...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.”

...the PH fashion czar

Fashion win for the Philippines

           

by Bervin Cheong

The Star Online (Malaysia)

04 December 2013

 

Avel Bacudio, named 'Asia's Most Influential Designer of 2014', with a model wearing his designs.

AVEL Bacudio from the Philippines has been awarded the title 'Asia’s Most Influential Designer of 2014' at the close of the Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week yesterday.
 
As the winner, the Filipino designer walked away with an all-expenses paid trip back to KL for a solo showing at the next Asia Fashion Week in 2014.

Public online voting accounted for 50 percent of the decision. Input by the official Asian delegation – comprising heads of fashion weeks and associations, international fashion media and trade buyers, was also taken into consideration.

The event, created by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s fashion partner STYLO International, is the first business to business (B2B) fashion week in South-East Asia.

Its debut this year saw an assembly of top designers from 11 Asian countries showcasing in both Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur over the span of four days.

Datuk Nancy Yeoh, chairman of the Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week said: "The 25 designers vying for the title could not be more talented, varied and colourful than they already are. All of them truly represent what fashion from Asia is really about."

Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week is supported by MyCreative Ventures and IM4U, which are new initiatives under the Malaysian Government and Langkawi’s tourism development authority, LADA Eco-Tourism.

With 29 fashion weeks already spread across all continents bearing the Mercedes-Benz name, this is the 30th fashion week for the German luxury automaker.

Datuk Professor Jimmy Choo acted as honorary advisor for the Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week.

Event partners included Starwood Hotels and The Andaman, with A Cut Above as Official Hair and Diva Productions as Official Make Up. Kinohimitsu, Kronenbourg 1664 and Tropical Charters were event sponsors.

 

...the Kenneth factor

 
Filipino furniture-maker becomes design 'poster boy'

20 September 2013

BBC

 

 

Kenneth Cobonpue is a multi-award winning furniture designer from Cebu in the Philippines.

International design magazines regard him as one of the poster boys of Asia's luxury furniture-making industry.

Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts are amongst his clients and his pieces have appeared on major movie and television sets.

Mr Cobonpue told the BBC how he started out in the world of furniture making.

...the Filipiniana

Filipiniana fashion shines in New York show

 

By Rio Rose Ribaya |

Yahoo! SHE

12 June 2012

Yahoo! SHE - About 20 Filipiniana dresses were featured in the "Filipiniana Romance" exhibit, which was launched by the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Center in New York City. (Photo from …more gov.ph)  

A special exhibit featuring Philippine fashion has brought established and promising designers with Filipino roots in New York last week.

About 20 Filipiniana dresses were featured in the "Filipiniana Romance" exhibit, which was launched by the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Center in the Big Apple.

“What makes the exhibit doubly special is that the featured pieces are from private collections of members of the Filipino-American community in the U.S. Northeast,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

“(It) speaks volumes about the great pride these women have in their cultural heritage,” it added.

Pitoy Moreno, Rene Salud, and Patis Tesoro were among the designers, who contributed their works for the city’s month-long celebration of Philippine independence from Spain.

Philippine national artists for fashion Leonard Co, Ben Farrales, Edgard Madamba, Cora Manimbo, and Elvira Reyes also created dresses for the exhibit.

Live models also worked the runway showcasing up-and-coming young Filipino designer Anna Purugganan’s modern take on the terno during the exhibit’s opening on June 5.

The pieces on display all have the common features of the basic Baro’t Saya, the Maria Clara design, and their more modern cousin, the Terno.

Only designer Alfonso Guino-o featured a one-of-a-kind ethnic costume the collection of April Talangbayan.

...the Filipino artists in Golden Globe

The Golden Globes: Sidelight cheers to the Filipino artist

By Elton Lugay
PHilippine Daily Inquirer

January 14, 2013

This image released by NBC shows Eric Fellner, center, on stage with the cast and crew of “Les Miserables” after the film won for best musical or comedy during the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 13, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif. AP

Talk about clichés.

When television host Mario Lopez saw me, he hollered, “Pacquiao will rise again!” Actress Glenn Close said she wanted to learn the “tinikling.”

But it was ‘Bourne Legacy’s’ Rachel Weisz who had nice words for Filipinos as she passed by me fumbling with my tape recorder on the Golden Globes red carpet. The Philippines has so much to be proud of, she said, admiring how Filipinos were such great hosts to the actors and crew of ‘Bourne Legacy,’ where she plays a scientist on the run.

“You guys are incredibly kind, welcoming and loving people,” Weisz, wearing a Louis Vuitton gown, told me. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

It’s the Golden Globe Awards, the annual gathering of Hollywood royalty. It is the undercard to the Oscars, the rowdier party because, it’s been said, libation flowed freely. The Golden Globes is a production of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, where Filipino journalist and PDI columnist Ruben Nepales is chairman of the board.

Congratulations are in order. And should I say big thanks to Ruben because if he were not up there on stage at The Beverly Hilton I wouldn’t be down here by the red carpet covering the stars and their gowns.

Ruben and wife Janet are longtime members of the HFPA, the only Filipinos in the association. Many in the Filipino American community are hats off to the couple for what they have achieved in America’s entertainment industry.

“Ruben and Janet are important members of the HFPA and what’s good about them is that they are still ‘kababayan,’” said filmmaker and former fashion model Bessie Badilla who flew in from New York to attend the Globes.

