to be Chocnut.

Recently, I attended Kultura’s Atelier fashion show and was pleased to see some of my fave designers there. 

Jorel Espina, the talented couturier from Iloilo, is a most-copied designer, but he doesn’t mind. He considers it flattering. “And it’s good that more Filipinos are loving their own now.” It was love at first sight when I saw a friend wearing a blouse with floral cut-outs. I was told that the designer didn’t have a shop in Manila at the time. Luckily, I was able to order through Sen. Loren Legarda, who was also a fan of Jorel Espina. But now, his designs are available at Kultura.

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Tim Tam Ong started as a jeweller who now also hand-paints denim jackets. But she will always go back to her first love—designing gems, which we can find at Kultura.

There is one brand that I have been quietly observing for its sheer creativity and purposeful passion: Good Luck, Humans. The Filipina creative behind it is Apol Lejano-Massebieau, who started recycling fabric scraps while in Europe. I saw her products such as neckwear, bags, and furniture pieces during pop-up shows in malls. Now I am glad Kultura has given her a fitting home.