Celebrating women’s month this March alongside their 30 th anniversary, SM Megamall presents Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective on st...
Celebrating women’s month this March
alongside their 30th anniversary, SM Megamall presents Wildflower: A
Fashion Retrospective on style icon Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes. Amidst all the
minimalist fashion trending, one woman dares to stand out. Like wildflowers
that come in varied species and kinds, the exhibit portrays women from all
walks of life. Through each of her dresses, we share a vibrant story worth
telling.
Fashion Icon Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes |
Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes
Also known as the Sea Princess, Tessa
is a Sunday lifestyle columnist in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and manages
her own site; www.tessaprietovaldes.com. Tessa is a socialite-philanthropist
known for her sophisticated style, extravagant accessories, and colorful
personality. She has been featured in lifestyle magazines and is ever-present
in grand events. She also busies
herself with the different charities she supports, spending weekends in
Balesin, raiding shopping centers, and playing Barbie with different designers.
Wildflower: An Exhibition of dresses by Manila’s top designers
As we walk through the Sea Princess’
whimsical wardrobe collection, we are introduced to an aspect of Tessa
Prieto-Valdes that is essential to her personality -- her imaginative fashion.
The exhibit likens Tessa as a wildflower, colorful, flamboyant, and diverse.
Beauty is a natural thing whether in simplicity or extravagance. And as we
trace back to the most organic form of inspiration -- nature -- through Tessa’s
wardrobe, we are introduced to some of Manila’s top designers that Tessa
Prieto-Valdes champions.
The Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective
exhibit ran from March 8-18, 2016 at the Mega Fashion Hall.
Angel Lopez, Sheryl Songsong |
Annika Valdes, Athena Valdes, Dennis Valdes |
Christian Mathay, Jon San Agustin, Steven Tan, Tessa Prieto Valdes, Mitch So |
Czarina Ablaza, Eve Yukimtiao, Tedrick Yao |
Dennis Valdes, Anna Sobrepena, Johnlu Koa |
Eve Yukimtiao, Czarina Ablaza, Tedrick Yau, Tessa Prieto Valdes, Len Obles, Hera Geriene |
The Designers
Albert Andrada returns
to the Philippines after 20 years designing luxurious garments for royalty in
the Middle East. He was referred to as “Asia’s Most Connected Designer” with
works of very flowing, feminine, and definitely dramatic. He takes inspiration
from his mother whom he refers to as “a very fashionable lady.”
Ivarluski “Ivar” Aseron is an innovative
fashion designer whose collections have been featured abroad, including
Malaysia and Indonesia. Ivar is known for his ability to masterfully fuse movement with structure,
classic with current, and feminine with a dash of gentleman as seen in his
geometric style which includes a surprise of softness that creates slim
silhouettes, clean lines, and unexpected details.
Pablo Cabahug
specializes in body conscious and tailored formal wear for men and women. His
work has been featured in Philippine Fashion Week a couple of times and has
been recognized as one of the top collections with his trademark design being
classic silhouettes. He won the Look of Style Awards back in 2010 which gave
him the opportunity to study fashion design and marketing at the prestigious
Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design.
Michael Cinco is
an international fashion designer who was born in Samar and is currently based
in Dubai. Michael studied at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School in the early 1990’s
and proceeded to study in London and Paris halfway through his career. His
collections were featured in Miami, New York, Dubai, and Manila and he has been
designing for Gulf Arab royals for years. His works boasts of lavishly
elaborate couture with detailed embellishments that sparkle with crystal
beading, opulent lace, and lush textures. Michael won Breakthrough Designer of
2011 at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in New York and is the first Filipino
designer to be featured on “America’s Next Top Model.”
Maureen Disini is
known for her simple cuts and wedding gowns. She was trained in Milan’s Istituto di Moda Burgo in
2009, where she earned a diploma in Stilista di Moda (Fashion Design and
Patternmaking). Maureen’s aesthetic is classic, simple, easy and feminine which
tend to embrace tradition and forego trends. She customizes her pieces through
the fabrics she chooses that are ideal to the personality and character of her
clientele.