The irrepressible Bessie met “Les Miserables’” Hugh Jackman. “He said I’m gorgeous! I almost died.” And with that Bessie rooted for Les Miz all the way.

R & B singer Patti Austin said she is grateful to Ruben and his friendship. “I’m gonna sing for you for free for a long time,” she told him.

Patti also announced an upcoming concert in Manila this year “hopefully with James Ingram.” Before parting, she praised her Filipino makeup artist, Maxi Tone, for making her look beautiful every time she walks the red carpet.

Designer Oliver Tolentino is no stranger to the red carpet. This year he dressed up Janet, Bessie and former Miss Universe Margaret Gardner.

“It’s my third year and each time I get so inspired by the gowns all these celebrities are wearing,” he said. “The person wearing the gown is my inspiration.”

Janet wore a pina jusi turquoise gown embellished with Swarovski crystals, and Bessie, a chiffon gown in emerald green which he called “color of the year.” Margaret sported a black body shaper of a gown.

Les Miz director Tom Hooper and I managed to connect amid the chaotic red carpet hoopla. I asked how he felt about not getting an Oscar nomination.

This image released by NBC shows Anne Hathaway with her award for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role in “Les Miserables” during the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 13, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif. AP

“It’s a bi-product of the fact that it’s a year of wonderful movies and that it’s important to remember that,” he said. “All in all it’s pretty exciting.” Did he just snub my question? Moving on…

Actress Jodie Foster is getting the Cecil B. DeMille Award – the Globes’ Lifetime Achievement Award — for her enduring and remarkable career in cinema. She said the award meant so much to her.

“It’s my whole childhood, my entire life on screen. Forty-seven years of film business,” she said. “It’s kind of emotional.”

ABC reporter Anthony Cabrera — a fellow Pinoy — was another newbie, covering the event for the first time.

“It’s an overwhelming feeling, you meet people from all over the world coming for the Golden Globes, that feels great and to think I’m Filipino–it’s great. As you can see there’s not many of us here,” he said.

And finally, a fleeting moment with Les Miz composer and Broadway behemoth Claude-Michel Schönberg. He disclosed that “Miss Saigon” may soon be going to the big screen.

“I’ve been seeing Lea Salonga quite often these days and no I’m not going to talk about Miss Saigon,” he said. “There are some kind of discussions of ‘Miss Saigon’ going to the big screen.” He said auditions in Manila went well and that “I’ve never been disappointed in any of them.”

“I must tell you, Filipino performers are so close to vocal perfection–that’s difficult to ask for more.” More words of praise for Filipino artistry from the great Schönberg.

What a night. Draining and also energizing how in this big Hollywood party, we Filipinos made such remarkable impressions on Hollywood’s film legends.

...the Filipino design and craftmanship

2012: Filipino design and craftsmanship continue to wow the world

By Marge C. Enriquez
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012

DESIGN icon Giulio Cappellini and Suyen Corp. chair Ben Chan at the new Cappellini store on Bonifacio High Street.

 

 

The world continues to look at the Philippines as a gold mine of talent and craftsmanship. And big international names see the country as an attractive place to forge business partnerships.

1. Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue continues to reap international prizes. The Cabaret Collection has won two awards: Best of the Year Award in Outdoor Furniture Seating Category from the prestigious Interior Design Magazine. It won Top Pick Award for Innovation by the American Society of Interior Designers during the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, a four-day trade show in New York.

 

 

 

The Cabaret Collection is made of fabric tubes woven on steel framework, resulting in a web pattern.
 

“Outdoor furniture is usually made of woven plastic. The Cabaret Collection is different because it uses acrylic and outdoor foam. This one is a soft material and has a tactile feel,” says Cobonpue.

Cobonpue was one of the “game-changing” entrepreneurs who represented the Philippines in the global campaign of the whisky company John Walker & Sons. The online video series “City Portraits” showed celebrities in their milieu and what drove them to be forward-thinking.

BAGWIS Malacca by Tony Gonzales for Locsin International wins the Katha Award.

2. Design icon Giulio Cappellini launched the first mono brand store in Asia. The Italian designer with a knack for spotting talent graced the opening of the Cappellini store in partnership with Ben Chan’s Suyen Corp. on Bonifacio High Street.
 

On opening week, the designer pieces (with prices ranging from P50,000 to P1.2 million) were snapped up by style-centric buyers. Marcel Wanders’ Antiques Chair (from P70,000 to P120,000) was the most popular.
 

3. Local developer taps major designers. The world’s first branded Missoni Home will rise in the Philippines. Real estate firm Century Properties is collaborating with top designers to design public spaces for the towers in Acqua Private Residences, the residential condominium development in Mandaluyong.
 

Vittorio Missoni, scion of the knitwear fashion family and head of Missoni Home, liked the riverfront concept. Missoni Home will work on the 52-story Acqua Livingstone.

ITO Kish’s Gregoria chair,made of turned balusters, wins the Katha Award.

British celebrity developer John Hitchcox and co-founder of Yoo design firm, was attracted to the gentrification of Barangay Hulo in Mandaluyong, where Acqua is located. His partner, design icon Philippe Starck, gave his inputs for designing Iguazu, Acqua’s tallest residential tower.
 

4. Designer Tony Gonzales’ residential project and installation lands on the December cover of Habitus Living Magazine. Gonzales worked on the interiors of the designer-driven residence of architect-exporter Renato Vidal. The cover features Gonzales’ famous suspended rock garden, originally made for Yuchengco Museum. Habitus’ online edition also features some of the works of sculpture Impy Pilapil. Her “Bloom” collection is one of the focal points in Vidal’s house.
 

