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FASHION
is a battleground of the best of the brightest artists
and artisans. The ill-equipped, no matter how talented
and skillful, can easily be cowered by such factors as
peer competition, average business acumen or lackluster
marketing. Having a mentor can prove to be a major
advantage.
As
anyone who’s gone through the rigors of training under
Christian Espiritu—acknowledged as the Master of Couture
as much as a commander of fashion plebes—has experienced
for himself, apprenticeship under an established
designer ŕesulted in an invaluable improvement not only
in their craft but also in their philosophy and
aesthetic.
To show
their gratitude to the man who helped them shape their
approach toward fashion, Espiritu’s former understudies
Inno Sotto, Gang Gomez, Barge Ramos, Loretto and Jesus
Lloren led an army of Paranaque City-based designers
like Junjun Cambe, Peri Diaz, Dels Velasco, Serge
Jimenez, Boyet Dysangco and Parrish Espiritu Carlos in a
fashion showcase, dubbed Pamana ng Parañaque, at the
Casino Filipino Grand Theater.
“Oh so
wonderful! The privilege of having been part of an event
that had a tribute to my uncle as its highlight is
beyond description,” exclaimed Carlos, whose collection
included palazzo suits that recalled Espiritu’s
signature elegant outfits for Elvira Manahan. “I paid
homage to my uncle, the couture master, whose works I
saw while I was growing up. He has influenced my
style—be it in architecture, interior design or
couture.”
Pamana,
as Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. emphasized, is “thematic
to a long-felt aspiration of the people of Parañaque” to
build the Bahay Aruga Shelter House and a proposed
museum that will display the city’s rich heritage,
thanking Espiritu for “lending his time and reputation
to boost this drive.”
Though
enervating at times—what with 89 models (made up by 10
makeup artists headed by Jingky Ilusorio and dressed by
10 manangs) navigating an endless runway sometimes twice
over, the one-and-a-half hour Pamana show, directed by
Ogee Atos and assisted by Robert Castillo, will be
remembered as the biggest fashion event that the people
of Parañaque ever witnessed. They were genuinely elated
that such a spectacle should happen to honor one of
their outstanding citizens, who was beaming with pride
alongside Imelda Marcos, Tingting Cojuangco and his wife
Gli Limcaoco.
Master class
Creations on
showcase by Barge Ramos, Jesus Lloren, Loretto, Inno
Sotto and Gang Gomez
“It was
actually a privilege to give tribute to a designer who I
look up to and who helped me be a better designer,”
Lloren said. He worked with Espiritu at about the time
that his retail label, XTN, was to be launched in the
late ’80s. Lloren showed two creations that flaunted his
impeccable mastery of cut and construction.
Loretto
repeated his revealing ensemble from the FDAP Silver
gala (complete with the same model, JP Abinuman), just
adding a feathered cape for a glam impact. Sotto’s
trademark class and subtlety came to the fore in
voluminous gown worn by the singular Ria Bolivar.
Ramos’s brilliance as a barong Tagalog maker remains
unmatched as he brandished four gorgeous guys in his
printed, patterned pieces.
For me,
seeing for the first time the work of Gang Gomez, now
Dom Martin of the Monastery of Transfiguration in
Malaybalay, Bukidnon, was worth all the hassle and
unnecessary strictness at the entrance of the casino
theater. His gold and beige gowns, almost ecclesiastical
in execution, were early signs that he was about to
embark on a life as a monk. They were dated, yes, having
been showcased in the ’80s when he was part of the
ultra-exclusive Fashion Designers Guild. But classic,
they surely are. Simply sublime.
So what
is Christian Espiritu’s legacy to Philippine fashion?
His nephew and torchbearer Parrish Espiritu Carlos
provides the answer. “The terno. He stripped it of its
frills and embellishments. He created panels and panels
of embroidery on which his technique of mixing colors
and threads combined with various stitching methods is a
true testament to the Filipino’s handiwork and talent.” |