Rhett Eala has
become one of the country’s prominent design icons. He first showcased his
talent as an in-house fashion designer in Rustan’s where he was offered to
design his first label entitled, “Due by Rhett Eala,” a fashion line for kids. Over the years, his line
grew and matured into a more sophisticated line for women and he exemplifies
this in his position as the current Art Director of Plains and Prints.
Ronald Enrico is
a Cebu-based designer who specializes in custom-made formal wear. He is
renowned for his delicate details, fabric manipulation, clean finish, and
flattering cuts. Ronald’s workmanship attracts much needed attention through
weaving flamboyant and gaudy combinations of tulle, chiffon, and taffeta in his
pieces.
Jun Escario started
from Cebu and eventually grew to cater international design works where he is
renowned for his bridal and evening garments. With gracefulness and elegance in
his pieces, his works have reached the London Philippine Fashion Show in 2012.
Rocky Gathercole is well-known for his experimental, unpredictable, and whimsical
creations. He came from humble
beginnings but with passion and perseverance, paved himself a vibrant fashion
career. Gathercole has been
a designer in the United Arab Emirates for more than two decades. His
definition of wearable is still enigmatic to those that cannot comprehend
fashion’s form of self-expression, which to his advantage appealed to Arab
women.
Rajo Laurel began
his career in 1993 and soon founded House of Laurel in 2000. Trained in New
York Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martin’s in London, he
has represented the Philippines locally and internationally throughout the
years and has received countless awards for fashion design and
entrepreneurship. His works display his signature beading on romantic and
luxurious gowns. His articles are a combination of rigid and mellow elements
that creates a modern and feminine workmanship which makes his pieces well
defined.
Monique Lhuillier is one of America’s foremost designers sought after by many celebrities
locally and internationally. She is renowned for her designs that capture the
essence of sophisticated luxury by provoking femininity, allure, and glamour.
Her ready-to-wear, accessories, and bridal collections embody her innate sense
of style.
Francis Libiran
is an A-list designer who has garnered success locally and internationally. His
work has been featured in numerous shows, some of which include the fashion
gala at Manila Hotel during its centennial celebration, the first Canada
Philippine Fashion Week, and the annual fashion show in Tokyo, Japan. He is
also the designer behind the winning gown worn by Megan Young in Miss World
2013.
Jojie Lloren
is a Pateros-based multi-awarded and considered as one of the most respected
fashion designer. He graduated with a degree in Clothing Technology in
University of the Philippines Diliman and gained training from Ecoles de
Chambre Syndicale dela Couture Parisiennce in Paris. After many years in the
industry, he continued to gain fame as a resident mentor at a Filipino
rendition of a renowned TV-series “Project Runway.” Jojie’s style prioritizes
comfort among all other constituents of good dressing.
Dennis Lustico creates
works with styles of geometry and femininity. Usually for events and social
functions, his garments feature a certain gleam of sophistication yet is still
practical and easy to wear especially for women who are always on-the-go.
Pablo Mendez started
teaching after graduating from Slims in the 1990s. Since then, he has won many
awards including the grand prize for Philippine Fashion Designer Competition in
2007. While he has achieved many awards, he still returned to Slim’s to teach
part-time despite his duties as a designer.
Lesley Mobo
graduated with an Honors Degree in Fashion at Central St. Martin’s in 2002
after moving out of the Philippines to study Fashion in London. His career
started soon after at Jasmine Di Milo, a newly established brand, and was soon
after promoted to Head Designer in 2003. Lesley showed passion and persevered
in his field garnering him multiple local and international collaborations with
numerous brands and features in several
books and publications. Lesley’s craft entail edgy, structural elements with
sophisticated soft, feminine twists that appeal to young elite Europeans. His
pieces are fun and flirty despite residing on the conservative side of ball
gowns, asymmetrical dresses, and pant suits.
Josie Natori
is an award winning, foreign-fashion CEO and founder of The Natori Company Inc.
It houses Natori, a global brand that started out with a lingerie line and
later on expanded to a lifestyle brand. Natori received multiple awards some of
which include Fashion Group International’s Humanitarian Award, and the
Lakandula Award last 2007.