5. Going green. Sustainability and eco-friendliness are the latest criteria in evaluating design. This year, Manila FAME honored companies that used sustainable or recyclable materials. Katha Award winners Milo Naval’s Coco Lamp, made of coconut husks, Kinks and Curls rattan lamp made by Accessoria Inc., and Bagwis Malacca Daybed by Locsin International, used discarded materials and rapid-growing wood in their works, which injected a touch of humor and whimsy.
 

Another Katha winner, Ito Kish’s Gregoria two-seater, is made of balusters of different heights and a cane-seater. It is a reference to the architecture and airiness of ancestral homes. Kish’s chair uses Malay beech wood (Gmelina arborea) which is known for its rapid regeneration.

KENNETH Cobonpue’s Phoenix automobile of natural materialsmade it to the top picks of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Likewise, Kenneth Cobonpue’s Phoenix Car, touted as the World’s First Biodegradable Car, was chosen by the China-based Modern Decoration Magazine as Best in Design. Made of bamboo and rattan, the car is shaped like a leaf. It challenges the conventional car design using heavy industrial materials.
 

The owner has the option to replace the outer shell while the inner structure remains intact.

Cobonpue says the engine is being installed and a German factory is working on the car.
 

6. Dedon chair wins the Wallpaper* Design Award 2012. French designer Jean Marie Massaud’s SeaX chair got the nod from the judges, staffers and contributors of the London-based Wallpaper* Magazine.
 

Winner in the Best Backyard category, the SeaX collection was inspired by the director’s chair and racing sailboats. It uses innovative weather-resistant materials. The Dedon furniture company is based in Cebu.
 

7. Opening of Dedon Island in Siargao. It was once called Pansukian, the resort owned by Frenchman Nicolas Rambeau. Bobby Dekeyser, the Belgian-German founder of Dedon furniture company, bought it and transformed it into Dedon Island.
 

French designers Daniel Pouzet, Jean Marie Massaud and their local counterpart, Maritess Lampert, worked on the modern tropical interiors.
 

“The designers wanted to preserve our culture and designs. We used all local things such as handwoven fabrics from Baguio, iron wood, carved headboards made in Cebu and tinalak pillows from Davao,” says Lampert. The launch of this exclusive resort made a splash in the international press.
 

8. Architect Lorenzo Calma and his son Eduardo held a retrospective exhibit at LRI Plaza. The older Calma showed his minimalist sculpture and jewelry designs while Ed showed models and photographs of his works. Ed’s recent public space, Mind Museum, which opened in March, embodies the organic architecture trend.
 

9. Design duo Tony Gonzales and Tes Pasola refurbished the Jiyuan tea house in Shenzhen, China. The project was a renovation of an old building. Gonzales worked carefully to preserve its architecture while infusing modern elements. “The interior is ornate. It bridges the old and the new.”

GIANT paper lanterns designed by Gonzales dominate Jiyuan’s
dining area.

He worked on everything, from the logo to the menus, furniture and lighting.
 

10. Architect Calvin Tsao and celebrity events planner David Monn graced the Manila FAME. Two of the most influential names in design visited the Philippines upon the invitation of designer Josie Natori.
 

Tsao designed Mercer Hotel in New York, Joyce Boutique in Hong Kong and Suntec City in Singapore, among others. Monn has done big events for celebrities and White House state dinners.

He is the planner of choice of America’s billionaires. After seeing the Manila FAME show, they were impressed with Filipino design and craftsmanship works that celebrate Filipino ingenuity.
 

“Here I find playfulness and exploratory quality,” said Tsao in an interview.

...the packing invention

Filipino invents innovative packaging

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Friday, December 7th, 2012

 

 

A poorly packaged product may lead consumers to think that it is of inferior quality.

This is why manufacturers have been seeking out attractive yet cost-efficient packaging.

Most manufacturers consider the following questions in choosing the packaging that suits them: Does the packaging make your product safe when they’re on display? Does it give your product a longer life, keeps it fresh and not vulnerable to contamination? Is the packaging convenient and appealing?

If a manufacturer replies yes to all the questions, then it will soon earn a space in its dealers’ minds and consumers’ hearts.

A case study

Filipino businessman and inventor Wilson D. Go recently developed and patented an exciting alternative to expensive packages.

Made of soft plastic material, Wise-Pack™ is pliable and compact, slim and lightweight, as well as economical—an important consideration for producers in a developing country like the Philippines.

Take a 240-ml container—a brand-new glass bottle of that size costs P12, an aluminum can costs P9, while a rigid plastic bottle costs P6.

Apart from the high cost of the packaging material, distributors and retailers are also mindful of the fact that beverages represent significant logistics cost because of the large volume of space and weight eaten up by traditional containers for delivery and warehousing, shelf and cooler space, labor and power costs.

In developing a total solution that will provide Filipino consumers a superior beverage experience at an affordable price, Go saw that the key lay in significantly reducing the combined direct and indirect costs associated with traditional packaging.

It is a problem that weighs down manufacturers, distributors, retailers and, most of all, the consumers.

Go undertook an extensive search for packaging alternatives around the world until he found a container made of soft plastic and shaped like a pillow that significantly reduced the packaging material. Unfortunately, it did not have the capability to stand on its own.

