Summer's Sheath

CEBU, Philippines - Officially summer starts here on and designers are well-prepared. Protacio has taken an early bid to becoming a presence for summer staples. Building a business from his Jones Avenue boutique, his recent coup emerged as the designer of a futuristic dress—in a nationally recognized, glossy mag that sent worshippers in the altar of style abuzz. Now, in his most recent summer offering, he stepped up to the next level with an accomplished collection inspired, he said, by “the ripples and pale colors of the sand dunes of Marrakesh embedded with metallic trinkets for drama.” Thus, a triple offering of draped beige and taupe dresses, skimming way above the knee is de rigueur for summer. It’s light and breezy and easy. One can pack and unpack it, they’re wrinkle free.

Also right on cue is another visionary, Philip Rodriguez. Not that it was a literal trip in a time machine but his draped black dresses are a merger of past and future. Rodriguez focused on a put-together look, opening with draped skirt, belted tailored top and a veiled hat (out of harm’s way from the ultraviolet rays caused by the enlarging hole in the ozone layer) with a sparkling brooch at the neck—chic, down to the spike heeled sandals. He caught the somber mood for color (black for summer? Why not!). Calling for austerity as the sign of the times, Rodriguez used simple shapes but his uniqueness lies in his sure-handed way of sourcing precious old-school couture fabrics, and piecing them together in unexpected combinations like the bamboo fiber and lycra blend he used for this recent offering. He is truly a green advocate. Thus, the familiar “veiled dresses” has transitioned into an easy shape with draped volume in front, cut from bolts of bamboo fiber and lycra blend, and detailed with patches of accessory by Noreen Tseng.

In all, summer’s sheath from Protacio and Rodriguez is a confirmation that their clarity of vision can influence a trend—and an imaginative empathy that helps them design clothes women like to wear, come summer. Bravissimo!