‘Tis the season to dress for yourself
Model ANNA BUQUID
Makeup ARTIST CELINE CABILDO
Location ESPACIO STUDIO, ESCOLTA
Photographer COLIN DANCEL
It’s revenge season. It’s 2023, in post-pandemic Manila, Christmastime. We’re partying to the max, filling our social calendars to the brim, and the malls are a-hustlin’ and bustlin’ like we knew they would be. Finally, we can dress from head to toe, wear lipstick, and beso-beso with our friends.
In all the mad, welcome chaos, we take time to recharge, seek a recluse, a reconnection with the self. In fashion-speak, we yearn for the soft, the free, the luxurious-to-the-touch. These are, in fact, the very words used to describe designer Dona Lim’s offering for next season. It is spoken with reverence and aims straight at the heart of the true discerning woman who is unafraid to bypass fashion fads and turns to clothes that celebrate her, and celebrate her forever.
Through the glitz and the glam, we harken back to the little details, soft and sublime, that stand out. With the grace of its clothes that speak of a quiet elegance, the display of expert tailoring and intricate tenets of strength that allow the fluid fabrics to cascade, twirl, and form into a life of its own, Dona Lim’s pieces clothe the woman with a spirit that’s enduring and compelling, highlighting the beauty in personal style that’s at once vulnerable, unfussy, and with a playful yet gentle feminine appeal.
We’re shown a bubble skirt that allows for ease of movement, padded tees and oversized vests that are anything but basic, a lace midi and a silk shirt to break the monotony, a no-buckle leather belt to be worn in infinite ways, and a maxi and a mermaid skirt to glide and float in.
Less is more, echoes the brand, and this speaks volumes in its latest repertoire of curious, statement-making staples meant to be worn in multiple iterations as one’s style evolves. It is ultimately a collection that toasts to us — and our many transitions, through the seasons.
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Dona Lim is at 2/F SM Aura Premier and 2/F Power Plant Mall. Direct message @dona.lim on Instagram for online orders.