Go then worked with packaging engineers to develop their own version. After years of investing time and money, Go and the engineers came out with a minimalist design—a pouch that’s perfect for stacking horizontally and can also stand on its own like a bottle.

The spout was also extended to serve as a built-in straw, eliminating the cost, hassle and hazards of using a straw.

For this innovation, Go was awarded 2 patents for industrial use and design for 21 years.

7 benefits

Consumers may expect the following benefits:

– Lower packaging cost, higher product quality. The savings generated from eliminating glass and plastic bottles, aluminum cans and carton bricks can now be plowed back into the product itself, enhancing the quality of the beverage. Maximum taste for minimum waste.

– Safer than glass, cleaner than plastic. Wise-Pack™ eliminates the hazards and risks, accidents and injuries that come with glass bottles. Furthermore, it is more hygienic than the plastic bags used by consumers who cannot afford to pay for a glass bottle. It also eliminates the need for costly and unwieldy glass bottle deposits.

– Easier to open, easier to use. Even against aluminum foil, the Wise-Pack™ is easier to open because there is no need to puncture it with a sharp object. There is built-in perforation that even children can open.

– Chill it, freeze it. Consumers now have the option to chill their beverage and drink it ice cold, or freeze it and munch on it as frozen delight, just like the popular “ice candy” or “ice drop.” A fruit juice drink that uses Wise-Pack™ can offer a more nutritious frozen dessert than ice cream.

Also, trade partners are in for some rewards:

– Less space, less weight. Because Wise-Pack™ is minimalist in design, distributors and retailers will be able to significantly reduce their logistics expenses—delivery and warehousing, high rental expenses, labor and electric power consumption.

– Cools faster, cools more. Because of the size, shape and material of Wise-Pack™, retailers can optimize the electricity consumption of their coolers and maximize profits more than if they were to stock up on traditional packaging containers.

– Environment-friendly. Wise-Pack™ is environment-friendly because it is 100-percent recyclable. And since it’s pliable, it can even be rolled up after use and kept in one’s pocket to avoid littering.

The name

The name offers an integrated solution—a packaging innovation that allows higher product quality at an affordable price.

It delivers maximum value to consumers while it provides maximum profits to retailers.

Go is quick to disown full credit for the invention, invoking an old proverb: “Nothing is truly original because everything already exists in nature.”

And true to the marketing adage, “Do not just extol the virtues of your product; but the virtues of your user,” it makes a statement for the wise user who “pays for the content, not the container.”

The first beverage brand to utilize Wise-Pack™ is Chooga™ Fruit Juice, which was launched in a limited test market in January this year.

Based on internal market surveys, the consumer response has been overwhelmingly favorable to the extent that the brand’s offtake has already exceeded other brands in stores where it is available.

Chooga™ is a fruit drink that has higher juice content than most brands, and comes in orange, mango, pineapple, pomelo and tamarind.

While it is too early to say, it appears that Chooga™ in Wise-Pack™ promises to be revolutionary and game-changing because it offers consumers the taste of a superior fruit juice drink at an affordable price.

The company behind Chooga Fruit Juice is Refreshment Republic Inc. (RRI).

...the Zuellig

Makati building grabs international attention

 

By Kim Arveen Patria

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom

17 October 2012

 

The Zuellig Building in Makati

 

Amid a construction boom that has seen high-rise buildings sprout all over Metro Manila, a development in Makati has grabbed the attention of an international real estate award-giving body.

The newly constructed Zuellig Building has made it to the top three in the "Best Office and Business Development" category of MIPIM Asia Awards.

This qualifies the 33-storey office building to vie for gold against two other shortlisted development: the Tianjin Global Financial Center in China and the 50 Connaught Road Central Building in Hong Kong.

The building, located at the intersection of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, was developed by Bridgebury Realty Corp. and designed by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP.

It is the first real estate development in the Philippines to be recognized by MIPIM.

"The Zuellig Building's commitment to environmental responsibility, its distinctive facade, and superior finishes will enable it to become Metro Manila's premier business location," MIPIM said in its website.

The building has also earlier been awarded a gold pre-certification under the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Zuellig is "the first 21st-century Premium Grade office building in the Philippines," MIPIM said further.

MIPIM (Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier) is a group of industry leaders which recognizes "excellence and innovation in Asian real estate development," the group's website showed.

A jury composed of experts met in July to shortlist three winners in 10 categories.

 

Aside from Best Office and Business Development, other categories are Best Hotel and Tourism Resort, Best Industrial and Logistics Development, Best Refurbished Building, Best Residential Development, Best Shopping Centre, Best Futura Project, Best Futura Mega Project, Best German Project and the Special Jury Award.

For the first time this year, MIPIM will also determine the winner of a People's Choice Award through online voting.

Results of the poll will meanwhile comprise 50 percent of the final scores of the shortlisted buildings, thereby determining the gold, silver and bronze winners.

...the Piña

Filipino piña couture hits NY

 

By Don Tagala,

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

10/02/2012

 

 

“Philippine piña and other indigenous textiles can compete in the world of high fashion.” - Anthony Cruz Legarda

 

 

NEW YORK - It was simply called “Piña Couture New York.” The Philippines’ signature hand-woven pineapple fabric was the main feature at a fashion show held at the New York Philippine Consulate last Friday.

 

Photo from: www.broadwayworld.com

 

 

Designer Anthony Legarda, an alumnus of the New York Fashion Institute of Technology had an idea about merging cultures in high fashion.

