Cover Maricris and Jaime Brias showcased abaca fibre art in Paris
Maricris and Jaime Brias showcased abaca fibre art in Paris
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A collaboration between mother-and-son Maricris Floirendo Brias and Jaime Brias unfolds in fibre and structure, grounded in the rhythms of T’nalak and lived experience
At Révélations 2025, an international fine craft and creation biennale held at the Grand Palais in Paris last May 21 to 25, Heart of Abaca made its presence felt quietly yet distinctly. The piece, a collaboration between Maricris Floirendo Brias and her son, Jaime, stands with its weight evenly distributed, layered and vertical, formed from abaca fibre. It represents no single object, and yet it holds many: a plant, a memory, a process, a body of work.
The form is derived from the abaca plant, not the abaca flower. Its three layers mark stages in the life of the material: raw, woven and patterned. The outermost layer uses abaca that is dipped in pulp, untreated and irregular. The second, a band of plain T’nalak, signals structure without adornment. The third, set at the core, bears the “Ikat Vine” motif. The shape rises upwards, but doesn’t swell. It expands slightly, like breath held before a word is spoken.
The T’boli people, who live in the highlands of South Cotabato, have woven abaca into T’nalak for generations. Their work is ceremonial. The weaving is done by women known as the “dreamweavers”, guided by dream patterns. Dyes are made from roots and leaves. The process is slow, as each strip is softened, measured, tied and untied. Every piece is made by hand.
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Above Révélations 2025 at Grand Palais
Above The ‘Heart of Abaca’
Révélations 2025 at Grand Palais
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Maricris began working with the T’bolis in the late Eighties, through the TADECO (Tagum Agricultural Development Co) Livelihood and Training Center. After studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, she returned to Mindanao, where she focused on creating sustainable work for the wives of plantation workers. Her designs use abaca and banana fibre. They are woven, dyed, cut and framed, but not industrialised. “Craft”, she says, “involves bringing family members and community members together in the shared effort of creation and teaching.”
Jaime, her son, studied industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design, followed by strategic design and management at Parsons School of Design. He has worked in New York, Manila and London. When he speaks about craft, he uses the word “dialogue”, but doesn’t over-explain. “There’s history, labour and meaning embedded in every fibre,” he says. His role is not to interpret tradition, but to work with it—holding it in form, not fixing it in place.
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Above Maricris Floirendo Brias
Above Jaime Brias in front of ‘Heart of Abaca’
Maricris Floirendo Brias
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The making of Heart of Abaca was never just about materials or aesthetics. “To me, craft is more than a process—it’s a living dialogue between tradition and innovation,” Jaime says. He sees craft not as a separate discipline from modern design, but as something that moves with it. “What excites me most about craft is the story that begins before the materials even reach a designer’s hands.”
With this work, he wanted to highlight those unseen beginnings—the layers of labour that precede the object. “As a designer, I feel a responsibility to understand those origins because it allows me to carry those stories forward.” The piece draws from the banana leaves to suggest growth and transformation. Each layer was deliberately chosen: “The first layer shows raw abaca in its natural state, fresh from the harvest. The second layer uses plain T’nalak fabric to represent growth and the time-honoured weaving process of the T’boli. The third layer features T’nalak with the tie-dyed vine pattern, highlighting their intricate dyeing and weaving techniques.”
But what anchors the piece for Jaime is the collaboration itself. “My mother, Maricris, has worked with the T’boli for many years. She’s done incredible work highlighting their craft with both care and integrity. Collaborating with her on this project challenged me to tell that story more deliberately through form.”
Above The abaca piece up close
The abaca piece up close
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Above Rev Naval, Katrina Banzon, Neil Felipp, Olivia d’Aboville, Jaime Brias, Rhea Matute, Milo Naval, Joey and Christina Gaston, Marianna Gaston
Rev Naval, Katrina Banzon, Neil Felipp, Olivia d’Aboville, Jaime Brias, Rhea Matute, Milo Naval, Joey and Christina Gaston, Marianna Gaston
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With Heart of Abaca, mother and son crossed cities and generations. There is no food in the work, but it holds the shape of an offering. What it shows, above all, is process. The gathering of fibre. The preparation of dye. The rhythm of ikat. The memory of repetition. “Design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about storytelling and stewardship,” Jaime says. “I want others to see beyond the material as something decorative or replaceable. The abaca fibre, like the T’nalak fabric, holds value and strength on its own.”
Maricris says she hopes the work teaches young people to value their heritage. More than preserving it, she wishes for the heritage to be passed down through generations. “Creating and using these items helps maintain a strong link to our ancestors and traditional stories, preserving a sense of continuity with the past,” she says. Her words land with clarity; the work, likewise, is composed.
Heart of Abaca reveals what happens when something is crafted with care. Its meaning lies in what it keeps intact—the fibre, the pattern, the names of those who wove it. It holds, then it passes on.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
