Bright Outlook

CEBU, Philippines - Clothes for Life’s Samsung Holiday Wear 2010 show at the atrium of The Northwing in SM City Cebu was an exuberant celebration of strength and unity, and further proof of the evident joy designers take in their work. Inspired by jewel tones, the featured 40 design aesthete injected a wondrous collection into their take on the de rigueur for the holiday soirees. Emphasis on the formal: Upping the ante on their signature adventurism, they made the colors of Christmas and ornamentation the building blocks of the new holiday wardrobe, pairing it with everything from a chunky neckpiece to pile on bejeweled armbands and sweeping trains, not to mention bolts of chiffon and silk. Stretch jersey for evening wear was a slightly more conventional alternative.

Most notable were: Salvador Malto’s yellow sapphire stretch jersey dress that put a twist on the Victorian theme (high neck and ruffles), Manuel Tumaque’s pink tourmaline strapless ruffled sweeping gown and matching headpiece, and Albert Arriba’s uni-shouldered caftan in ruby with strands and strands of pearls reminiscent of the young Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Predictable? Hardly. The designers distinctively stamped each of their concoctions with their signature style easily identifiable to their followers—and that is the secret of Clothes for Life’s success. More next week. Happy Christmas!