...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 Penshoppe goes to Jakarta

Penshoppe gets into Indonesia’s huge market

By Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Tuesday, September 18th, 2012

A Penshoppe poster FROM PENSHOPPE.COM

MANILA, Philippines—Retailer Penshoppe has gained a foothold in Southeast Asia’s most populous market, Indonesia, as part of its road map for global expansion via the franchising mode.

Bernie Liu, president of retailer Golden ABC Inc., which owns the Penshoppe trademark, announced in a press briefing on Tuesday that his company has entered into a franchising partnership with the MAP group of Indonesia, which has been planning to open at least 150 Penshoppe stores across Indonesia within the next 10 years.

The first two stores are opening this December—a 476.86-square-meter flagship store in Jakarta’s Central Park Mall and a 355-sqm store at the brand-new Mall@Alam Sutera in neighboring Tangerang City.

His vision, Liu said, was “planting the Filipino flag in as many countries in the coming years.” Being a P1-trillion economy with a population nearly three times that of the Philippines and a $5,000 per capita income, Liu said Indonesia has always been part of Penshoppe’s offshore expansion strategy.

In the Philippines, Golden ABC has about 600 stores employing over 3,000 people. The flagship Penshoppe brand has 300 stores in the Philippines. The next-biggest brand is Oxygen, which has 100 stores. Other brands in the retailing group are ForMe, Memo, Regatta, Tyler and its direct-selling subsidiary Red Logo.

Overseas stores currently number 12, which will increase to 30-40 by 2013, according to Liu.

 

Penshoppe is now present in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, and it also operates stores in the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Jubail, Al Khobar, Dammam, Manama and by next month, will open its first store in Dubai.

Liu’s ambition is to eventually grow the international business so that it would be larger than the local business, similar to the business model of Spanish retailer Zara.

With its franchise deal, Penshoppe becomes the first Asian brand to be carried in Indonesia by the publicly listed MAP group, which has a portfolio of over 100 lifestyle brands from around the world.

“Asian brands are just as good as the Western brands. If they have the capability and desire to elevate their standards to become one of the best in the world, then they should be treated equal to Western brands,” said Agus Gozali, president of MAP group’s PT Prima Mode Indonesia.

“We believe Penshoppe is such a brand. It is a fast fashion brand with great up-to-date styles and product design. Its stores provide its customers with world-class shopping experience,” he said in a statement.

The MAP group’s portfolio in Indonesia includes Sogo, Seibu, Debenhams as well as fashion stores under Zara, Marks & Spencer, Topman, Topshop, Lacoste, Massimo Dutti, Bershka and DKNY. It also operates food and beverage stores such as Starbucks and Krispy Kreme, a bookstore chain and a lifestyle supermarket.

PT Prima Mode was created by MAP group for the sole purpose of managing Penshoppe’s retail operations in Indonesia.

...the Bataan freeport

HK firm to invest $30M in Bataan freeport (philstar.com) August 17, 2011

 

 

By Punto Central Luzon

 

MARIVELES, Bataan – A Hong Kong firm on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement with the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) signaling the start of its operation here by the first quarter of 2012 with an initial investment of $30-million.

 

Raymund Tan, president of Luen Thai International, said they will be operating in Bataan their fourth unit in the country under Luen Thai Group Philippines.

 

The publicly-listed company in Hongkong will invest in fabric mill and garment-related factory in the former Bataan Economic Zone turned FAB that will create jobs for 6,000 workers.

 

He said that depending in the global market, he will increase investments in five years.

 

Luen Thai has been in the Philippines for 22 years with a unit producing polo shirts in Pampanga, another unit manufacturing Adidas products in Cebu and another area manufacturing coat with combined manpower of more than 20,000 workers.

 

In Bataan, he is eyeing the production of a well-known polo brand like the one he wore in the MOU signing.

 

When asked why he chose Bataan and not establish in Cebu or Pampanga where he already has been operating for some time, Tan mentioned his strategy of diversifying focus. He said that each of his unit focuses on one particular customer.

 

“The company will not fight for the same workers and management team in the same way that workers will not be competing in one area,” he said.

 

Adidas is one particular customer he meant. He said that to be successful, a firm has to partner with the right customer. “I chose my customer and I do not allow customer to choose me,” he said.

 

“There is a need to manage well, balance the market and to have incomes in yen, euro, dollar and other currencies to counter the weakening of the market because of the depreciation of the United States dollar,” he added.

 

Tan admitted that the poor showing lately of the U.S. dollar is a global problem that affects many countries.

 

“But it opens new opportunity because when the American currency weakens, we will see China coming up and other Asian countries growing fast,” he said.

 

Joel Villanueva, director general of the Technical Education Skills Development Administration, said that TESDA is ready to supply Luen Thai with skilled and competent workers.

 

The former partylist representative even announced that Pres. Benigno Aquino by text has sent congratulatory message to Bataan officials, FAB management while thanking Luen Thai.

 

Rep. Albert Garcia of Bataan’s Second District said that FAB is the most strategic location for investments being nearest to Manila.

 

The Bataan Freeport, the congressman said, offers generous incentives, has ready facilities already existing, has highly-reliable manpower and has deep harbor that will complement the seaport in Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and airport in Clark, Angeles City.

 

As add-on advantage, the young Garcia said that Bataan will soon have the cheapest power with the operation of GN Power, a Chinese firm, in Mariveles.

 

The Bataan lawmaker is the principal author in the House of Representatives in the creation of the Area of the Freeport Authority in Bataan (AFAB). He is chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry.

 

For his part, Gov. Enrique Garcia announced that they will be building a temporary port since AFAB is still preparing a master plan for a permanent port facility.