MANILA, Philippines - Iknow we are not in New York, London or Paris. For we are here, enduring the hottest summer Manila has ever experienced. And yet, when you say “fashion event,” the Filipino sartorialist goes all out, dressed to the nines and attends the style ball in what he/she considers as today’s finery. Now, I don’t doubt that our forefathers had an easier time, as fabrics were thicker and clothes were more layered before (for some of us, it still is now), but style is a choice.
This freedom of choice is exactly what we are practicing now, as this weekend, all style files flock to the SM Mall of Asia to witness the evolution of the Filipino designer. While Fashion Week is by no means a sure measure of what the Filipino designer can do, it still is a barometer of where we are as an industry, as a culture, as a country. That editors have required the entire staff of their glossy publications to fully stand guard and watch for the new and the now is a bold move that deserves bisous for its bravado. Preview editor in chief Pauline Juan told me that she makes it a point to catch all shows — that all Pinoy designers who make the effort to present their collections during Fashion Week must be seen. Whatever others say about our Fashion Week, in the end, it’s still ours.
In the same context I’d like to appeal to you, dear Supreme viewer, whether lover of fashion or not (how can you not be?) to be curious as to what the Filipino designer has to say during this important week. You may not be able to attend ALL the shows (but hey, there is always the Internet — and the fashion bloggers chronicle ALL the shows, even on Twitter! So you have access to all the stuff being show — no need for a front row seat) but when you can, seek them out, watch what you can. If you have a designer friend, inspire them, send them flowers and applaud all you can to encourage them to explore their creative side further. If you have a model friend, tell them not to overindulge on the garlic rice (at least not for this week—some need to be told, mind you). Fashion is not all fun. A lot of it is sacrifice, too.
Evolution Of Aesthetics
What makes any pain worth it is the knowledge that you were able to express yourself in doing something you love. Here in Supreme, what we love is discovering people who we think have it, and telling the world why we think they have it. Jeff Rogador. We think he has it. This is his fifth Fashion Week outing, and each year, “I learn more about myself not just as an artist but as a person in touch with my market,” says Jeff. “Each year is a chance for me to evolve with my aesthetics, learn more about my strengths and weaknesses.” Rogador’s strength as a designer is in menswear- — and he learned that — and honed it — after his first year in Fashion Week.
On the other side, Jepoi (Jeff’s nick) found himself supplying women’s ready-to-wear pieces for SM, but for now, his name is synonymous to edgy and sophisticated (can the two co-exist?) peices for men who don’t adhere to uniform states of dressing. His latest collection, to be unveiled at Fashion Week at 130 p.m. today, features “Portraits of Peasants,” his post-modern take on a Paul Cazanne painting of a male peasant in white button downs paired with a jacket.
“What caught my eyes in most of the paintings is that even if they are captured in their most casual setting, you can see the details and the style of the old peasant clothing, humble yet dignified,” Jeff shares. It is this search for dignity that drives Rogador to update the white shirt and put in his own twist. The same inner voice that made him do origami patterns and add layering for his women’s wear.
It is these little details — a splash of color here, a hint of hue over there that make for good fashion viewing. Some go for the bold and the beautiful, others look for the soft and the seductive. For Jeff, it is all or nothing — divide and conquer.
To become peasant or prince, in the end it is the wearer’s choice.