Erryle Joshua Navelgas Miranda

Balikbayan

“Balikbayan” is in reference to the “balikbayan box” which is a box full of gifts that Filipino immigrants or overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) send/take to their families in the Philippines, often when they are coming home. This series is inspired by my heritage and my experience as a Filipino immigrant in America as a way of coming back home to my roots–to my culture. With an interest in fashion, I crafted a few looks to showcase Filipino culture through my eyes, elevating traditional Filipino silhouettes and garments to uplift Filipino culture and our people through fashion photography. Along with that, I included an ongoing series about Americanizing Filipino things and vice versa to speak on Americanization and assimilation. With my thesis, I hope to emphasize the importance of representation, present culture in relation to fashion and ask the question: What does it mean to be Filipino?