MANILA, Philippines - It isn’t just the south that gets flack for being too far away to be in the loop. The north gets its fair share of grief too for circling outside the orbit of the trendier spots in the city.
Thank goodness then for the democratizing power of retail fashion, which proffers trends on a free-for-all buffet that discriminates against no location. Yet while good indicators of current movements in the design industry, retail brand collections also remain diverse enough to satisfy different kinds of tastes, keeping their fingers on the global design pulse even as they pursue seemingly loose threads that surprisingly click with specific buyers.
This variety was well on display at last weekend’s second installment of Style Origin held at the northern shopping mecca, the Ayala TriNoma. With nearly all of the brands represented at the event’s two-day runway presentation, it felt as if shoppers and mall-goers were given a curated, come-to-life catalogue that helps make shopping selection faster and easier. Curating the Filipino lifestyle — and all the aspects it involves, from art to beauty to design to fashion to food — is, after all, the life’s work of the Ayala Malls as well as their badge of pride.
So what can we expect from retail brands’ current collections? Continuing plays on past seasons’ hits: colors (coral, blue, and fuchsia, to be exact), mullet anything, lacy and crocheted delicates, and sheer fabrics. But there were also other, more interesting themes that look set to add character to the current transitional season. Here’s their short roll call:
Art majors
From Impressionistic daubs of color on a sweet-looking dress and Mondrian color blocks on sensible separates to a black, white, and gold Metropolis-esque print on a figure-skimming sheath (the roaring ‘20s are back, baby), drawing heavily on different art movements is a novel way of bringing art to life.
Maximum exposure
Call it a last hurrah for summer if you will, or maybe just a cooling measure: the bare midriff, which has received a thumbs-up even from Gwyneth Paltrow in 2011, is a hot season favorite. From showing just a sliver of skin to the full (but still decent) monty, cropped tops of different lengths and fits appeal to a spectrum of style girls, from those of the hypersexual school of JLo to the followers of so-chic-it-hurts Zoe Saldana.
Flores de mayo
From Frieda Kahlo-like explorations to a profusion of brightly-colored mini petals, florals yearly make their spring/summer rounds. Groundbreaking, we know, but petal power is a no-fail favorite, worn all over or in standout pieces.
Black and white
Yep, it’s still going strong. Whether worn as solid separates or as digital prints, the black-and-white trend remains clean and fresh-looking.
Leg room
We’ve gone from skinny to palazzo and back. It’s now time to give our legs some breathing room with pants in relaxed fits. Do it Raggedy Ann-style with a comfortable cotton jumper or invoke the easy feel of the ‘70s with straight-cut denims that come with just a hint of flare.
White not?
They say white is the best color to wear for summer because unlike black, it doesn’t absorb heat. (Also, unlike black, it doesn’t absorb harmful UV rays that lead to skin cancer, but that’s beside the point.) Look fresh in all-white ensembles that fall just above the knee — it’s hot. You need that extra breeze between your legs.