ORIGIN

The Barong Tagalog traces its roots to the Tagalog word baro, meaning “shirt,” which was traditionally worn by both men and women prior to Spanish colonization. These early garments were often paired with salaual (trousers), tapis (overskirts for women), robes, and belts; reflecting a functional yet expressive style shaped by local customs and trade influences from neighboring Asian cultures.

During the Spanish colonial era, the baro evolved from everyday working-class attire into what we now recognize as the Barong Tagalog, a translucent, untucked garment that colonizers imposed as a way to distinguish the native population from the elite and prevent the concealment of weapons. Over time, this shirt of resistance transformed into a symbol of Filipino pride and dignity, today now revered as the "Philippine tuxedo" and worn to honor both heritage and history.

Image: "Mestizos Sangley y Chino" Tipos del País, 19th century watercolour by Justiniano Asuncion (1841) from the book "Las Indias Orientales Españolas" | Image: Wikimedia Commons

PINA HISTORY

Piña, one of the most prized textiles of the Philippines, became the signature fabric of the Barong Tagalog. Made from the painstaking extraction of pineapple leaf fibers scraped by hand with a seashell, washed, sun-dried, knotted strand by strand, and woven on wooden looms; piña cloth was so delicate and labor-intensive that it was historically reserved for the elite. Its sheer, luminous quality made it the perfect material for the barong’s translucent silhouette, transforming an imposed garment into a canvas of Filipino artistry. Each barong crafted in piña carries centuries of tradition, honoring the master weavers whose ancestral skills shaped one of the Philippines’ most treasured cultural symbols.

Image: "textileatlas.com/craft-stories/pina-cloth-philippines" photo by DesignCenter.ph

Image: "textileatlas.com/craft-stories/pina-cloth-philippines" photo by DesignCenter.ph

OUR BARO HISTORY

The Barong Tagalog is timeless and a symbol of pride, resistance, and heritage. It’s 100% OURS! But let’s be real: the traditional Barong is mostly reserved for formal events. Rocking one to the grocery store? On a third date? Or with shorts? (Okay, some legends can pull it off.)

We wanted more.  We wanted to take the spirit of the Barong, the legacy, the history, the craftsmanship and make it wearable anywhere, every day. We wanted to blend tradition with the rhythm of modern life, without losing its soul.

So we created The Baro, a modern-day silhouette infused with our KNOW HISTORY DNA. Clean, versatile, unapologetically Filipino. And now, we’re proud to introduce the next evolution in the Baro family:  The Baro LAKAS in PINA!

DESIGN INSPIRATION

The carabao has always stood as a living emblem of strength, resilience, and sacrifice within the Filipino story. For centuries, this steadfast animal has carried the weight of our fields, our families, and our future enduring sun, rain, and burden without faltering. It is from this enduring spirit that we drew inspiration for the next chapter in our Baro line. We call it “LAKAS,” the Filipino word for strength, paying  homage not only to the carabao’s might, but to the perseverance, dignity, and unbreakable will passed down through generations.  This is Ancestor Made.

DETAILS

Your LAKAS chest proudly displays a vibrant full-color carabao embroidery, symbolizing strength and perseverance, adorned with sampaguita flowers, banana leaves, and straws of rice; each element chosen as a reminder of resilience, beauty, and the land that sustains us. The carabao itself bears a lingling-o on its nose, representing continuity, connection, and the eternal cycle of life.

Your LAKAS transforms the carabao from beast of burden to icon of defiance and heritage. For generations, the carabao has carried the weight of the land and the people embodying perseverance, sacrifice, and dignity.

Historically, barongs during the Spanish Colonial Period (18th–19th centuries) were worn longer, often reaching mid-thigh, with hems that were straight or slightly curved and traditionally left untucked. Your LAKAS silhouette nods to these roots while updating the cut for modern wear. The mandarin collar adds a distinctly Filipino-Asian identity representing both cultural pride and contemporary elegance.

• UNISEXY Fit
• Full color carabao embroidery
• Mandarin collar
• Four button half open
  
• Pearl buttons
• Woven inside tag
• Woven Kampeon logo tag

The Baro is designed in the U.S. and manufactured by the great folks of the Philippines. We could have easily manufactured The Baro at fraction of the cost in China, but this directly goes to our people!  We even visited our manufacturer in the Philippines to ensure proper working conditions with no child labor and fare wages.

SIZING

Your LAKAS is a modern fit and is true to size, but to ensure you get the correct fit, please reference our size breakdown for accurate purchase. Ladies size down.

CAMISETA (BARONG UNDERSHIRT) 

Every LAKAS PINA comes with a custom cut-n-sew Barong undershirt, inspired by the traditional camiseta worn beneath the Barong Tagalog for generations. Historically, this inner layer absorbed sweat, protected the delicate Pina fabric, and preserved its beauty for years, especially because Pina was once reserved for royalty and the elite.

On every LAKAS PINA undershirt, we printed three bolo swords on the inside so when you wear your LAKAS PINA, the blades are hidden "beneath the surface." A reminder that our people always found ways to resist, to adapt, and to carry strength even when stripped down to nothing.

We hope you enjoy your LAKAS PINA as much as we enjoyed creating it.  It is the perfect mix of Ancestor Made and elegance.  

YOUR BARO LAKAS PINA

Model is wearing a small LAKAS PINA. Height 5' @ 101 lbs.

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE

Surprise!!!  Alongside your LAKAS PINA release, we’re offering a small capsule collection adding another colorway(s) to the SOLD OUT Heritage BD and a new design inspired by the bold look of vintage Filipino strength shirts from the 80s and 90s reimagined using the carabao as the ultimate symbol of Filipino power.

Peace, Love, & Service Always.

Kampeon.Co