Philippine Fashion Week 2007 Cary On

When fashion designer Cary Santiago moved from Cebu to Beirut two years ago, he carried with him a vision: to launch a concept of personal style at a new heightened level. Many moons and a tragic Israeli-Lebanese war after, he is back in this sunny island paradise armed with the necessary style (and mastery in craft) to make that vision attainable.

His Metro Wear collection was hailed by critics and the fashion demimonde as simply "phenomenal!" On the fifth day of the much ballyhooed Philippine Fashion Week, just as everybody, even the hardcore fashionistas, were jadedly looking at hundreds of collections daily (and eschewing on thousands of details and styles), everyone was jolted into singular attention as pout-lipped model Isabel Roces traipsed down the wide runway prodded by the sound of countless bells tolling for the consummation of Cary Santiago''s vision. Dubbed "In Praise of the Divine" collection, his dark wood color palette splashed with gold stamping of Buddhas and other Hindu deities elicited endless applause from start to finish. Pandemonium happened soon after as fashion editors, couture clients, curiosity seekers and copycats trooped backstage to see more of Cary Santiago and his fabulous collection. For he created not just a palette for things very original, unexpected and ever changing but a climate for discovery and surprise, as well.

Stories spun and snowballed and voila! Three days after, the very same collection were sashayed again at Treff at the Waterfront Hotel Cebu City Hotel was worn by statuesque models from M.A.C.>Models Association of Cebu with the intimate A-list crowd in the front row, courtesy of the hotel''s GM Mr. Marco Protacio. Indeed, lightning strikes twice as couture clients ordered every outfit down to the last pair of accessories specially made for Cary Santiago by Mikhel Ahning. Bravissimo!