Eric Pineda is a costume and fashion designer
credited for his outstanding design works for theater plays, a period soap
opera, as well as bridal gowns and
fashion ensemble for celebrities. His passion for designing for theatre plays
began in college as one of the enthusiastic young members of the University of
the Philippines (UP) Repertory in 1982 and was soon after recruited to tackle
the production needs of other theatre plays outside UP. Eric had to juggle
academics, organization, and production work and still continues to show
relentless energy and quality in his works.
Gian Romano is an Iligan-native that started designing and
styling back in 2000. A graduate of De La Salle University College of Saint
Benilde with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management, he then
pursued his Fashion career after being granted a scholarship to study in
Central Saint Martin’s in London in 2004. In 2005, Gian returned to Philippines
and revealed his first collection “No Wave” which tackled the foundations of fashion
design. His works adhere to a minimalist and utilitarian taste yet brings out
the elements of self-expression and consciousness to form and structure.
Joe Salazar studied at Slim’s Fashion and Arts
School in the 1960s. He was known for his ornamented ternos and evening wear
that avoid minimalist trends. He enjoys doing classic pieces. however continues
to add a hint of modern styling to each. Often listed as one of the
Philippine’s outstanding designers, he was the first prestigious Ramon Valera
awardee, and recently nominated as National Artist.
Amir Sali Aluk is a Paris-trained Filipino designer who
ails from Sulu, Philippines. He studied Fine Arts at the University of San
Carlos in Cebu City. During his early travels abroad, he met a Saudi princess and
was offered to work as a designer for the
royal household. After his 18 years as a designer for the Saudi Royal
family, he returned to the Philippines last 2009 to start his own design line
which started in his small Greenhills shop. His style revolves around heavy
layers, seas of colors, and generous
beadings which eventually got him the title of Prince of Beads.
Cary Santiago is
a Cebu-based master couturier. At a young age of 23, he went to Dubai to work
for Hazaar Fashion where he
learned all the basics of haute couture. Later on, he moved to Beirut and
became the creative designer for the House of Jibran. His work is very
intricate - all well crafted and well constructed. He has become a household
name in Philippine Fashion with his designs being worn in weddings, state
dinners, SONAs, and even the Oscars.
Ezra Santos has
been featured internationally in fashion shows, magazines, and events. He put
up his own atelier in Dubai in 2008 after working with many designers in the
Philippines and Saudi Arabia. His works are seen to use lavish, intricate, and
feminine designs and materials.
Inno Sotto received multiple degrees in Fashion and
Art in different schools abroad namely the University of San Francisco, San
Francisco School of Fashion and Design, and Parsons in New York. With his
subtly draped designs, Inno Sotto has done a number of international galas,
specifically 27, in his 32-year career.
Philipp Tampus is a Cebu-native designer and proud
alumnus of the Filipino rendition of the renowned TV series “Project Runway.”
Well-known for his intricate details, random patterns, and artwork that
emphasize a woman's shape, Phillipp is gaining a steady following of loyal
clientele, not just in Cebu but all over the country as well.
Oliver Tolentino, coined as the “Valentino of the Philippines”, began his career in the
late 90s and was the first Filipino designer to expand his business to Los
Angeles in 2009. Since then, he has catered to both local celebrities and
Hollywood stars.
Cherry Samuya Veric’s crafts entail intricate details and cuts that bring out the wearer’s
seductive silhouettes. He adorns his designs with ornamented pieces finishing
with delicate numbers that appeal to varied audiences.
Chito Vijandre is
a top lifestyle and design guru. He is the creative director of a chain of
lifestyle and design stores which include Chichirico, Felicity, Firma, and
AC+632. Aside from being a fashion designer, he is also known for his signature
home furnishings.
Yvette Ylagan is
a graduate of De La Salle University and Philippine School of Interior Design.
She is the other half of the sister duo behind the local clothing brand,
Religioso - a brand that champions locally made materials and showcases world
class designs, details, and workmanship.