...the Fashion show at the House of Lords

A Filipino first: A fashion show at the House of Lords

Miss Charlize
Business Mirror 
23 September 2019

LONDON—For the first time in fashion history, a Filipino designer was able to showcase the finest of the Philippines at the Palace of Westminster.

Parkfleet Consultancy & Services and Topline International, the producers of the exclusive event, called “Creative Economy Through Fashion,” enlisted Cebu-based designer Philipp Piezas Tampus to display the ingenious uses of indigenous materials, such as hablon and piña cocoon. 

Philipp Piezas Tampus and Marie Fairbank; Bianca Lopez Salimbangon;  Kacey Coleen, and Kimmie Famero

The grand neo-Gothic architecture and ornate Augustus Pugin-designed interiors of the House of Lords served as the backdrop for the sampaguita-inspired pieces that Tampus presented.

The sampaguita flowers, painstakingly attached and embroidered to long gowns and tea-length dresses, are made of piña cocoon while the hablon was made by weavers in Argao, Cebu. Tampus also showed sharp menswear suits and charming children’s wear.

It was Mike Acebedo Lopez, commisioner of the Cebu Ports Authority and managing director of Topline, that suggested Tampus to be the featured designer at the economic forum-cum-fashion show.

“When I saw my sister Bianca’s wedding dress designed by Philipp, I sent a photo to Savita Kaye [CEO and founder of the House of iKons, a show during London Fashion Week] and Marie Fairbank [Parkfleet founder] who immediately wanted to see more,” Lopez shared. “When Savita saw his portfolio, which includes Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia’s inauguration dress, it was decided that Philipp would be one of the featured designers at the House of iKons show and the lone designer at the House of Lords.”

It was Fairbank who conceptualized “Creative Economy Through Fashion,” which aims to empower the farming sector that is the main source of materials for the fashion industry.

“When I realized that our designers who come to the UK spend thousands or millions and go home without ROI because they have no access to business people for collaborations and business sustainability, I wanted to help in my own way,” said Fairbank, a doyenne in the Fil-Brit community in London.

“I believed that to do a forum at the House of Lords, I’d be the first-ever Filipina to organize an event in such a prestigious place. The venue was chosen so we could attract high-profile business people, potential investors and government officials that we could link them to the designers,” she added.

Among the attendees were lords and ladies, a diamond dealer, Dr. Vanessa Brady, OBE; Prof. Mark Watson-Gandy, barrister/CEO; Deputy Chief of Missions Ambassador Frank Cimafranca and wife Lu Calunsag; Deputy Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood Cynthia Alcantara-Barker; hotelier Julie Aquino, businesswoman Eme Echavez, CareHands Ltd. Director Elsa Binas and Consul Stacy Alcantara Garcia.

“I wanted to promote the Philippines but starting first with Cebu, because that’s where I’m from. In my next event, I will include anyone that will support my cause,” Fairbank said. “I will also invite fashion designers from Africa, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.”