Aisle Do

CEBU, Philippines - Marichu Tan of the Cebu Fashion Designers’ Alliance intimately quipped, “I just love weddings.” The proverbial romantic seemed to be the target audience for the lady designer’s second collection, whose predilection to painstaking detailing is legendary. The flirt of this season’s bridal show, Nupcias Cebuanas in Parkmall’s was C.F.D.A.’s knack for pleasing the contemporary bride and groom. Wendell Quisido’s frou-frou, feather headdresses, and swirling bouffant skirt trickled with Swarovski beading for maximum stellar attraction has been edged out by someone with an all-around more romantic look. And yes, there were still more sweet spots (a sweetheart neckline empire gown with volume and draping from Barbie Alvez, William Manahan’s yards and yards of crinkled soft tulle and yes, Marichu Tan’s bolts of chiffon and a sweeping train).

But C.F.D.A. is far from predictable. To prove it, on the other side of the style spectrum, was Ren Manabat’s linear totem pole wedding dress with linear pleats done in precision, pieced together like a geometric jigsaw puzzle on a narrow, side zip dress. A flowing train accessorized the opening strapless pristine white dress. Here’s more, the sculpted brocade and embroidered gown that brought many in the audience back to the pre war era when Jones Avenue was even more lush than it is today, when many of the corseted set roamed the wide avenue. And this was from the forward thinking Edwin Ao.

Sharing the runway with those dense embroideries and yard after yard of exquisite silk, chiffon and tulle was Protacio’s offering to the contemporary groom who looked every bit of the dapper gentleman as all grooms should be. Reinventing the one button jacket for the three-piece ensemble is another way to move a trusted name into the future. Bravissimo!

Credits:

M.A.C.>Models Association of Cebu (0917 6302400 / 032 3162368)

Maquillage by Wenwen Zaspa and Manuel Pila

Special thanks to Ms. Judith Sellner, Renee Rolette Tan and Rain Ramas of Parkmall