“In order to have the mainstream understand what piña is about and other indigenous Philippines textiles, we have to redesign it so it would be more present, more now. That’s the reason why I’m doing this to find a bigger client definitely for our weavers in the Philippines,” Legarda said.

As a textile technologist, Legarda has ventured into using other Philippine fibers such as the ubiquitous water hyacinth or water lily and a Pinoy-favorite vegetable, saluyot, not the leaf, but the fibers from its stem.

“This is pure pineapple. But we have new fibers now, the saluyot, it’s a jute fabric, you can embroider these new fibers from the Philippines, I try to use all Philippines fibers as well, we’re now developing water hyacinth and saluyot,” he said.

Filipino-American model Barbara Frez said, “Absolutely I would wear one, I would wear each and every one of these outfits, they’re very comfortable, not itchy, nothing. I would definitely wear it.”

Legarda says his goal is to spread the message that Philippine Piña and other indigenous textiles can compete in the world of high fashion couture.

“The presentation is an eye-opener to most attendees and I’m very proud as a Filipino that we have entered that global stage where everyone is practically opening the doors for the Filipino fabric, to be internationally accepted,” Pinoy fashionista Ron Regenit said.

These Filipino fabrics are hand-woven, embellished, and dyed with natural pigments by indigenous master weavers from the Philippines.

Legarda’s runway works of art not only push for the Philippine organic fibers to become the next “world-renowned fabric but it also shows that high fashion clothing can be earth-friendly at the same time.

...the Pinoy fashion designers

Pinoy Fashion Designers Conquer Emmys Red Carpet

By MAUREEN MARIE BELMONTE

September 25, 2012

Manila Bulletin

 

 

Maria Menounos (L) in Oliver Tolentino and Ginnifer Goodwin in Monique Lhuillier (Photo from Zimbio.com)

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – The creations of Filipino designers Monique Lhuillier and Oliver Tolentino continue to dazzle many people including Hollywood personalities. The two US-based designers were recently tapped by the stars to create their stunning outfits for the recently concluded 64th Primetime Emmy Awards night held at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles on Sept. 23 (US Time). The Cebu-born couturier Lhuillier created a vibrant yellow tube-top ball dress for Emmy's Best Supporting Actress Julie Bowen of the comedy series “Modern Family" while Lhuillier made a flattering orange strapless gown for “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi who was also present at the award's night.

For “Once Upon A Time” actress Ginnifer Goodwin, Lhuillier made a lace orange number that matched her fair skin. Tolentino, on the other hand, dressed up “Big Bang Theory” star Melissa Rauch with an emerald green couture Venus cut chiffon gown. For Hollywood TV show “Extra’s” host Maria Menounos, Tolentino added an exceptional Pinoy touch by designing an eco-blue gown made of Piña fiber.

“It’s very nice and it’s very organic,’” Tolentino quoted Menounos as saying in a “Balitanghali” report aired on Tuesday. He added that the American TV host was very pleased that “Isang fitting lang talaga eh nakuha ko na yung sukat niya.”

The piña gowns available in his Los Angeles shop were all made in the Philippines.

"Hindi lang naman exposure para sa akin. Ang hinahabol ko talaga dito is I want the whole world to know that us Filipinos can create beautiful clothes using our local fabric, which is the piña,” Tolentino said in a previous “Umagang Kay Ganda” report.

Hollywood stylists have been visiting his shop in Los Angeles to check his designs with "The Voice" coach Cee Lo green as one of his regular customers.

...the cover designer

Pinoy finds 'Purpose' by designing cover of best-selling US book

 

ANDREI MEDINA,

GMA News

June 19, 2012

 

 

 

A 25-year-old Filipino graphic designer in Davao City — Brian Montes — bagged the top prize of a design contest for the cover of the re-issued best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Christian pastor Rick Warren.

The contest, conducted by talent outsourcing site 99designs, aimed to give the best seller a well-deserved revamp.

Montes received the $3500 (PHP 148,160) cash award for his design, which will be used as the cover of Warren's book.

In an email to GMA News Online, Garrett Sussman, marketing coordinator of  99designs based in San Francisco in the United States, said: “'The Purpose Driven Life' has sold more than 32 million copies around the world."

The book was named as part of the top 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. 

"...For its 10th anniversary in the fall, Warren decided to hold a cover redesign contest on 99designs," he explained.

One of the leading sites of its kind, 99designs is an online marketplace for graphic design work and currently has around 160,000 members.

 

Montes joined 99designs under the screen name ianskey  in 2010 where he focuses in book cover, magazine cover and logo design work with the aim of honing his designing skills.

 

In an email correspondence with 99designs, Montes shared his reason for joining the contest.

 

“The prize amount, of course, got my attention! But I also felt a special connection to the contest. I’m a Christian, and my church held a series of “40 days of purpose” sermons using 'The Purpose Driven Life' as a guide,” he said.

 

“The book inspired me to strengthen my principles in life, so designing a cover for the new edition was personally a very meaningful opportunity for me,” he added.

 

He also humbly admitted that this was his largest earnings so far.

 

“It’s the most I’ve ever received for a project, and I plan to use it to help start my own design business and help my church,” he said.

 

“It’s exciting to think my cover design may be seen in bookstores worldwide and could help Rick Warren’s messages touch more lives. And, of course, I hope it indeed proves eye-catching to a new generation of readers!” he said.
 

The book cover of Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" was designed by Filipino graphic designer Brian Montes. Garrett Sussman

Not just a new cover

The release date of its updated edition “What on Earth Am I Here For? The Purpose Driven Life” is yet to be announced but is expected this year.

