Enchanted!

Recently, John Guarnes unveiled his latest 30-piece collection for Fashion Week at the SMX Convention Hall. Complementing Guarnes’ designs was accessory designer Joyce Penas Pilarsky’s jewelry selections.

A visual artist, Pilarsky is presently based in Germany and is making a name for herself as she continues to do exhibits of her works in oil canvass painting, ceramic base painting, accessories and sculpture.

Guarnes has been a faculty member of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde for almost five years, teaching Fashion Design and Merchandise, Design Critic, Apparel Production, Fashion Illustration and Sketching. He also manages his own atelier which makes bridal gowns, evening gowns, cocktail dresses, corporate clothes, uniforms for individual clients and corporations.

Guarnes aims to design clothes that enhance the wearer’s femininity. “I design clothes to make women look beautiful and sexy,” he says. But he also admits that his clothes are only as sexy as the wearer. He wants his clothes to empower women. “To wear my clothes, a woman must need a certain amount of attitude. I love strong and confident women who know how to discreetly become an object of admiration.” His silhouette has always been based on woman’s natural body and his works are as much about details as they are about trends and ideas. Among his inspirations for his Enchanted collection are clouds. Guarnes shares, “I love to stare at the sky and look at the colors of the clouds which sometimes have the shades of purple, pink, gray, black and white. The formation and colors of the clouds determine the disposition for the day. These inspire me to create my present collections.”

Pilarsky designs her accessories based on John’s individual clothes. The connection of the accessories to the clothes is evident. The rich use of precious and natural stones combined with Swarovski and pearls intertwined together for versatile accessory use.