MANILA, Philippines - Third year’s a charm for these 17 graduates. The country’s first specialized fashion and design college has come a long way from their 2007 conception. In the school’s third graduation show, the School of Fashion and the Arts debuted 17 new designers. Under the mentorship of designer Gian Romano, all of the students underwent rigorous planning and designing on their first collections. In a few short months, the graduates were finally ready to show the world their four- to six-piece collections.
The collections were all unique, each reflecting the designer’s perspective. One of the collections, 21-year-old Jireh de Jose’s, was inspired by a Christian seminar she attended. Her collection consisted of subdued shades of white contrasting with the bursts of red pseudo-crystals embellished on her dresses. Fashion blogger Danika Navarro also debuted her detail-oriented collection. Danika mixed metallic leather, organza, linen, and wool, showing everyone her bold mix of organic modernity. All of the carefully curated collections that breezed through the runway were visibly a labor of love. What’s next for these young designers is a mystery, but with their first collections, they undoubtedly put their best foot forward across the threshold of the Philippines’ fashion society.