 

It will include four additional chapters written by Warren.

 

Aside from a new cover, the bestseller also had its title rearranged to “What on Earth Am I Here For? The Purpose Driven Life” to attract new readers, Zondervan Publishing said.

In an article on the news site Christian Post, Zondervan marketing executive Rich Tatum said, "Some of the titles that appealed to us most were the ones where the title and the subtitle seemed to kind of be a dialogue, a question and answer."

 

The Christian Post said Montes’ success wasn’t just due to his talent, citing that two of the final five entries were submitted by the Filipino designer.

Tatum described Montes as amazing for "his persistence in coming up with different concepts."

 

Tatum also noted how Montes "felt that God had given him the inspiration for the final cover that was picked."

Montes' design features a tree with 40 leaves.

 

Tatum found the 40 leaves a "nice touch" because the book had exactly 40 chapters.

 

However, Montes said he was not even aware that the leaves he drew came up to exactly 40. - VVP, GMA News

...the "Next Top" Judge

Pinoy fashion blogger Bryan Boy: 'Next Top' judge

 

May 30, 2012

GMA News

 

 

Another Filipino is on the path of international stardom — Bryan Yambao, more popularly known as “Bryan Boy,” was selected as a judge for the reality show "America’s Next Top Model" (ANTM) Cycle 19.

 

 

 

 

In a post on his Facebook account, Bryan Boy, 27, said he was excited about becoming a judge in the popular American show.

 

The host and producer of the show, supermodel Tyra Banks, even tweeted that she was with “Pinoy Fashion Blogger” Bryan Boy, who signed a contract with ANTM on May 25.

 

Earlier this year, Yahoo News reported that long-time judges J. Alexander, Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker would not be returning for the show’s 19th season. 

 

Aside from Bryan Boy, the other judges for the upcoming season are model Rob Evans and fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone, Yahoo said.

 

From web developer to fashion blogger

Bryan Boy was a web developer before he became an internationally-renowned fashion blogger, making rounds of the hottest fashion scenes in the United States and Europe.

On his website on Wednesday, he posted a blog about "BRYANBOY’S NEXT TOP PROJECT."

 

"Who knew all roads lead to Los Angeles? Never in my life I thought I’d end up moving tens of thousands of miles away from home to fulfill something that’s a dream to many. In a very bizarre twist of fate, here I am, blogging from my new home in West Hollywood. I’ve relocated to the City of Angels; one could say I’m an Angeleno now. An angeleno who can’t drive. Hah!" he said.

 

"I’m sure you’ve heard the news. I’m thrilled and honored to be part of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 19 panel!" he added.

Bryan Boy started blogging about fashion at age 17. He made one of his first major breaks in 2007 when a video he made about world renowned fashion designer Marc Jacobs went viral.

He even got the attention of Jacobs himself, who named a designer bag after Bryan Boy.

 

According to the magazine The FilAm, the presence of Bryan Boy is eagerly anticipated at collection unveilings, "his fondness for fashion often a source of intrigue because Bryan Grey-Yambao (or is it Francis Bryan Yambao?) comes not from a fashion capital but a country often associated with extreme poverty. How did he learn to accessorize in fur? How can he afford a Hermes bracelet?"

 

The New York Observer explains the influence of this monstrously popular blogger in its February 8 issue, “How Fashion Blogger Bryanboy Became a Front-Row Fixture:”

 

“He helped establish—or at least propelled into the mainstream—many of the tropes of the fashion-blogging genre, like the blogger’s gushy après-shopping post (“I fell in love with this Alexander Wang leather and canvas backpack the first time I saw it when Rumi and I went to the Opening Ceremony store in LA …”), the endless starring-in-the-editorial-of-my-own-life photographs of the blogger wearing designer outfits, and the blogger’s mainstream media crossover…

 

“He also helped set the standards for designer ‘gifting’ and disclosure of same in the fashion blogosphere, an arena where it is currently considered acceptable for a blogger to take international airfare, accommodation, designer goods and sometimes even celebrity-style appearance fees from the major brands they cover.” - Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News

...the Sailor becomes the designer

Fil-Am ex-sailor places 2nd in 'Fashion Star' design tilt in US

May 26, 2012

GMA News

Jessica Sanchez, the 16-year-old Filipino-Mexican-American runner-up in the reality singing contest "American Idol," was not the only person with Filipino roots to bring honor to the Philippines recently.

Like Sanchez, Filipino-American Ronnie Escalante Jr., 33,  also placed second in a US reality show -- National Broadcasting Company's (NBC) "Fashion Star," the search for the next big brand in fashion.

According to a report of the news site Asian Journal, Escalante was declared runner-up of "Fashion Star' after 10 weeks of amazing showmanship.

The grand prize winner was Kara Laricks who received a $6 million contract for her creations to be sold at Macy’s, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue, three of America’s biggest retailers.

The show gave 14 unknown designers the opportunity to ‘be the next big brand in fashion’ when they showcased their designs every episode to America under the guidance of celebrity mentors and fashion moguls Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos.

Asian Journal said many Filipino-Americans were rooting for Escalante, dubbed the “resident master of flounce and glamour” who earned a total of $420,000 in four sales.

On a blog posted on the NBC website a day after the finale, Escalante said: “Last night was bittersweet.. The Fashion Star experience has been a life-altering experience. And sadly, it’s over for now… I won’t trade it for anything. And as the other designers say, ‘it takes a lifetime to get in the room around these people."

