|
SENIOR
designers were stunned when they learned too late that
they were also in competition for top awards at the 29th
annual Flores de Mayo, organized by the Congregacion del
Santisimo Nombre del Niño Jesus and sponsored by
Unilever Philippines’ Pond’s. Before that announcement,
onstage no less at the Rajah Sulaiman Park in Malate,
they happily thought that their participation would just
be to support the members of the Quezon Fashion
Designers Association of the Philippines.
They
came “unprepared,” most of them lamented. But from the
fantastic, intricate looks of their creations, you’d
think that they were playing coy and just being humble.
Past multiple-winner Francis Calaquian, master of the
stupendous beadwork, admitted that his elegant
black-and-white terno worn by the beautiful Lotus
van Heddegen was previously displayed at the
National Museum
as part of the tribute to National Artist Ramon Valera.
Rholand
Roxas, Lucena’s most famous designer and one of the
outstanding members of the Fashion Designers Association
of the Philippines, created a striking terno of
organdy cut to pieces to make pleats with cutwork with
red beads underlined with yellow. A metal cape at the
front covered with multicolored Swarovskis matched the
necklace and the earrings of model Kathy Moya.
In a
grand throwback to prewar sagala, Antonio Jan
Garcia dressed scions of prominent families. Franky
Cojuangco Rivilla was in a “forward take on the
baro’t saya, a study in softness and waves. It was
silk and wool barathea petal origami panuela and sleeves
with lagatolla tulle train with beaded detail on the
bodice and a draped tapis. The consort had a “Don Pepe”
look. I wanted to get a contrasting effect on how
traditional costumes play on today’s very hip
generation,” said Garcia.
The
theme for the sagala was “Moda Pinoy: Romance in
the Park,” and Edgar San Diego took it to heart. “My
collection was inspired by the ultimate romance between
a flower and a butterfly. Eliza Rancesca Lim, in
duchesse satin, silk cocoon and lame, was a bouquet of
flowers in a doily wrap made of cutout rubber bound with
a huge pink ribbon. Victor Aliwalas wore a vest over his
barong that connects to a pair of butterfly wings.”
Steve de
Leon, winner of the title La Flor de Manila for
his creation worn by Mabeth Costales, described his
design as a “traditional terno in batik dye
painting on piña silk highlighted with gold thread and
beads. Elizar Taplac was in a sinuksok bahay kubo
design in piña silk tambien.”
Danilo
Franco, a teacher at La Salle College International who
won the title Reina de las Flores for his student
Melanie Adjarani (also a cowinner of Pond’s Magandang
Filipina), was inspired by the La Virgen de los
Remedios. The serpentine terno was in ombre
satin in teal blue chocolate and antique gold lace.
Bias-cut ribbons hug the hips and weaves through the
satin and sequined panels.
“It’s a
beautiful feeling that you did it just for fun, without
trying too hard,” the designer said of his surprise win.
“It came true what we joked about, that Melanie would
come up onstage wearing flip-flops.” The lovely
sagala and their escorts had to endure walking in
high heels and holding back their pee, all to put on an
entertaining show for the hundreds who lined up to
witness this spectacle.
Obet
Orajay, winner of the special Ben Farrales award for
using indigenous materials, ingenuously crafted bamboo
strips arranged diagonally, to make his astonishing
terno with gugo cutwork for Paola Salivia, was also
declared Pond’s Magandang Filipina.
This
year’s grand winner was Buddy Reyes, whose terno
worn by Wethel Herrera was a “perpetual white gown in
princess-cut finish embellished with red capiz modified
by gold beads and red rhinestones.” The terno
sleeves and ruffled collar completed the feminine design
and was accorded the Rosa Mystica title. Lee
Vilela, her escort, was in a jusi barong Tagalog
accentuated with a combination of painting and
embroidery in gold and red.
The
judges for the competition included fashion designers
Boysie Villavicencio, Criselda Lontok, Christian
Espiritu and Oskar Peralta; political wives Aleta Suarez
of Quezon City, Nancy Portes of Quezon province, and
Louie Locsin of Makati City; Unilever’s Chito Macapagal;
Tourism Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque; floral artist
Junjun Bengzon; and Philippine National Bank’s Angel
Doble. Legendary designer Aureo Alonzo was the guest of
honor.
It was a
good thing the weather cooperated in what is considered
the longest fashion show of the year, traversing Roxas
Boulevard from Rajah Sulaiman Park to Puerto Real
Gardens in Intramuros. This year the Congregacion
partnered with the DOT, Intramuros Administration, City
of Manila and Unilever Philippines. |
