MANILA, Philippines – If someone were to tell you this was a competition in which students were to fashion clothing collections out of 200 kilograms of recyclable materials, you would probably be expecting to see something straight out of Mad Max. But the young folks at “Ecouture: Greener Design for a BetterWorld” may surprise you. They know their reduce-reuse-recycle a tad bit better than we do.
After four successful years in Cebu, Green Fashion Revolution finally decided to hop on a plane and land in Manila. They reeled in some of the country’s most well-known names in fashion and culture to judge the competition: Ma. Rosanna Ocampo, Ito Curata, Mia Borromeo, Paolo de la Cruz and more. SMX Convention Center Aura was teeming with students last Jan. 30, many of whom were in runway-worthy ensembles themselves.
Second runner-up was Asia Pacific College with their collection “Payo,” or “rice field,” which showcased streetwear in earth tones and metals. Meanwhile, first runner-up University of the Philippines-Diliman’s “Living in Pisoville” made a statement on consumerism with pastels and pop art reminiscent of mod fashion. But it was De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde who reigned supreme, winning best in campaign, bag design, footwear, clothing design, accessory design, and design collection. They called their collection “Eiron” — the Greek word for “irony,” an irony shown in the contrast between the soft beauty of their pieces and the ugly reality of water pollution. “Eiron” draped the runway in whispers of white and blue, accompanied by the eerie sounds of dripping water and a chanting woman. The audience was entranced, and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s win, much deserved.
Green Fashion Revolution may just be living proof of the Filipino creative youth’s ability to raise awareness and push for change through their art.
* * *
Visit aboitizfoundation.org to find out how you can help build a #BetterWorld.