The Navy Times Scoop Deck earlier said Escalante was a former sailor who grew up in an agricultural province -- Bulacan -- but was "surrounded by fashion, as his cousin worked as a ‘beader’ in a local fashion house."

His biography posted on the official website of "Fashion Star" said "at the age of 17, Escalante and his family moved to the US and soon after, he joined the US Navy where he served for four years."

After serving in the military, Escalante studied at a fashion design school in San Francisco.

Escalante later moved to Columbus, Ohio to design for Abercrombie and Fitch at their headquarters.

He worked in the Female Outerwear Department for two years where he learned the tricks of the trade not only in fashion but also in business. - with Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News

...the "Top Models' in Manila

'Top Model' alums reunite for PH fashion show

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

05/26/2012

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Former contestants of the reality model search "America's Next Top Model" are in the country to walk the fashion week runway donning Filipino creations.

 

 

Allison Harvard (left) and Dominique Reighard (right)

Former "Top Model" contestants Dominique Reighard (Cycle 10) and Allison Harvard (Cycle 12), who both returned for the "All-Stars" edition of Tyra Banks-hosted show, will represent local clothing line Bench in the Philippine Fashion Week on Sunday .

Reighard and Harvard are set to walk the runway wearing celebrity designer Rajo Laurel's new line for Bench, and are gearing up for their launch endorsement for fashion designer Michael Cinco's new Bench fragrance "Impalpable."

"It's goning to be a fierce show. I'm excited to walk for Rajo's jean line, and to work with Michael Cinco with the launch of his fragrance. It's going to be super exciting. I love Michael," said Reighard, who finished fourth in last year's "All-Star" season.

"I'm excited to be here in the Philippines, the energy is incredible. And I can only imagine if it feels like  this stepping off the plane, the day of the show,  it's going to be insane," Reighard added.

On being reunited months after their stint on "Top Model," Harvard, who finished runner-up, admitted having lost touch not only with Reighard but with other former contestants as well.

"I will say that we lost touch a little bit post-show, but was really excited when I heard [Reighard was] also coming. I just haven't seen or spoken to [her] in the situation we're in," Harvard said.

"I just think it's really refreshing and it's nice to reconnect with someone perhaps even after losing touch because people grow a lot in a short time span. It's nice to see the same people in a new place and be productive in new ways -- in a much more professional environment without any underlying twists," she added.

Reighard and Harvard join the growing stable of international celebrities endorsing Bench, which includes American pop singer Joe Jonas, "American Idol" finalist David Archuleta, "Pretty Little Liars" star Lucy Hale and "The Vampire Diaries" actor Michael Trevino.

---

...the Fashion star finalist

Fil-Am ex-sailor now in Top 3 of 'Fashion Star' design tilt

 

 

May 12, 2012

GMA NEWS

 

 

 

Apparently, Jessica Sanchez was not the only one who made it to the Top Three of a prestigious reality competition in the United States.

Filipino-American Ronnie Escalante Jr. also made it to the Top Three of a reality show -- National Broadcasting Company's (NBC) "Fashion Star," the search for the next big brand in fashion.

 

 

Filipino-Mexican-American Sanchez, 16, made it to the Top Three of reality singing competition "American Idol" on Thursday night (Friday morning in Manila).

On May 8, Escalante, 33, made it to the Top Three of "Fashion Star" along with fellow contestants Kara Laricks and Orly Shani.

 

"Fashion Star" started in March this year with 14 unknown designers, 11 of whom were already eliminated in the previous weeks.
 
The three top global retailers in the US -- Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M -- bid for exclusive rights to carry a designer’s work each week.

Three mentor-judges help out the designers: singer-actress Jessica Simpson, singer-TV personality Nicole Richie, and world-renowned fashion designer John Varvatos.

The first ever winner of Fashion Star will be awarded $6,000,000 in orders for capsule collections in Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue stores.


Escalante's journey to fame

Escalante grew up in the Philippines but moved to the US as a teenager.

The Navy Times Scoop Deck said Escalante was a former sailor who grew up in an agricultural province -- Bulacan -- but was "surrounded by fashion, as his cousin worked as a ‘beader’ in a local fashion house."

According to his biography on the official website of "Fashion Star," "it was in grade school that his knack for fashion design flourished. Escalante would sketch clothing designs in the back of his school notebooks."

"At the age of 17, Escalante and his family moved to the US and soon after, he joined the U.S. Navy where he served for four years," the site said.

After serving in the military, Escalante studied at a fashion design school in San Francisco.

NBC said Escalante's "senior-year collection won him a prestigious internship at Chado Ralph Rucci and Zac Posen in New York City. He hasn't looked back since."

According to his personal blog, Escalante was born to Ellanor Eugenio and Ronnie Escalante Sr. at San Jose, San Miguel, Bulacan, Philippines.

At age seven, his interest in fashion began as he would sit beside his mother while she read magazines.
 
He carried his passion for fashion  to school as he sketched designs on the back of his notebook during his free time – sometimes even during class.

Escalante excelled in his Home Economics class especially in beading and sewing projects.
 
At one point he was asked by his teachers if he wanted to compete in an embroidery competition to which he replied, “Aren’t they only for girls?”

He always declined.
 
At age 17, his mother told him that they were moving to the US, a dream come true for Escalante.
 
