The Whimsical Wendell Quisido

CEBU, Philippines - Looking at the models parade for the finale, it may be time to recognize the Wendell Quisido dimension. After all, this Fine Arts graduate seems to exist on a temporal plane all his own, one that looks back to centuries-old costume history while fighting the good fight of today and beyond, juxtaposed with even more whimsical modernity.

It's also one that celebrates his own decades-old history while simultaneously embracing the future of the next collection. In his recent show, called simply Whimsy, he embraced all that.

The show opened with lights off across the runway except for the suspended chandeliers that seemed to float freely but soon delved headlong into the classical beauty of a fitted velveteen dress in black shadow-stripe and peek a boo stretch tulle with over-sized crystals bibs. Quisido found himself looking at the early 20th century: in his words, "the age of experimentation…rugged individualist and adventurer when women were finally free of the corseted constrictions." But also mixed up in his bouillabaisse were suits with multiple triangular Michael Jackson-esque shoulders and sweeping velveteen columns worn with crinolines and more peek-a-boo skin and jewel-encrusted bling and not much else. Oh, and loads of elevator platforms. Is it any wonder that the designer's final walk and his crowd of models always seem like a party? You know, the good kind where anything goes.

But not everything goes. Along with the designer's push into ethical fashion, one new cause-the charity show was to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the local church in Danao City. That makes sense in any context. Bravissimo! (FREEMAN)