Miranda Konstantinidou at the Zee Lifestyle Emerald Ball

MANILA, Philippines - I am so excited because it’ll be with my friends!” Designer Miranda Konstantinidou is exuberant as she talks about Zee Lifestyle’s Emerald Ball, where a fashion show featuring her cheerful and colorful resortwear and jewelry collections will be the highlight of the evening.

Of course, the Greek-German designer’s energy carries through in her enthusiastic tone and her contagious laughter — a sunny disposition that is epitomized in her collections. Vibrant hues and playful prints in flattering cuts characterize Konstantinidou’s eponymous clothing line, while her Konplott jewelry collection features pieces with eye-catching details.

 “I try to make things that are special and timeless, something that’s not really trendy,” Konstantinidou says of her collections, which have graced the runways of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, and most recently a fashion show on a boat sailing the Seine in Paris that was staged with producer and supermodel Jessica Minh.

Considering the glowing international reception, it’s definitely noteworthy that Konstantinidou’s collections are produced entirely in Cebu. The designer has been based in the city for more than 15 years, and works closely with people whom she considers as family. “The people here have so much love in doing things. It’s the perfect place to create a high-end product. Everything that has to be done with love and knowledge, something with a sense of beauty, I think it can be done here,” she says, sharing that Cebu had been instrumental in building up her brand. “And they don’t get annoyed when I ask them to do difficult designs,” she adds with a laugh.

Despite having been in Cebu since 1999, though, the Zee Lifestyle Emerald Ball is Konstantinidou’s first fashion show in Cebu — the idea for which had come over a conversation with friends.

“Last April, over dinner that Miranda insisted on cooking at her hilltop home, assisted by a platoon of helpers, I broached the idea of a possible fashion show,” recalls Zee Lifestyle publisher Eva Gullas. “Joining us were Dedon’s Herve Lampert and his wife Tess, Shangri-La Mactan GM Rene Egle and his wife Nellie. You can say it was a German dinner as both gentlemen and Miranda spoke German, and everyone was on board right away.”

The show is especially exciting for Konstantinidou, who also sees it as a way of giving back. “I wanted to do it because when I came here, Eva and Zee Lifestyle were always appreciative of my things,” she shared. “In fact, all of Cebu was very nice and very sweet to me, and for me, it was always a little embarrassing that I never had anything here. I think this is a very good idea, and I do it really with all my love.”

The Emerald Ball is hosted by Zee Lifestyle in celebration of its 20th anniversary and a thank you to readers and friends who have supported the title in the past 20 years. To be held at Shangri-La  Mactan Resort and Spa on Dec. 4, the Emerald Ball brings together exciting luxury brands to properly celebrate the occasion.

The main sponsor is ArthaLand, whose project in Cebu is a state-of-the-art building called the Cebu Exchange. Located right by Cebu’s IT Park, the 38-story building offers prime office and retail space set to open in 2022. “We wanted to be part of Cebu’s changing landscape, there’s a sense of dynamism in the city that we like. It’s a medium-term project, but that’s just the beginning of our involvement in the city,” explains Angie Lacson, ArthaLand president. “Partnering with Cebu’s main lifestyle publication is a good first step to know its people better.”

Edward Onglatco, Mercedes Benz GM in Cebu, agrees. Since opening the first dealership of Mercedes Benz outside of Metro Manila, the prestigious brand is very selective of events that they sponsor. The automaker is heavily invested in most Fashion Weeks in Europe and the US, and knowing that Miranda’s show in Berlin was sponsored by the company — and perhaps the German connection — it just made sense to be part of the Zee Lifestyle production.

Many other brands have come onboard for the festivities, including MAC, La Mer and Jo Malone. Rustan’s Cebu, which has been a long-time partner of the magazine, is another sponsor, with talks in the works for the luxury department store to carry a capsule collection of Konstantinidou’s pieces in the near future.

With such impressive players, the Emerald Ball is set to be one of Cebu’s most exciting events of the year, and certainly a fitting one to cap off 2016.

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For more information on Zee Lifestyle and the Emerald Ball, visit www.zeelifestylecebu.com, email at info@zeelifestylecebu.com, or call (032) 328 4161. Shari Quimbo