Maximalism is Indigenous: A Reclamation of Story Through Style

4 days ago

·

Written by Lydia Querian

Maximalism is Indigenous: A Reclamation of Story Through Style

4 days ago

·

Written by Lydia Querian

WE WERE NEVER MINIMAL

We were never plain. From the beginning, our people adorned themselves in meaning—tattoos that told stories, headwraps layered with intention, textiles with spirit, and beadwork full of memory.

So why were we taught to tone it down?

This question grounds our latest campaign, Maximalism is Indigenous. Beyond a fashion statement, it is a philosophy, a radical act of remembering, and a reclamation of what was always ours.

Walk with me beyond fabric and form, and into the layered truths of why maximalism matters—especially for those of us shaped by colonial histories.

Photo Credit: Guerrilla Pump | Model: @susanagudo

COLONIAL ERASURE OF AESTHETIC BOLDNESS

Colonization took more than land and language. It stripped away our visual language—our colors, our patterns, our shine.

In the Philippines, a land abundant with natural and cultural resources, our environment was exploited to feed a global economy that never served us. Our bodies were commodified. Our minds reconditioned. Our spirits suppressed.

We were told that “less is more.” That simplicity was sophisticated. That to be loud, colorful, adorned, and bold was to be “too much.”

What was once sacred became shameful. Piece by piece—bead by bead—our cultural visibility was dimmed.

Across the diaspora, this narrative of “civilization” silenced vibrant visual expressions. Maximalism was recast as excess. Minimalism became a form of compliance.

But when we reclaim maximalism, we don’t just resist—we remember.

MAXIMALISM AS RESISTANCE

To understand the full impact of colonization, let's look beyond land seizure and language loss. I'm examining the erasure of our aesthetic traditions—our visual and symbolic expressions of self. Boldness reflected on each design I adorn our community with.

In this context, maximalism is about fashion yes, but it could also be a political and spiritual act. It is the return of stories to fabric. The return of ancestors to silhouette. A refusal to be erased, especially in this time and age where narratives are being threatened to be deleted in many forms.

MAXIMALISM IN AN INDIGENOUS CONTEXT

In Western culture, maximalism often means extravagance or sensory overload. But in Indigenous cultures, it’s something else entirely.

Sure, our early ancestors once walked naked with nature, adorned in leaves and the earth itself. But as our consciousness—our diwa—evolved, so did our creativity. Our adornments became monumental, woven into every part of life.

Symbols, patterns, and motifs were BEYOND decoration. They were sacred language—marking time, honoring land, and holding spiritual knowledge. Every thread was intention. Every layer, a story.

So no—this isn’t about excess. It’s about embodiment. It’s about dressing deep, not dressing up.

Photo Credit: Lydia Querian

WOVEN PATTERNS ARE WISDOM

To the untrained eye, traditional weaves may simply look beautiful. But to those who know—they are wisdom.

Indigenous textiles are living texts. The Ifugao *binakol*, for instance, reflects the motion of water and wind. Hawaiian *kapa* cloth holds genealogical memory and land connection.

Our weaves carry stories of community, ecology, identity, and spirit. They hold memory in warp and weft.

When we wear them, we carry philosophy. We carry lineage. We carry prayer.

Photo Credit: Lydia Querian

WEAR OUR STORIES

We believe fashion can be an altar—a sacred space to offer homage, to honor where we come from, and to show the world: We are still here. We exist. We exist to resist. We were never erased. We refuse to be erased. And we are still stunning.

Maximalism is not a costume. It’s a call. A call to remember. A call to show up in full color, even in a world that asks us to shrink.

So wear the layers. Stack the beads. Flaunt those skin markings. Let the textiles speak. Let the patterns speak. Let your stories speak!

Let your look tell your lineage. Let your style echo the sun and moon cycles of your people. Let every motif be a portal to your truth.

Photo Credit: Guerrilla Pump | Model: @susanagudo