9. Barong Tagalog (Wedding Shirt) of Emmanuel Naval

ID#: EN2013001
Region: Philippines
Materials: pina cloth (pineapple fibers)
on loan from Emmanuel Naval

This Barong Tagalog, a traditional formal shirt of the Philippines, was loaned to us for the exhibition by Emmanuel Naval (Vassar class of 1993), who wore it for his wedding. It is made of pina cloth, which is woven from pineapple leaf fibers and is valued for its rarity.

Wedding photographs courtesy of Emmanuel Naval (Vassar class of 1993)

A photograph of Emmanuel Naval (VC Class of 1993) and his wife in a carriage, smiling. He is wearing a Barong Tagalog, a traditional formal shirt of the Phillipines, made of pina cloth, which is woven from pineapple leaf fibers and is valued for its rarity.

The spring 2013 historic clothing exhibition at Vassar College was entitled "For Better and For Worse: Sixteen Decades of Wedding Wear at Vassar," and was curated by Arden Kirkland (VC Class of 1993) and Faculty Emeritus Holly K. Hummel, <br /><br />
<br /><br />
In 2007, Vassar received a donation of four wedding dresses from the same Vassar familyâ€”three generations of dresses. The exhibition included these four dresses, plus a fifth dress on loan to represent the fourth generation, as well as other wedding wear and photographs collected over the years. The exhibition explored changing views of marriage over the last 160 years, including timely views on marriage equality.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
The exhibition took place in the Palmer Gallery in the College Center, Main Building, at Vassar, from May 23 - June 9, 2013.