East Marries West

CEBU, Philippines - The Far East has been an object of fascination for centuries-coming from a Western perspective. 

If you lived in Europe at the height of the Age of Navigation, the galleon-loads of spices, curios, produce, potteries, textiles, treasures and stories from places like China, Siam, the Sri Vijayan Empire, Nihon, and Indonesia will feed on your curiosity more than address it. To many, the East is an object of magic and mysticism, where giant fire birds would roost in the spires of high mountains that pierced the clouds, and where the vast sprawling palace grounds of emperors and conquerors simply blew the mind.

Marco Polo was a frequent traveler and even a mainstay in the East, particularly in China, later on being one of the most trusted men by the emperor. His stories about his travels in Asia became a source of inspiration for many a traveler to trod the unbeaten path and set out on their own quests for tierra incognito.

With Western contact becoming more frequent, the impact between this cultural interaction saw a strange mix of the different elements of two starkly different cultures, creating a hybrid that, although has been quite hard to reconcile at first, is at best, uniquely beautiful.

Such has been the theme that many a designer has started to take on in their collections with the sunny summer months beginning to come into full bloom. Summer, after all, isn't just about the warm sunny beaches of the tropics. It is, for the most part, about travelling and experiencing exotic places, literally throwing ourselves at the foot of experiences that are anything but every day.

Pooling on the richness of the East while harnessing the glitz and glamour of the West to give birth to a truly unique line are two designers to draw inspiration from as we not only pack our bags for summer but as we also get ready and get set to make heads turn wherever we are in the world.

Romance was Born

Chances are this is the first time you've heard about this brand. Believe me, romance is anything but commercial, anything but popular, and anything but a drag. Romance was Born had me at the trimmed fur mandarin collar in the blackest of blacks and they had me at the star city sequins and the bright exotic floral prints that abounded in their east-meets-west collection-perfect for the jetsetter who will wear anything but a track suit while having breakfast in Hong Kong, lunch in Jakarta, and dinner in Tokyo.

Romance does away with the frivolous frou-frou of theatrical head pieces and over the top trains and details. Rather, it zeroes in on elements like the natural flow and drape of silk mixed with electric colored tights, some chunky platforms here and there, a Chinese boy hat in traditional Chinese colors, and even venturing into the tricky realm of animal prints in their rawest most unadulterated hues. Its idea of chic is a black lace dress with a biker-cum-mandarin inspired jacket with winged shoulders thrown on top. Pop in a pair of one-of-a-kind tights in exotic patterns and you've got the perfect blend of polar opposites.

Leonard

Far Eastern peonies scattered all over, a generous sprinkling of Aztec-inspired angled likes, heaps of Asian and Eastern European models and you get one global show that's more than just your typical east-meets-west theme. Its east-meets-west melted in a boiling cultural pot.

Leonard did the right thing to stand out. It veered away from the skin bearing trends of the season and retreated into the sexy modesty that's a trademark in more conservative societies where women are to do anything but bear their skin. And this, believe me, is even sexier as it leaves much for the imagination to play around.

Leonard's cuts are rather mature, lacking every so often in the excesses of youthfulness. Some cuts can be a little too long for one's liking, other a bit more boxy, the colors just a tad mature, but overall, it plays up to the entire conservative Far Eastern theme that will leave the wearer challenged enough on how to bring out that innate sexiness.  (FREEMAN)