Recyclable chic

MANILA, Philippines - Mother Nature favored the whole day of Sunday, March 20, with good weather to  facilitate the attendance of a capacity crowd at Green Couture, the fashion  show conceived with the environment in mind.

Candy Dizon of Jul B. Dizon   Jewellery invited Manila’s top fashion designers to support her  environmental advocacy by designing and executing — gratis et amore — haute couture from recycled materials. 

Lending  their talent and creativity for the cause were Dennis Lustico, Ivarluski Aseron, James Reyes, Jojie Lloren,   Karen Capili-Mijares (USA), Kate Torralba, Michi Calica-Sotto, Patrice   Ramos-Diaz, Puey Quinones, Rajo Laurel, and Tippi Ocampo. Robby Carmona of Saga  Events directed the show. 

The  support that Candy got was nothing short of overwhelming, with both  amateur  and professional models volunteering to showcase the fantastic gowns. In  addition, her co-parents at the Manila Waldorf School joined her in staging  the show and, consequently, endowed the faculty training and  development program of their children’s beloved school. 

Cocktails were served before and after the show, and there were giveaways as well. Sponsors led by Shell and Moroso Italian Furniture donated cash  gifts while L’Oreal Professionnel, Franche Mineral Cosmetics  and Justine Barbara Salon gave away products. As  usual, the Peninsula delivered food and beverage of the highest quality.

The Rigodon Ballroom for the main event by  Class 8 students of Manila Waldorf was transformed into a lush garden bathed in green light, which reinforced the ecology theme underlying the creations. Environmental songs were  rendered by revered musician / singer-songwriter Cynthia Alexander, and introductory spiels were delivered by Waldorf trustee Dr. Lolet Tan and Waldorf parent Rose Scott. 

One by one, the names of  the 11  designers were called out and the model/s wearing their creations  sashayed  onto the pathways transformed into a springtime flower garden. 

It  would have been just another parade of high-fashion gowns were it not for  the  fact that each and every one of them was made out of recycled materials  that  were otherwise bound for the garbage heaps of mega Manila. The audience  wondered just what material each gown was really made of  and, every time, they  were amazed at how such lowly items could be turned  into things of class and beauty. 

Recycled materials included bubble  wrap, plastic bags, shower curtains, plastic bottle caps, drinking  straws,  rugs, magazines, T-shirts, sacks, petticoats, shopping bags,  tablecloths,  tansans, newspapers, paper cups, and plastic twine.

The show highlighted the depth of imagination of all the designers and during their final bow, they were greeted not only with unending applause but also cheers and whistles.

After  the fashion show, guests were gifted with environment-friendly  brown  paper loot bags sealed with the Waldorf School logo and containing  Moringana  vegetable tea bags and capsules in a pretty box, a few more product  samples, and the promotional literature of some sponsors. 

Only a  week prior to Green Couture, Class 8 of Manila Waldorf was in Dumaguete  for  their annual camping trip. Only three days before the fashion show, they  were  in Waldorf’s new Timberland Heights campus, 450 meters above sea level,   performing in their annual music recital. 

And on  this day, they were in the center of the country’s social circuit doing  their  bit for the environment albeit dressed in fashionable chic.  All leading  up to their Rite of Passage  from childhood to adolescence and onto the Waldorf  Uber Schule (Upper School).  What a great ride!