Fit for a grand ball or a Baclaran fiesta?

MANILA, Philippines - The Grand Allure show at Philippine Fashion Week is not so much a place for trendcasting as it is an avenue for designers to indulge themselves. And last Sunday afternoon, we got to find out that for most of the 13 participating designers, evening wear is (still) all about opulence — gowns dripping with crystals, the sound of rustling tulle and softly clinking beads accompanying the staccato beat of the models’ dangerously heeled steps.

To the question of who can out-bead whom, Erwin Tan threw the gauntlet with “A Walk in the Clouds,” his all-white collection of evening gowns studded with pearls, crystals, and beads on nearly every inch, with a few looks further spruced up with feathery plumes. “Throne” by Jaz Cerezo was a lighter echo, with her more form-fitting silhouettes done in cooler gray/silver and her embellishments reined in by the regularity of their lattice-like patterns inspired by antique furniture. Dexter Alazas showed his own maximalist flare in “Amano” courtesy of Rococo embellishments in amber, beige, champagne, bronze, and copper on serpentine gowns. Frederick Policarpio, meanwhile, dressed up his Princess Barbie gowns with delicate butterfly detailing at the neckline, which were more of textual rather than visual interests as they came in the same color as the dresses. As for Philipp Tampus’ “Summer Safari,” he may have been thinking of a muddy sojourn through dusty grasslands, given the dark color palette he worked with for his leather, lace, and French tulle gowns: browns, grays, and some dark greens. Bandoix Flores went deliberately dark with “Understated Opulence,” save for a few white cocktail pieces. His black gowns made of taffeta, chiffon, and lace served as perfect backdrops for his comparatively restrained crystal beading, and a few casual luxe pieces such as a glittery black cardigan were refreshing in a Park Avenue princess way. Rounding out the Old World-inspired set was Boyet Dysangco’s “Indelible Impressions”, in which he went further afield to find inspiration in Impressionism and Renaissance Flemish art. The results were brocade gowns that feature Impressionist prints in fern green, rust, beige, and muted gold, standing out against the elbow-length gloves, sleeves, ruffles, and capes made of black chiffon, lace, and organdie; his black beadwork was the most unique take on the show with their grid-like patterns.

With half of the show about drama and elegance, the rest of the collections felt a bit more ebullient. There was a sense of humor in Edgar San Diego’s “Muwebles,” his colorful, easy-to-wear pieces made with matte satin, rayon, and linen featuring Filipino furniture forms as central graphic designs; it was hard not to smile at the sight of an armoire’s double-doors integrated into the front panel of a dress. Gil Macaibay says he was thinking of “Under the Sea” when he created his floor-length gowns; after the initial carnival shock of his geometric rainbow-hued stripes set on more neutrally shaded jersey dresses, his color play is reminiscent of the flashes of flamboyance that can be seen in a school of exotic fish. There was also some fish-y appeal in Harley Ruedas’ serpentine neon-and-gold gowns for his “All That Glitters” collection, specifically in the scales-like beadwork he applied to their bodices. Dave Ocampo went vibrant as well with his “The Passion of Callas” collection of color-blocked separates: midriff tops, ruffled skirts, pants with  skirt overlays, and hooded swimsuits made of silk, leather, and duchesse satin. Even with the exposed legs and midriffs, there was something operatic about the looks, from the flaring sea of asymmetrical ruffles to the face-covering headpieces that were as large as the models’ heads. Just goes to show that even when designers go easy breezy, they never leave drama far behind.