Plaid and simple

Unlike the fall/winter shows last June, there were more than a few good pieces that escaped Menswear Night last week, and were only presented during other days of Philippine Fashion Week’s spring/summer 2009 schedule. It was a good thing I decided to sit through last Sunday to catch several that got away.

The dozen designers that made up the 9:30 p.m. offering last Friday were not short on both fantasy and menswear basics but, as usual, there were lapses in the choice of material for otherwise well-constructed pieces as well as many items that just boggled the mind: how did they even make it to a formal runway?

Other major impediments for the menswear collections were uses of color, both for separate pieces and in combination. For several shows, they were way off the zeitgeist and, even given room for interpretation, just did not feel right. Not to mention bad styling, mismatched accessories, and the misguided overuse of jersey for shirts. But beyond all these, the best menswear pieces were considerably the simplest.

Bang Pineda came up with a wearable vest and a hoodie — both sleeveless — with the latter having a diagonal zipper. The rest of his pieces, however, were good only for theater productions or hip-hop shows, particularly a long-sleeved hoodie that was cut bolero-short and   a pair of cargo sweat shorts that had half-zipper-half-drawstring crotches.

Edwin Tan, for his part, incorporated a Hawaiian look by stitching a fabric “lei” onto his shirts. The blue and white version could have worked if it were monochromatic or had blue detailing, perhaps on the cuffs. He also had black sequined shirts that, though more suitable for a fall/winter collection, hold promise for those seeking something different to wear during holiday parties.

Frederick Policarpio had well-constructed suits with shawl collars and slightly peaked shoulders in a nod to previous, but still relevant, trends; while Jerome Lorico presented interesting mask-design prints on shirts and scarves, which could have sustained bolder and cleaner lines.

Two designers deserved an A for effort: Manelle Chamian, for reviving the erstwhile denim aesthetic of François Marithé Girbaud, when the brand was still good; and Ralph Ng for his jackets inspired by Japanese deconstructionists. If only Chamian pushed the designs further with more innovation and character, and Ng used better material.

Now if Frederick Policarpio had the best suit, then Odelon Simpao had the best shirt, coming out with a blue and yellow plaid pattern with diagonal detailing, and also the best accessory: a small plaid bowtie. Best show, hands down, was M Barretto’s, which worked around the blue and yellow color scheme.

Barretto’s show was the most consistent. Besides expounding on his color theme, he also presented a wide array of well-made basics, from plain and floral shirts to jackets and summer shorts. He also presented his take on the workingman’s coveralls, in blue stripes and pattern detailing at the collar and cuffs, and in plaid, cut board shorts-high and in short sleeves. A close cousin are his sleeveless overalls, with an overlapping zipper, a drawstring hem also at the shins, and a hood.

Among the menswear surprises that were shown on Friday night were Pier Lim’s denim and cotton jeans that looked as if they had leg warmers. Now that’s what I call innovation.