The Max Factor

Life’s full of ironies. In a business that predominantly caters to women, it is a bit paradoxical that so many men shine in this arena. And speaking of arena, at the recent Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Samsung installation, the Pacific Ballroom became a huge white fabric-enclosed style arena as Cebu and Manila’s recognizable designers teamed up with active wear labels that catapulted a fusion of couture and fitness labels. Under the tutelage of Waterfront’s ultra energetic (and uber fashionable) general manager Marco Protacio and director Jackie Aquino, Cebu once again became a hotspot for style.

Two of this city’s male designers presented a hyper hip collection that focused on the maximum. Protacio, paired with Nike Golf to create a modest line. The look was layered—the long paired with the even longer.  Classic and neutral was his palette of navy and white in linen and silk cocoon mixed with nude stretch leggings and red baseball caps from Nike Golf for men and women. From mid-calf to floor-grazing, the lean and mean silhouette was among the freshest as models from M.A.C.>Models Association of Cebu and Manila’s top mannequins were set loose on the salmon pink racetrack inspired runway.

Edwin Ao’s neutral versus neutral palette of oatmeal and taupe jersey, styled with black hose and gloves and an occasional thin black belt was sinuously sexy and modernistic. Whether draped at the bodice or flowing at the hips, his layered look was effortlessly pulled through and appealed to the fashionable set in attendance. Case in point, a bunch of Cebu’s young jet-set trailed their way to the backstage to have a closer look at these two designers’ recent collection. Bravissimo!

 Models: M.A.C.>Models Association of Cebu (0917-6302400/ 0917-2717277) and Mercator

 Maquillage by Revlon with artists Emi Ayag, Ramil Solis, Gary Son and Romero Vergara assisted by Jude Gabato, Aris Baguio and Jay Failanga.

Special thanks to Ms.Kaye Luym of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino