Lilian Bermudez started to like making clothes at a young age and was inspired by her mother who was a dressmaker in the Philippines. She studied fashion design at Box Hill Institute of Fashion in 1995 and eventually opened her own boutique.
“My mother was a dressmaker in the Philippines. I started to like making clothes and was inspired by her so when I came to Australia, I started making dress as a hobby. I studied fashion in 1995 at Box Hill for 4 years and then after that, I opened a boutique where I can design and retail."
Ms Bermudez chose to specialise in designing and making traditional Filipino wear because of its high demand among the Filipino communities in Australia.
“I mainly specialise on evening dress and bridal wear but then a lot of Filipinos here needed it so it inspired me to design more Filipiniana. From there, I already started making designs for Filipino associations and they started wearing it for fashion shows and dinner events."
Miss Bermudez admits that it is more difficult to design and fasten traditional Filipino dress compared to modern wear as there is a lot of work involved to perfect it.
A red Baro't Saya top with floral embroidery created by Lilian Bermudez Source: Lilian Bermudez
“There’s a lot of work involved in beading and designing. It took me awhile to learn how to do and make the mestiza sleeves [butterfly sleeves] perfect but now it’s much easier."
She adds that Filipino migrants reflected a strong interest in wearing the national costume that is why she travels oftentimes to the Philippines just to purchase the fabric, embroidery and laces.
“There are more Filipino associations now that are wearing Filipiniana that’s why I’m very busy making them and most of them need it so they won’t have to order from the Philippines to send it over. I travel three times a year in the Philippines to buy the fabric, embroidery and laces then I make it here.”
Ms Bermudez says that apart from Filipino migrants, Australians who are married to Filipina women are keen to wearing the Barong Tagalog pushing her to make larger sizes. They are also fascinated by the intricate embroideries and the local materials that are used.
“A lot of Australians mostly married to Filipina are happy to wear the Barong Tagalog. So now, I have designed Barongs up to larger sizes. Most of the time, they ask what fabric I use and how I do it. I explain that they are made from pineapple fibre or silk cocoon, they are fascinated especially the ones that were hand painted and have embroideries."
She also shares that even kids who were born in Australia find interest in wearing the Filipino dress although it requires her most of the time to explain why they need to wear it. All the more, she sees this as an opportunity to introduce the tradition to them.
(L-R) Designer Lilian Bermudez with a Filipino-Australian couple wearing the Barong. Source: Lilian Bermudez
"They ask why they have to wear it or why the sleeve looks odd. I try to explain that it’s our tradition and we must wear that in order to preserve our culture. Also, on school events such as the Harmony day, many people are ordering Kimona and Balintawak that’s why I have more children wear collection for that reason. Through that, kids start to get to know our culture."
Ms Bermudez feels proud that she has been making Filipino dress for 20 years now especially that for Filipinos, wearing the national dress is a symbol of pride.
Australian kids wearing the Baro't Saya and Filipiniana created by Ms Bermudez. Source: Lilian Bermudez
“It makes me proud to be a Filipino and I am happy that I can help the community, at the same time create something for myself and our fellow Filipinos to preserve our culture here in Australia. I put a lot of work on it and I still feel excited every time I make something especially when I see men and women or any nationality wear it.”
She adds that she is also actively working with other communities to impart the beauty of her roots by joining in various fashion shows in countries such as Hong Kong, Hawaii and China.
Ms Bermudez believes that wearing the Filipino dress is a way of preserving the Philippine heritage and she is urging Filipino families in Australia to pass the tradition to their children.
"We need to preserve our culture because we are Filipinos and we need to show to the new generation that we are proud of our own culture and it needs to be shown in Australia."
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Filipinos pose in their Filipiniana and Barong Tagalog at Federation Square, Melbourne. Photo by Hector Calara Photography Source: Hector Calara Photography
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