Gabby Garcia: The Woven History

Gabby Garcia shares his journey from starting Tagpi as a passion project to debuting his latest collection at NYFW

Words Patricia Angela Moslares
Photos courtesy of Gabby Garcia, Tagpi & Patricia Angela Moslares
March 18, 2025

“I want my brand to be known for a brand that doesn’t just sell clothes, but tell the stories of Filipinos.”

Gabby Garcia, a 24-year-old Filipino fashion designer, recently showcased his brand, Tagpi, at New York Fashion Week. Despite his success, he revealed, “For the longest time, I wanted to be a doctor.” Gabby attributed this dream to his mother, a doctor who would take him to the hospital to watch her perform surgeries. “I thought it was my calling,” he admitted.

Initially pursuing a pre-med degree in Life Sciences at Ateneo de Manila University, Gabby’s path shifted during his sophomore year when the pandemic changed his life’s trajectory. 

The first thread

Growing up, Gabby was immersed in Filipino culture and craftsmanship. His grandmother founded a folk dance group, exposing him to traditional attire from various communities, while his mother, a textile collector, introduced him to Filipino fashion.

During the early months of the pandemic, Gabby explored his own passions, attending online forums by HABI: The Philippine Textile Council. There, he learned about the struggles of local weavers and decided to support them by creating a brand that celebrated and preserved their artistry.

Patching ‘Tagpi’

To kickstart his passion project, Gabby reached out to artisanal communities he discovered through HABI’s forums, purchasing handwoven fabrics like Inabel from Ilocos and materials from the YAKAN community in Mindanao. He stitched these into his designs, selling limited pieces on Tagpi’s Instagram.

Reflecting on his journey, Gabby admitted that starting Tagpi was his biggest challenge. “Since I didn’t have any fashion background, I always had self-doubts,” he shared. “But I realized that if you have something worth selling, the market will find you.”

The market did find him when Katutubo Pop-up Market invited him to showcase his designs, allowing customers to appreciate the intricate Filipino artistry. This opportunity opened many doors, including the chance for former Vice President Leni Robredo to wear Tagpi during her 2022 campaign. Since then, Gabby has showcased his Filipino-inspired designs at three international fashion shows.

On the runways of New York

Filipinxt has showcased Gabby’s designs at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) since 2024. At last year’s event, the founder of Tagpi unveiled his capsule collection, Pagsibol, featuring four looks. Gabby admitted he was more focused on sales than the show itself, given his limited pieces.

This year, Filipinxt was officially added to the NYFW calendar, and Gabby debuted his latest collection, Tahak. With 15 looks in shades of blue and white, Tahak—meaning “to travel”—blended the vibrant Philippine tropics with the urban landscape of New York.

Zooming in on the pieces

Unlike most designers, Gabby’s creative process doesn’t begin with sketches. Instead, he starts by laying out all the materials he can work with and experimenting with them. For Tahak, he incorporated unique materials such as leather scraps, banana fiber beads from Pagadian City, mother of pearls from Cebu, and oversized pom poms from the Bagobo community.

Gabby’s inspiration sparked after attending the National Trade Fair, where he discovered banana fiber bead bracelets from Pagadian City. He reimagined their color and incorporated the beads into his clothing designs.

One of his standout pieces is a large, puffy vest, inspired by the pom-poms traditionally made by Bagobo artisans for their garments. While these pom-poms were typically smaller and overlooked, Gabby collaborated with the artisans to create oversized versions, blending Filipino craftsmanship with modern design for the global traveler.

Gabby’s lack of formal fashion education has become his greatest strength, allowing him to think outside the box and approach design unconventionally. His fresh perspective has also inspired local artisans to explore innovative ways to utilize traditional materials.

Looking out on the horizon

When asked about his future goals, Gabby shared his desire to host a fashion show in the Philippines. “I want to reach more people here and make them realize that we have craftsmanship we can truly be proud of,” he said.

Gabby’s passion for preserving and promoting Filipino craftsmanship drives both him and his brand. He believes our culture and artistry are what truly enrich us, and that supporting and nurturing these traditions is key to moving forward as a nation.