Pag-asa for Philippine Fashion
October 13, 2004 | 12:00am
Many people think fashion is geared towards the proliferation and growth of the three C’s: consumerism, capitalism, and commercialism. Many accuse the fashion world and its proponents of being apathetic to the rest of the world and the serious issues that pervade the current political, economic, and ecological setting. They add that fashion ignores the call of tradition, renders traditional art and culture obsolete as it vies to become globalized.
These claims are not entirely accurate. Every so often, the world of fashion silences its critics and works on a project for the good of society and the environment.
One such project has been established by Fashion Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP). Through their annual Philippine Fashion Design Competition (PFDC), the FDCP has encouraged the growth and creativity of young designers and has helped them reach their potential. This year’s competition encourages designers to promote not just their creativity, but the enrichment of society and the environment as well.
Working with the theme "Ecology and Environment" the FDCP came up with the idea that will help save the fast—deteriorating environment and at the same time, strengthen our cultural roots. Requiring contestants to reconstruct and reinterpret the Philippine terno through environment—supportive means, this year’s Philippine Fashion Design Competition, "Rebirth and Renewal: the Philippine Butterfly", continues the bid for the renaissance of the terno and its celebrated butterfly sleeves.
Twenty—four young designers sought to interpret the traditional Filipino costume by using indigenous materials and resources found in the Filipino lifestyle. Traditional materials such as piña and jusi fabric were popular choices. The most creative use of the indigenous materials was accomplished by the Grand Prize winner, Cebuano local, Cary Santiago.
Santiago’s design titled "Pag-asa (The Philippine Dream)" is a stunning ensemble that honors the first Philippine eagle bred in captivity. "(The eagle) Pag-asa symbolizes the renewal of hope in the Filipino spirit," explains Santiago. The designer fashioned and dyed the lightweight and malleable jusi fabric to look like feathers. He then gathered real lawin feathers (about 5,000 in varying sizes), stripped off the feathers to get to the bone—like stem and used this stem as a base by which to attach the jusi cloth cut to look like feathers. "Everything had to be done by hand, even how the feathers were sewed on the base of the dress."
Four finalists were chosen.
Brian Leyva, a 22-year old student of Fashion Design and Merchandising at the College of St. Benilde ingeniously together a terno pantsuit made of five centavo coins. Almost 8,000 pieces of the copper—colored coin were threaded together to complete the sleek creation that expectedly weighs sixteen kilos. Leyva’s entry, compared by FDCP president Randy Ortiz to the designs of Paco Rabanne, gives a fashionable alternative to a coin of insignificant monetary value. "You see it in the streets, nobody cares about it," says Leyva. He continued to explain that in today’s economic crisis, it’s good to utilize something that has been deemed useless. Leyva’s fashion—forward design also earned him the Intel’s Choice award.
The second finalist, Jun Escario, another Cebuano native and a veteran of the PFDC, submitted a sleek, colourful creation inspired by the sea and the origins of nature. "I did research and discovered that there is actually a fish with feathers. That inspired my design." The high—necked backless gown in hot pink, aqua, black, and white featured intricate beading set off by small feathers that dot the inspired terno. A bolero made of intersecting panels gives a contemporary edge to the design.
Davao’s Dodjie Batu took inspiration from the legendary bird, the phoenix, said to be borne out of ashes. The fiery colors of yellow, red, and orange were hand—stitched and hand—embroidered on black pinalak (a fabric native to Davao) and became foreground to flowing sleeves and an impressive cape made of fossilized leaves. Batu, former president of the Davao’s Designer Guild, sees his design as a representation of how our "devastated environment" can find its way to "renewal and healing".
Ignacio Loyola, winner of the PFDC competition in 2000, comes up with another successful entry that’s impressive both in creativity and size. Using colorful woven fabric from the Ifugao, Loyola fashioned exaggerated butterfly sleeves to liven up the neutral beige of the refined abaca dress. The refined abaca from Bicol was made into a jute sack that was to become the creation’s bulky skirt and hooded bag. Loyola then shredded the jute sack and used the thread to come up tightly—woven tassels that layer the skirt. Boots made from the same woven fabric complete the outfit.
The grand prize winner and the designs of four finalists will all be flown to Paris to participate in the Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode (International Competition for Young Fashion Designers). The Philippines has produced two Grand Prize (Grand Prix) winners in the last ten years. Frederick Peralta won the coveted prize in Paris in 1994, although his representation wasn’t sponsored by the FDCP at that time. The first PFDC—produced Philippine representative to win in Paris was Jojie Lloren in 1998, also the first year that the Fashion Design Council of the Philippines sent a representative.
Skipping last year’s Paris run, the FDCP makes a comeback this year hoping to send another Grand Prix prospect. Many, including FDCP president Randy Ortiz, agree that this recent batch of designers has been one of the best in the PFDC’s six—year run. The patriotic designs were so impressive that the FDCP is considering sending two to three more entries to Paris in addition to the five that has already been cited. "The designs were all really good. Sayang naman if we just send five," says Ortiz.
The FDCP will determine the two other Paris entries, and this will prove to be a tough job. The streak of creativity has been particularly strong this year. Many of the designers employed unexpected clothing materials to come up with original entries. Allain Fonte used paper to come up with a colourful ensemble, Chris Diaz included dyed banana barks to his terno, Don Protasio utilized discarded weeds and fish scales, Puey Quinones used stingray leather for his creation, and Rolando Lotho put together a terno made of braided string. One of the more striking designs in the batch was made by Garimon Roferos, who created a stiff terno with an updated serpentine skirt out of dried water hyacinth. Sunglasses, a pair of bakya sandals, a bag, and a parasol made out of the same material accompanies the terno.
Another design worthy of mention and a spot on the Paris short list is Ricky Vicencio’s terno made of jusi, piña, and thai silk. The design is composed of intersecting layers and curves that come together harmoniously to create an architectural interpretation of the terno.
The Paris design competition accepts up to ten entries from each country and gives a citation award (Prix d’ Incitation) to a creation from each country that didn’t win the grand prize. The past citations have been awarded to Dennis Lustico (1999 and 2000), Jun Escario (2001), and Pablo Mendez (2002). Dong Omaga—Diaz was also given the Legase award for design in 1999, which entitled him to a scholarship at the Ecole de Broderie d’Art Legase.
Aside from the five hailed winners, awards were also given by the PFDC’s sponsors. Mega magazine hailed John Herrera as the Most Promising Designer of the Year. Herrera’s cake—like creation, an off—white short terno made of bunched up rosettes over an imposing petticoat, won as much for presentation as design. He painted his model black–probably inspired by how designers Viktor and Rolf presented their models in a season showing a couple of years ago–and enclosed a butterfly inside a cap made of indigenous material. The Guess Designer of the Year was awarded to Edward Tan, who presented a blue and green layered ensemble with bright red beading.
The panel of judges, headed by arts patron and terno advocate Bea Zobel Jr, included the Metropolitan Museum’s Ino Manalo, Assistant Secretary for Trade and Industry Fe Reyes, music patron Irene Marcos, Philippine STAR lifestyle editor Millet Martinez-Mananquil, architect and STAR columnist Joey Yupangco, Allure columnist Joanne Zapanta, Inquirer lifestyle editor Chelo Formoso, ABS-CBN Publishing’s editorial director Thelma San Juan, CITEM consultant Eli Pinto Mansor, artist-couturier Ernest Santiago, designers Lulu Tan Gan and Jojie Lloren, Philippe Normand of Alliance Francaise, and Robert Go of Litton Mills.
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