Southern cosmopolitan

MANILA, Philippines - The perfect mix of world class and local brands housed in each of the Ayala Malls gives the city’s styling fans a chance to preview the latest collection for spring-summer in true high street style. At the event last June 15 at the Activity Center of Ayala Center Cebu, the scene was filled by 4 p.m. with people ready to witness cosmopolitan flavor served in the South.

We suppose only a truly cosmopolitan person would equally understand how it is to be at home in Cebu when surrounded by the city’s culture and urbane talents.

Take for example when A.R. Dueñas came out as the first face of Style Origins wearing Kashieca. Draped in fluid blues, she immediately made the brand refer to an outlook that is just not worldly but also intelligent. Cotton, chiffon and jerseys also shared the runway when Sunny Side Up, Lava, July, Maze Maldita and Space sashayed and took turns showing off to the crowd. 

Some of the girls from Cocoon, Iora, Simone and July were easily identifiable, while the peppy-colored shift dress with laser cuts from Sunny Side Up was a huge hit. At the center of all these style presentations was a showcase of footwear from Gibi, Janilyn, and Charles and Keith. They became sole occupants of this year’s Style Origin runway next to the runway’s gorgeous girls.

From the second Matteo Guidicelli hit the catwalk — acid-wash bottoms, button down, and turbaned torrent of curls — we were transported to a metropolitan era when the pursuit of pleasure was to become multilingual, multicultural and basically free of prejudices and stereotyping. Ah, Men’s Week begins.

An influx of men emerged from the stage and a few almost fell off their seats. No one was badly hurt, just startled. Before another one could come crashing down, models sporting Human came next. The saroual entertained while the cleanliness of Mental and Hip St. made us fall in love with cotton on men again. Islands Souvenir gave us pops of color with board shorts that employed lovable orange, blue and neon green. Although there was less swish than usual, the styling WAGW, Nautica, Folder and Hung, Rustan’s and Call It Spring brought to the table a collection that sidestepped the digital age in favor of classic chambrays, Bermuda shorts, and dinner jackets.

Maldita is a synonym for strong, sophisticated, confident.

The crowd waited in bated breath as the lights glowed and Arcy Gayatin’s name popped onto the screen. The timing was just right. Earlier, Arcy Gayatin was already glowing when we saw her enter the Activity Center. If the men weren’t distracting enough, the cobwebs certainly got our attention. Her famous cobweb signature got the full treatment this time as the spotlight was on them.

Cary Santiago came out next. His friend, Furne One, sat up straight in his seat. The audience clapped when Santiago’s first model entered. Whatever else one might think about what he’s done, Cary Santiago made one of his own fantasies come true. From his last men’s collection, Cary’s latest was a paean to laser cuts.

And it was a smash. The patterns had a sophisticated edge to them and it was clear Cary incorporated elements of China, India and more; we presume even more in the next seasons of his travels.

 Two more Cebuano designers showcased their men’s collection in the last leg of Ayala Malls’ Style Origin and we couldn’t say pour l’homme better than Yvonne Quisumbing and Philip Rodriguez. Yvonne offered draping over men’s jeggings but threw it on top of a gray shirt and it still looked chic, taking on the confident sashay of a 2012 must-have. Philip Rodriguez, the visionary with a remarkable ability to take calculated risks, made us wonder why Cebu couldn’t have a Hampton-like setting because the chinos and the dinner jackets recall Robert Redford in 1974’s The Great Gatsby.  

The consensus was that, even with the huge applause, we were dreaming of artisan fashion, grassroots boutique, and slow-yet-sure pacing — and all of these ideas are nurtured in the South. Bringing together fashion designers across the city’s grid in one place, Style Origin has definitely reinforced its position as the premiere southern cosmopolitan and fashion destination in the country.

Designer Cary Santiago heads to India for his Men’s Week showing