Usbong: A Fictional Football Club Inspired by Philippine FloraUsbong: A Fictional Football Club Inspired by Philippine Flora
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Usbong is Tagalog for "bud," the moment a flower first breaks open. I dug into Flora de Filipinas (1877–1883), a 19th-century botanical atlas of Philippine plants, through the Biodiversity Heritage Library and Wikimedia Commons. I turned its hand-colored plates into a fictional women's football club. Every native flower became gear: Dapdap → home kit Banaba → away kit Caballero → boots Santan + gumamela → goalkeeper gloves Sanggumay → match ball Makahiya → the supporter's scarf Makahiya is the "shy" plant, the one that folds when you touch it. It's also covered in thorns, and that's the whole idea: these flowers aren't soft or decorative. They bite. Worn by striker Maya Flores, #29, the collection reclaims flowers as fierce, not fragile.
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Shakil's avatar
Stunning work!
Ziva's avatar
ok no, i loooove
Shakil's avatar
Amazing work
Murad's avatar
Exceptional
Aditya 's avatar
Mapping each native flower to a piece of kit, with makahiya the shy plant that folds when touched becoming the supporter's scarf, is a smart story, and the line that the flowers bite and are not fragile gives a botanical print real attitude. Contrarian question: the print is...
Shohel's avatar
Such a creative concept! 🌺 Turning Filipino botanical history into a football club identity is a beautiful way to blend culture, storytelling, and sport. The details across the kits and accessories are fantastic!
Sofiia's avatar
Bella, this is sooo cool!!!
Bella's avatar
Thanks, Sofiia! Love your Mado cafe as well!
Aminu's avatar
Beautiful designs
Tabish's avatar
Pulling from Flora de Filipinas is such a thoughtful choice. The hand colored plates translate beautifully, and Usbong is the perfect name for it.
Muhammad's avatar
Creativity!
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