Solitude has become my friend. Silence is now a constant companion, and reverence is my state of mind. How do you become monastic in a place like Marrakech? How does an artist create in silence in order to inspire the noise of awe? —Jun Escario
Passionate and resourceful designer Jun Escario has been in the fashion industry for 20 years. He has risen from the local scene in Cebu to gain national and international recognition for his creative identity and contribution to Philippine fashion.
To celebrate such an auspicious milestone, Zee Lifestyle, together with PLDT and Tresemme, presented a dramatic fashion show that showcased the designer’s “Monastic Marrakech” collection.
The Oakridge Pavilion was transformed into a cathedral of fashion, where many of Cebu’s most fashionable gathered to celebrate the designer whose works have been a mainstay on best-dressed lists for years.
The strictly-by-invitation event included pre-show cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres before guests were ushered into the main room for the much-anticipated fashion show. Pews were arranged around a canopied runway that was covered in bold red. Spotlights added more drama to the show — a theatrical accompaniment to Jun’s more simple draped dresses.
Jun consistently looks at ways of making garments and tries to change fabric choices so that his style is always developing.
“I wanted the freedom to explore nothingness, to work with very little details and rely more on a fabric’s natural fall and how it responds to movement,” says Jun about his collection.
One segment featured dresses accessorized with strands of Jewelmer pearl necklaces, while the designer’s sophisticated and intricately elaborate bridal gowns culminated the show.
After this iconic runway show, the red drapes were lifted to reveal a sumptuous buffet from David’s Café and a bar that served drinks from Belvedere and Moet and Chandon.