In lean times, survival is de rigueur and it definitely doesn’t hurt to go with what works. And what works is goddess dresses (read: long and lean). Light and airy from Bryan Aloquin, liquid jewels from Peewee Senening, and faux precious stones accents from Ivan Belocura. At the recent Best of Cebu show, with perhaps the country’s biggest runway - the grand multi-tiered stage of the Sinulog at the Cebu City Sports Complex – which was previewed by thousands all over the world courtesy of TFC (The Filipino Channel), Grecian draping made waves on the runway, and I bet it will generate plenty of heat on the red carpets and classy soirees, too.
Opening the show were bejeweled column dresses by Ivan Belocura. It was Venus tripled with sex appeal as strategically placed peek-a-boo cut-outs showed clear gold skin and décolleté in purple, chartreuse and saffron. Fluid and light as a feather were Bryan Aloquin’s asymmetric gowns dipped in vivid hues and bedecked with built in head and neckpieces that cascade to free falling agents. Peewee Senening’s warrior goddess tube dresses had detachable paraphernalia of vest cum holsters (for swords and crossbows perhaps?) all in sherbet colors. As extremely tall and lithe models sway, fringes and matching earrings and bangles moved in unison as if caressed by a strong breeze. But there is no anachronism here as the fabulous collections of the young designers are as modernistic and sleek as the latest offering from Apple.
Not to be outdone were fun menswear from Ray Kuan that included snakeskin cropped trousers, hoodies in taupe and royal blue, gunmetal silver and bronze stovepipe trousers ripped and shredded and striking crimson, pink with silver and emerald shirts showing the male models well-defined musculature.
Bravissimo!