Summner shorts stories

CEBU, Philippines - Whether we like it or not, summer 2014 is here as evident as the heat you feel in your nape from midday to late afternoon. And the weather bureau warns that the temperature is to continue to rise in the following weeks.

What to do? Short silhouette is your resort. Now, Filippo - the bridge line of Cebu's fashion czar Philip Rodriguez - is the pioneering pret-a-porter label in Ayala, on whom Cebu pins its hope as the style of choice for the hot season, whether you fly (or float) locally or internationally. What brought this chic label to this distinction is her strong yet feminine style, the coherence of her high-end collections translated to more wearable, easier-on-the-pocket pieces and its faithfulness to cultural roots. Some see the local label as the brainy, practical relative of international brands like Mango and Promod in terms of both its sensibility and its precise instincts.

Just as important as the label's intellectual credibility, though, is the fact that it has evolved a signature dress - a piece with that elusive quality that makes it stand out in the basement- located store. The Filippo dress has a slightly looser silhouette for ease and comfort, with something intriguing handcrafted in the bodice. The brand has been working on it over the years, making it better and more refined and, oh, much sexier this season! The killer summer frock is in whittled-away red chiffon and lace, fastened to the body by a fine mesh of silken light as a feather stitch that traces a pattern on the naked skin with hints of translucency.

That dress and close variations of separate tops and modestly cropped shorts on it, form the center of a collection inspired, the designer says, by French Sun King era tea time frolic -specifically dusty brick reds and faded blacks, glowing on bare well-moisturized skin ready to take the summer heat. This translates further into swirly cutouts on crepe and light jersey, dresses and separates embedded with smoky Swarovski crystal and pearls, and flattened embroidery.

Was it a departure collection? Conceptually, no. "I have been continuously doing this easy breezy formula for ages, but always with a new twist," softly recalls Philip Rodriguez. Yet rather than let the pressure of attention push her into grand theatrics, the Filippo summer offerings opts to stick to its chosen path - of practical, moderately-priced chic pieces that offer a hundred possibilities, whatever paths you take under the sun. (FREEMAN)