The SARS scare certainly did not dampen our spirits as we took Philippine Airlines’ special and smooth flight – a Boeing 747 piloted by Capt. Chuck Aquino – that took our mission group of fashion production staffers and models. We were all representing the Philippines in "Ties That Bind," a Philippine solo exhibition at the Shanghai Exposition Centre but extra precaution was made as masks were issued to all members of the fashion group. The word excitement took on a new meaning as we arrived at Pudong International Airport.
Shanghai is breathtaking, modern, cosmopolitan, exciting, just simply beautiful and very clean. It has its own version of the Skyway, but Shanghai’s is rather mind-boggling as it runs in the middle of the city itself! Combining form and function, the elevated road is lit not only above but also below, making both driving and walking very pleasant activities. As a result, traffic congestions are quite rare in the city. The service apartments of the Portman Ritz-Carlton at the Shanghai Centre across the exhibition center served as our official residence for eight days. The ground area had very good
qi, as Ana Lloren pointed out – breezes were ceaselessly blowing through it, and what with it being a very cold spring night, made for a delightfully cool experience. After having our fill of authentic and affordable Shanghainese dim sum on our first night at the Bi Feng Tang, also across the hotel, we all headed to one of the most vibrant and young areas of the city, Xian Tian Di. Constructed to look like the ancient row houses usually associated with the romance of colonial times, the district succeeds in welding together the old and the new – as the structures really are built from stones of torn-down buildings and houses. We couldn’t help but compare it to Greenbelt 3, where all the expats go. Fine dining, bars, specialty stores, and a great fast food place awaited all tourists. Nearly everything required for a great night out in town is to be found here, with even a German-style pub boasting a live Filipino
band for its entertainment fare – now that’s really a testament to our inherent musical talent as a race.
The Bund by the Huangpu River is the best place to see colonial Shanghai architecture on one side of the river and modern buildings on the other with Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the tallest building in China, dominating the skyline. The juxtaposition of the traditional/colonial and modern/contemporary leaves one dumbstruck and not a little confused as to where to look first – the awe-inspiring neo-classical banks and exchanges from the colonial era, or the streamlined skyscrapers piercing the sky. At night, it looks more like a street in Europe, a visual feast as all the buildings are well lit.
Unpacking the collection for the show proved to be an easy task despite our lack of man-power. Using our limited resources, we used our unlimited imagination to ensure that the whole collection was ready for fitting – a total of 116 clothes for the gala show and close to 50 for the exhibition. Casting of local Chinese models was the second order of business and they were not only impressive… they were tall – really tall. Not to be outdone, we made sure that the models we brought were not only the top in the country but the ones with international experience, majority of whom came from the Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP).
What caught our attention though were the products being displayed by the Philippine contingent at the exhibition hall. From furniture, food, fashion and accessories, we were amazed at the types of merchandise we do have. Not only are they world class but competitive as well.
What is the one thing you do in a foreign country that tests all your skills? Shopping! I have always equated China to a communist power but then again, it has become a capitalist haven. The market runs the whole gamut from way-up-there designer labels to very affordable fakes, copies and no-namers, answering the needs of each and every demographic existing. The locals were not only uber
-chic in the spring regalia of nice coats and fancy boots; their outlook is very progressive with most natives not the least scared or bashful in devoting themselves to the pursuit of fashion. Interestingly enough, the items we got at the
tiangge were of surpassingly good quality and at rock-bottom prices
to boot!
In our shopping expeditions, we discovered that three models were quite proficient in their bargaining skills. While Raya Mananquil used her determination to get the best prices, our two male models, Gary Dulatas and Joevince Cañizares used their charm. With that in mind, they became our official negotiators. Our shopping destinations were Plaza 66, Xiang Yang Lu Fashion Market, the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Shopping Market, the Yuyuan Garden and Old Town Area, the Chang Bao Lou Indoor Antique Market on Fangbang Road and the Dong Tai Lu Outdoor Antique Market.
