We live in a time indeed: streetwear company New Era Cap PH has announced a collab... with 102-year-old living legend Apo Whang-Od.
A member of the Butbut tribe, Whang-Od is one of the last mambabatok in the country, a traditional Kalinga tattoo artist who still inks in the ancient way: via the excruciatingly painful process of hand-tapping your skin with a thorn.
She was nominated for the National Living Treasures Award in Manila FAME back in 2017.
The collab consists of the Serpent Eagle 9FORTY Cap (emblazoned with a traditional design that's said to symbolize freedom and bravery), a more minimalist 9FIFTY Cap with compass designs, a reversible bucket hat with a "snake tongue" design (symbolizing strength and protection), and a black t-shirt with various Butbut-inspired designs.
In their announcement post, New Era Cap Philippines took great pains to emphasize that they have "secured all the legal matters before proceeding. Supporting Filipino artists through collaboration is one of our brand values." What kind of support? "[B]y supporting, we meant in all aspects," continued the post.
The collab is on sale now in all New Era Cap Philippines branches. (Here's a location list.) You can also grab it in their online store.
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