Ah, fashion week. It’s been a busy, tiring one to say the least—but our hearts and eyes are full with fashion inspiration. The Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival, which aims to establish itself as the premiere fashion affair not just in the country, but in Southeast Asia, is back this year to showcase local and international designers’ craftsmanship and exquisite creations.
The four-day show started with a bang. Yong Davalos, Cheetah Rivera, Teofila by Anthony Ramirez, Chris Nick, Daryl Maat, Steph Tan, Jaz Cerezo, Cherry Veric, and Arin’s works were front and center. It was a night of bold, and fun fashion. Yong Davalos’ “Pink Culture” collection, inspired by pop culture was a definite stand out for us. We’re all a sucker for Mean Girls, Legally Bonde vibes and the like, and her creations were giving us all of those.
Cherry Veric’s dreamy “Homage” collection, on the other hand, features dreamy prints inspired by the Old Masters, and unique layers and cuts that just blew our minds.
For the second day, the spotlight was on Renan Pacson, Kaye Morales, Dodjie Batu, Edgar Buyan, Gable & Grant, Billy, Mark Tamayo, Stylia, and Avel. We couldn’t take our eyes off of Kaye Morales’ edgy, “biker-chick” pieces. Anytime we want to channel our punk side, but with flair, Kaye Morales’ creations are top of mind.
Meanwhile, Edgar Buyan makes us want to wear stripes all season long. Sparkles or no sparkles, on suits, dresses, headbands—yeah, stripes are definitely our new go-to print.
The next night was all about John Herrera, Veejay Floresca, Benjie Panizales, Ministry of Silk, Egay Ayag, Emi Englis, Bessie Besana, Windel Mira, Bamba Limon, and Aztec Barba. It was a show that celebrated both tradition and modernity. Egay Ayag’s “En Route” collection featuring his “etno-moderne” pieces, paired with tough, leather black pieces were among my favorite looks.
Meanwhile, John Herrera gave us a show in every sense of the word. Imagine Little Red Riding Hood, or vampires, but make it fashion. And the exaggerated quilted puffer jackets with aggressive silhouettes, they were a sight to behold.
Closing the show were Jun Escario, Protacio, Mike Yapching, Dino Loren, Dexter Alazas, Philipp Tampus, Marichu Tan, and Philip Rodriguez. Mike Yapching’s architectural dresses are another personal favorite of mine. I was particularly drawn to the “ripple” features of his dresses and other creations.
Philip Rodriquez is another designer we want to highlight. The artistry and craftsmanship of his works, paired with the playful, colorful designs caught our eye. The lilac dress with the layers of tulle looked fresh and dreamy.
It was tough to pick our favorites, but it had to be done. See you at the next Fashion Fest?
Photos courtesy of Javier Lobregat and Samantha Ong
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