My personal favorites though were the Yuyuan Garden and Old Town Area – complete with authentic Chinese architecture – where shopping and dining were excellent. Those simply gaga over chinoiserie must head posthaste to this absolute mecca as most stores are about to burst at the seams with cheongsams for both men and women, jade jewelry, brocade bags and wallets... you name it and all for very low and haggle-worthy prices! And it’s just as much fun to stroll along the little alleys and stumble upon little stores offering different pickings from every section of Chinese culture. We even stumbled upon a store selling fans made of silk paper with hand-painted calligraphy that are veritable works of art; framed paper cuttings marvelous for both their intricacy and delicacy; jade knick-knacks such as combs, bracelets and massagers; swords – the list is practically endless!
It was a must to dine at the historic Lu Bo Lang, one of the oldest and historic restaurants in the city that once had President Bill Clinton as guest. Here, we savored classic Shanghai cuisine at a dinner hosted by Marco Protacio, the GM of the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. It was a total experience that stimulated all our senses, as the sauces were very delicate and the food was simply divine. You’ll never find the strong taste of MSG here or the mixtures that tend to make your palate tired after a few courses. We also discovered the talent of Rajo Laurel in ordering delicious and inexpensive food and Randy Ortiz’s expertise in sampling excellent shark’s fin soup.
Another highlight was the dinner hosted by Ben Chan of Bench. He took us to Shintori, a modern Japanese restaurant that specializes in traditional and fusion Japanese cuisine. The piece de resistance was the tiramisu with green tea. It was a new experience knowing that everything on our table was for sale, from the chopsticks to the pottery. What was more fascinating was the use of nature as the basis for the architecture and the finish. As Marco Protacio pointed out, no paint was used, just the natural finish of stone, concrete and glass with a cove of bamboo trees to greet you at the entrance.
The day of the gala show was hectic yet fun. The preparations backstage at the Friendship Hall of the exhibition center reached fever pitch, as members of the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP) busily prepared their collections and also doubled as wardrobe assistants for our models. Actually, the day was rather cold but with nearly everyone concerned busy milling about, the low temperature was given little notice. It was a sight to watch Frederick Peralta, Larry Espinosa, Jojie Lloren, Vittorio Barba, Tonichi Nocom, Ricci Lizaso, Nono Palmos, Ramil Noveda, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Len Nepomuceno-Guiao, PJ Arañador, Bong Garcia together with Randy and Rajo not only fixing the backstage and the collection but also actually doing the pressing and the ironing. One important lesson learned: Trust designers to be good dressers, as they really know every inch of a dress. Adding to the necessary but enjoyable tension was the language gap between the Chinese staff and the Filipino contingent. It was not a little hilarious to find otherwise sophisticated designers and fashion assistants having to resort to elemental sign language and the most basic of English and Chinese just to get across the simplest of requests (This... you... bring... over there... no, there! OK,
she-she ni!!). The rest is history... Manila Wear took its bow in Shanghai.
The other highlight of the evening was how the local press swarmed all over the models in the finale bridal tableau. Flash bulbs were everywhere and the next few days proved the success of the event as the photos of the show were splashed in the local media. Locals swarming around and having their photos taken with one model created another stir. Yes, Manila, the country’s top male model, Gary Dulatas, has found fans in Shanghai!
Seeing the proud faces of everyone in the audience brought tears of joy. Our months of preparations finally came into fruition.
With the exhibition over and having reaped success with the two shows we staged, we left Shanghai so proud to be Filipinos. After all, we come from WOW (Wealth of Wonders) Philippines. You could really feel the admiration of our Chinese friends for what we had to offer. Likewise touching was the joyous exchange between members of the Philippine contingent and the Pinoys who call Shanghai their second home but nonetheless miss our motherland so much. Such a reunion with countrymen in faraway lands makes us very thankful of the fact that somewhere, somehow, a Filipino would always be there. The heavens blessed us during our last night in Shanghai, with the rains symbolizing the blessings that the city had for its new admirers. It was as if our ancestors were sad that we were leaving.
After last-minute shopping sprees, we were off to the airport. Centuries of trade will forever bind us to China. It was yet another very cold spring day, and we all looked very lovely in our coats and shawls – but our eyes were sparkling with the thought that we were all going back to our wonderful tropical island paradise that is the Philippines.