Black swans

CEBU, Philippines - Black has a certain air of mystery and an allure to it that makes it both versatile and tireless. I’ve loved black for as long as I can remember and although I’ve made huge efforts—yes, leaps and bounds—to make my wardrobe scream and pop with color, a huge part of me is incomplete without an entire cabinet dedicated solely to anything black.

Black is edgy and it’s classy. It can take you from casual to business to evening, and it can take you from bad hair day to bombshell vibe in a snap. For many designers, black is a boundless canvas that can stretch from vintage to futuristic. Black is love.

I know we’re just about to cross over to the sunny days of summer but I really just can’t help it. We must talk about black. This cannot wait until Fall season.

Black didn’t just rock my world. It rocked the London Fashion Week, as well with collections bent on breathing new life into a well-loved shade and an easy retreat for many a stylista. For the most part, the interpretation for black is highly risky and experimental which means that if you do not have the gall to rock it the way it should be to bring it more in the now, baby, black just might not be for you.

Phoebe English

No one, and I repeat no one, could have given a better interpretation of black than Phoebe English. Some people may contend with my assertion but really, in total dark fashion and maitim na budhi, I really couldn’t care less. Phoebe English is not a household name in fashion. That much is obvious. But a glimpse into the black magic she’s been able to sweep through will put you very well under her spell.

Phoebe’s collection during the London Fashion Week captures the gloom of London quite perfectly—with a spike of edge and a touch of class, mind you. This is what you would consider painting the town black. Phoebe plays with texture and rather simple silhouettes. Cast yourself into the shoes of a chic and modern day Odile in Phoebe English’s full-length feather gown and simply throw anything that’s white out of the picture.

With texture and the depth of black playing a crucial role in her collection, it pays to keep the face and the hair, as much as possible, au naturel to keep the focus on the dress and no other.

Samantha Cole

Samantha Cole has a different flair with black, that I’ll assure you. Instead of putting the spotlight on the classy vixen, Samantha Cole puts together the perfect picture of the alpha female in her collection of edgy blacks set into strong textures and sharp lines.

Samantha Cole sets a muted sense of aesthetic into her collection, giving us what we would least expect on a summer day—a strong, silent warrior whose stealth is nothing more than enviable. 

Cole plays with sharp silhouettes and different kinds of blacks—from metallic sheens to teasing sheers. The details are extreme—either too minimalist with only a few lines in the most expected places, or fanciful with ruffles and patterns set against a dark backdrop.

Black is probably one of those indispensable elements in fashion that can be recreated in so many different ways, it’s just impossible to get rid of season in and season out. Black is sinister, yes, but black is very much beautiful. (FREEMAN)