His family first stayed at his uncle’s house in San Jose, California. Soon after, Escalante joined the US Navy to travel and explore the world while earning money for college. 
 
His four-year stay with the Navy included helping out in operations for the "9/11" or September 11, 2001 attacks in the US.
 
Later, moving to Jacksonville, Florida, Escalante went to a business school while working as an Assistant Builder for a home building company.

He also worked as a bartender for a local bar during weekends.

Another two years flew by before he was finally able to pursue his dream of going into fashion.
 
Escalante took up BFA Fashion–Womenswear course at the Academy of Art in San Francisco.
 
Escalante later moved to Columbus, Ohio to design for Abercrombie and Fitch at their headquarters.

He worked in the Female Outerwear Department for two years where he learned the tricks of the trade not only in fashion but also in business.- Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News

...the passion for fashion

Filipino designers shine in London charity show

by Patrick Camara Ropeta,

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

03/13/2012

 

 

5 / 10 LK Dance Company performing native Filipino dances for the charity event by Prospero World By PATRICK CAMARA ROPETA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

LONDON - A handful of talented Filipino fashion designers from around the world wowed the crowd at a society fundraising event by a UK-based philanthropic group.

Prospero World presented the first ever London Philippine Fashion Show in aid of the Ayala Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to provide solutions to poverty issues in the Philippines.

Held at the trendy Victoria House Basement in Holborn, the event featured eye-catching designs of haute couture, cocktail dresses, evening gowns, and unique accessories.

Designers and brands on show included Jasper Garvida, Bergamo, Cary Santiago, Celestina, Federico de Vera, Josie Natori Couture, Joyce Makitalo, Jun Escario, Lesley Mobo, Lulu Tan Gan, Mich Dulce, Michael Cinco, Pepito Albert, Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, Silk Cocoon, and Wynn Wynn Ong.

“It was fabulous and well-attended by the elite crowd,” said Michael Cinco, a Dubai-based couture designer best known for his elegant luxurious designs popular with Arab royals and Filipino celebrities, and championed by supermodel Tyra Banks on television series ‘America’s Next Top Model’.

“This is a very good platform, especially for us designers who are not based in Manila, and showing here in London, such a beautiful and vibrant city for fashion designers like us. I’m very happy to part of this event, and it’s for charity,” Cinco added.

High society

The charity fashion event was attended by distinguished guests from the worlds of finance, business and fashion, who seemed enthralled by the designs on show, providing regular outbursts of gasps and cheers as models walked on the runway.

Princess Marie Chantal and Prince Pavlos of Greece were also in attendance, as well as British author Toby Young, and BBC ‘Antiques Roadshow’ presenter Philip Mould.

Philippine Tatler Editor Anton San Diego and Manila Bulletin Creative Consultant Melo Esguerra flew in from Manila especially for the event.

“There are a lot of business moguls, global taste makers and influencers, it speaks so much how this event is well-received by the global community,” observed Esguerra.

“I find it to be a blessed and privileged position to be in London right now, watching the showcase of the best of the Philippines, the best of designers, that actually sends a message to the world that Philippine style is so distinct and world class.”

The event raised approximately £112,000 on the night from tickets and donations, as well as auctions of antiques, fashion items, and trips to Asia.

Fernando Ayala de Zobel from the Ayala Corporation was at the event to lend his support to his family’s foundation. He told ABS-CBN Europe: “The audience seemed to enjoy seeing all the designs from the Philippines, so I’m very happy with the way it turned out. We’re always very willing when other groups try to help the Philippines. Our designers were always very generous with their time. When the Filipino community get together in these countries, they’re always very generous. All of that attracts people to our country, and to be in a fashion capital like London is a great opportunity to showcase the great talent that we have in the Philippines.”

Good education

Proceeds will go towards an educational project by the Ayala Foundation. Launched in 1998, Centex aims to provide high quality education to bright students from the poorest backgrounds. It currently works with two state schools in Manila and Batangas, and has consistently topped rankings for the National Achievement Tests in the Philippines.

“We really hope that these children will get into the best universities and share their knowledge. It’s important to have great mentors, that’s why I really believe in this project,” enthused Alicia Motte-Munoz, one of the ‘sponsored models’, a group of 12 business professionals who raised funds for the charity by strutting alongside professional models on the catwalk.

“I’m half-Filipina, half-French, and I really believe in education, and so when they asked me to become one of their models and help them fundraise, I found it very difficult to say no, and so I thought I’d beat my stage-fright and give a hand.”

Ayala de Zobel revealed that the event already raised a guaranteed P8 million for Centex after costs have been deducted.

Discovering Philippines

The London Philippine Fashion Show was organized by Prospero World, a London-based philanthropy consultancy firm advising groups and individuals on the most effective way to do charity.

Prospero World Director Zita Schutt came up with the idea after a research trip in the Philippines in 2010, where she was exposed to the difficult circumstances of impoverished Filipinos.

Whilst in the country, Schutt was encouraged by a friend to visit Makati where she discovered a whole new world of Filipino fashion designs.

“We had a look and we were so amazed because we didn’t expect that,” she recalled.

“A year later, when we were talking to NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) in London, they said people don’t know anything about the Philippines. They don’t know about the amazing creations, and about the fun that people have. And we wanted to give them that. Let’s change their minds, and let’s give those children that we saw to make a huge difference to their communities.”

She concluded: “I really want people to have an amazing time, to see the dresses, to help the kids, to go to Philippines on holiday, and to embrace this place.”

---