A first in Philippine fashion, the collaboration between local shoe brand Lakat Sustainables and Filipino artists Doktor Karayom, Garapata and Lilianna Manahan to create contemporary yet statement sneakers aims to promote wearable art while advancing the ingenuity of the country’s young creatives.
Homegrown footwear brand Lakat Sustainables recently collaborated with three of the country’s most compelling contemporary artists, namely Doktor Karayom, Garapata and Lilianna Manahan, for the limited edition Lak+Art Series, to promote wearable art and strengthen the bonds between Philippine art and sustainable fashion.
“The Lak+Art series is not just for display, it is meant to be part of your daily life — a celebration of the synergy between art and fashion,” Lakat founder Michael Claparols said during the launch of the collaboration.
“For this collaboration, we’re not only talking about the various weaving communities we work with, but we also engage the best silk-screen printers and embroiderers of the country. We expanded our team to ensure to come up with the meticulous execution of this artistic endeavor,” he added.
The limited-edition sneakers debuted at the 2024 edition of Art Fair Philippines.
According to Lakat consulting creative director Luis Espiritu, the idea of working together with artists came about from “issues that surround fashion today and one of them is how it’s barely perceived as art.”
Through the Lak+Art series, they aim to promote the initiative of wearable art – one that can be worn every day, accessible and functional, but at the same time creatively fun.
“Each of these young renowned Filipino artists has a signature character or is known for their ‘creatures’ and marks of distinction. They also have a strong sense of identity. Somehow it (their work) whimsically gives an impression of surrealism and the existence of the imaginary world, taking Lakat into account as its tabula rasa (blank canvas),” Espiritu explained.
“I love that each artist is celebrated in the beauty of their artistry and uniqueness. They exemplify an outstanding synergy of three-in-one. Each artist takes you to his or her world, fantasy, and reality. More importantly, they all explore fashioned art that you can wear,” he added.
Meet the artists
Dex Fernandez, also known for his multi-legged character Garapata, expands on the concept of ‘infesting’ various spaces, and, in this case, through sneakers, with his eye-catching and memorable main character. He shares with PeopleAsia that the concept of Garapata came to life when his house got infested by ticks when he was young.
“That’s where the story of Garapata came from. I gave it a personality and character, and simplified it because when I did street art, I realized that the simpler the art, the better the recall is,” he said in Filipino.
“The story came about when our house got infested by ticks, Before long, I story about the infestation spread through the streets via galleries, museums and now shoes. Through Lak+Art series, I want to ‘infest’ different places and further spread my art,” Fernandez added.
Meanwhile, Russell Trinidad, also known as Doktor Karayom, portrays gory, yet enchanting images in his works. His Lak+Art collection dubbed “Na-engkanto” is inspired by his childhood experiences of often wandering and playing in different places.
“This collection comes from my childhood memory where I always ended up getting sick because I got enchanted by mythical environmental creatures like duwende or engkanto because I always wandered and played in different places. I incorporated that experience into my collection. When you wear these shoes, they will take you to places you want to go. You might get lost at times, but the experience will help you flourish,” Trinidad said.
On the other hand, Lilianna Manahan, who’s recognized for her whimsical and industrial works, introduces a character named Clarence. Her collection for Lakat is dubbed “Clarence’s Afternoon Stroll.”
“I illustrated him in different postures and mundane situations that I guess reflected the whole atmosphere of the lockdown,” Lilianna explained. “He became a daily exercise wherein I would draw him in different situations and, eventually, he became like an alter ego, or a way to express things that I couldn’t express with words.”
For her, creating art is something along the lines of defying the limits of her creativity and making space for new ideas, which is why her sneaker design features a blank canvas where people can doodle on or add charms.
“I hope the shoes also serve as a canvas for people to express a bit of themselves and have fun walking around in them,” she concluded.
When asked about working with the Lakat team, the artists noted how enjoyable it was to work with them.
“They’re open to experimentation and trial and error. They didn’t want to limit their collaborators’ imagination, so, whatever we suggested, they really did it,” Fernandez said.
“It’s really fun working with the Lakat team and Luis because they gave us all the freedom to experiment while they executed everything,” Manahan said.
Moving forward, Claparols also expressed high hopes of working with more local creatives to further promote the initiative of sustainability while simultaneously showcasing the ingenuity of contemporary artists.
For more information on Lakat Sustainables, visit www.creativedefinitions.com/collections/lakat-sneakers and follow them on Instagram at @lakatsustainables.
Explore more of the artists’ works by following them on Instagram: Doktor Karayom (@doktorkarayom), Garapata (@garapata_ / @dexfernandez) and Lilianna Manahan (@liliannamanahan).
— By Ma. Angelica Demegillo
