Of cars and fashion

CEBU, Philippines - Striking explosions of color and timeless styles were the hallmarks of this year's "Gear and Glam" fashion and classic car show series, where the creations of the Fashion Council of Cebu (FCC) shared the spotlight with the car collections of the members of the Performance and Classics Enthusiasts (PACE).

Held on October 9 in The Northwing Atrium of SM City Cebu, the James Bond-themed "Gear and Glam: For Your Eyes Only" was a class of its own - outshining the flair and pizzas of previous "Gear and Glam" editions.

The show opened with Albert Arriba's "View to a Kill"-inspired creations, matched with a classic Lotus Elis driven by fashion model Harold Dee, who played James Bond for the evening.

Following was Jun Escario's "Diamonds are Forever" ensembles, which were matched with a Ferrari Dino 246 GTS driven by internationally acclaimed furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue. Oj Hofer's "Casino Royale" creations came in next, matched with a Lincoln Continental Bill Blass Edition driven by Tony Lozada. Then Mia Arcenas' "Die Another Day" gowns took to the stage, sharing spotlight with a BMW Z8 driven by Mike Jo.

A Rolls Royce Silver Seraph driven by Paolo Rodriguez was a stunning backdrop for the creations of designers Cary Santiago, Yvonne Quisumbing, and Arcy Gayatin - whose showcased designs were respectively inspired by the classic Bond Films "From Russia with Love," "The World is Not Enough," and "Skyfall."

Edwin Ao's "Golden Eye" designs then followed, with a red MGA driven by Junjun So, a red Alfa Romeo driven by Glenn Soco, and a Red Corvette C1 driven by Darren Deen.

Philipp Tampus' "Moonraker" designs then wowed the crowd, followed by the "Tomorrow Never Dies" gowns of Ditas Rodriguez. A Porsche 550 Spider driven by Chris Aldeguer complemented the sleek, elegant lines of Tampus' and Rodriguez's designs.

Capping the show was the "Gold Finger" designs of Philip Rodriguez, which was matched with a Lamborghini Diablo driven by Red Durano and a Mercedes SLS driven by Harold Ong Badilles.

The event also featured performances by Cebu's up-and-coming singers, the 32-piece SM Cebu Orchestra, the University of Cebu Dance Company, the Cebu Gymnastics Team, dance groups Disco Jammers and Knapsack Dancers, and DanceSport's Anselo and Desiree. (FREEMAN)