the alterego

The Alterego is inspired by culture and history; particularly, by the two concepts of Maria Clara: a character and a clothing item. The character of Maria Clara, the female lead character in Noli Me Tangere, a social novel written by the national hero of the Philippines, Jose P. Rizal, during the Spanish colonisation of the Philippines, solidified the stereotype, suppressive and sexist views of how Filipina women should be. Until now, the concept of Maria Clara is still used to represent purity and femininity. While there is nothing implicitly wrong with the idea of innocence and purity, the mere existence of it is subtly imposing on women to adhere to these beliefs about themselves. As for the Maria Clara garment, the evolution and modern take of it took for granted the elements that made them distinctively Filipino. A lot of elements were taken off, making it generic and lost among other clothing items.