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When I filmed this vlog, there was a parol glowing behind me and piles of jerseys and cardigans waiting to be packed. It was one of those quiet, chaotic weekends where I was surrounded by boxes, and a lot of feelings. Filipino Pride Collection round 2 was finally here, and I realized I had never actually sat down to tell the full story of these pieces. I just launched, packed, shipped, and kept it moving.
This time, I wanted to slow down and invite you into the why.
Why There Even Was A Round 2
When I first launched the Filipino Pride Collection, I followed a mantra I say a lot to myself: do it before you are ready. I was not fully prepared with a big marketing plan or a perfect launch calendar. I just knew I had designs on my heart that needed to exist in the world.
The first round sold, and then something surprising started happening. People kept asking for it again. I would get messages, comments, little nudges from the community asking when certain sizes would be back or if I would ever restock the pieces they missed. At the same time, I realized I had never really done a deep dive on the designs, only quick posts here and there.
Encore became my chance to do both. To bring back pieces people loved, and to finally honor them with the kind of slow, detailed sharing they deserved. So when you see me in the vlog, surrounded by pre-orders, that is what you are really seeing.
The +63 Jersey And The Half Sun Between Worlds
One of the stars of this collection is the +63 jersey. This time, we added an extra small, because the fit is intentionally oversized. When I wear the small, I still feel like I could go smaller, so it felt important to make room for more bodies and preferences.
On the label, there is the Kilig Ko logo, and every time I see it, I have a tiny moment of disbelief. I am just a small business, and yet here is this little tag that says we are real, we exist, and people are choosing to wear what we make.
The jersey uses applique embroidery, which basically means we place a piece of fabric on top and then embroider over it. For a big design like this, doing it all in dense thread would make the whole thing super stiff. Applique keeps it softer and more comfortable, while still letting the design be loud and clear. Smaller parts of the jersey use regular embroidery, which can be stiffer, but it works when the areas are tiny.
The number on the front, +63, comes from something very simple and very Filipino. Growing up, whenever my mom would call the Philippines from the US, she would tell me to press plus 63 and then dial the rest of the number. I always wondered why it felt so long and why the numbers there seemed extra complicated. I did not even realize that +1 was the US and +63 was the Philippines. I just knew that when I heard those numbers, we were reaching home.
So when I put +63 on the jersey, it was my quiet way of honoring that connection. My mom saw it and said, is it because of me, because I was born in 1963? I laughed and told her, sure, if you want to say that. In truth, it is about the Philippines, but it is also about her. It can hold both meanings at the same time.
On the back, you see Manila and a half sun. I did not want a full sun. I liked the idea of it rising from the back, almost like it is still in motion. For me, that half sun is a symbol of being Filipino American. I know the conversation around not feeling Filipino enough. I know the in between. The half sun feels like that midpoint, still rooted in the flag, still undeniably Filipino, but honest about the duality.
At the end of the day, this jersey is my way of saying: wear your roots proudly, in whatever in between you stand.
Inarawan, Big Filipino Energy, And Not Dimming Myself
The Inarawan cardigan is tied with the jersey as my favorite piece in this collection. It is what I reach for when I want something a little dressier, a little softer, still very Filipino, but not just another t shirt. It matches the times when I am in a girly, softer, fem core mood and want my clothes to reflect that.
This cardigan also represents a new era for Kilig Ko, one where I lean deeper into custom pieces and designs that feel like my full personality. Filipinos have a certain energy. You just know when a Filipino is in the room. Loud, energetic, bubbly, full of life. That is the spirit I wanted this collection to capture.
But I will be honest. I was hesitant about this piece at first. I wondered if it was too loud, too bright, too much. I worried that people would not wear it, that maybe I should tone it down, make it more minimal, so it would feel safer and more palatable.
Then I caught myself. That thought, of making myself smaller so people would like it more, goes against everything I say Kilig Ko is about. This brand is supposed to be about loving myself and loving my heritage proudly, not shrinking it. I had to ask, am I dimming my light just to feel more acceptable
Choosing to move forward with the Inarawan cardigan was me choosing not to dim. And the wild part is that people love it. The very thing I was scared might be too much turned out to be exactly right. It matches the brightness of Filipino energy, what I jokingly think of as big Filipino energy.
Technically, the cardigan also reflects how my craft is growing. The entire thing is done in chenille embroidery, which I like to compare to rug tufting. The needle goes in and out, forming loops and texture. It is fluffy, raised, and hard to capture on camera, but once you see it in person, you feel the difference. It is one more way of letting the designs be as bold and dimensional as the stories behind them.
Kilig Ko In The Wild And What Comes Next
Even now, all of this still feels mind boggling to me. That people want to wear the things I create. That friends send me photos or messages when they spot someone in Kilig Ko out in the world. Every time I hear Kilig Ko in the wild, it feels unreal and very real at the same time.
I am deeply thankful for every single person who touches this work in any way, whether you like a video, watch a vlog, or purchase a piece. Every action means more than you know. You are helping me live out small business dreams I used to only imagine.
What keeps me grounded is remembering that this is still just the beginning. I am only in my second year of Kilig Ko. I only started vending last year. There is so much more to explore, more pieces to design, more stories to tell. I am excited for 2026, for the new ideas that will move from my sketchbook into real garments, and for all the quiet, everyday moments that will continue to inspire them.
This collection, and this encore round, feel less like a one time drop and more like a promise. A promise to keep showing up as my full Filipino American self, and to create pieces that help you do the same.
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