Up for Grab
September 17, 2003 | 12:00am
There’s something about Australia and its people that fascinate me. I don’t know what’s different about the air down there but that country has given the world some pretty amazing Aussie-made authenticities. You have Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Heath Ledger as some of the "mates" and "sheilas" making it big in Hollywood. There’s anatomist Raymond Dart who discovered the Australopithecus, one of man’s oldest ancestors. And Heath Ledger. And those Kookabura wings that have me (at times) regretting my choice to give up eating meat. Pop star Kylie Minogue is wowing Australia and the rest of the world the second time around. The Australian supermodel gallery boasts of Elle Macpherson and catwalk newbies Rebecca Frost and Megan Gale. And did I mention Heath Ledger?
In the realm of fashion, Australian brands are also upping the hip factor. Colette Dinnigan, a Sydney-based designer has been dressing up Natalie Imbruglia, Jerry Hall, and Claudia Schiffer. Edgy streetwear brand Gas Station by Australian designer Christopher Chronis is giving Diesel a run for its money, while swimsuit brands Tigerlily and Seafolly (sold in Manila by Tabu, partly owned by Australian model-host Amanda Griffin) are taking up airspace at Fashion TV.
Burrowing into the local style set’s clothing preferences will bring an onslaught of ultra-hip, "Created in the Land Down Under" designs; designs that combine Japanese street-cool with young London’s flair for trendwear. Casual clothing brands Grab, Earth Angel, and Endless Spirit – all from Australia – have, over the past year, been the female trendsetters’ preferred tag names. All being sold under the local fashion franchise Chocolate Clothing, Co., these three brands, launched less than a year ago, are already closet staples. Women of all ages love these Australian imports. I have heard positive comments from 16-year-old fashionistas who visit the Rustan’s outlet every week to 50-year-old Chocoholics who can’t resist incorporating a bit of hip to their wardrobe. Grab, in particular, has some of the best-fitting jeans barring liposuction – pairs that lovingly contribute the "perk" factor to your rear ends. Chocolate’s frontwoman Ana Amigo-Antonio has tales of women in their 50s who love Grab denims so much that they end up buying three pairs at a time. Her younger clientele squeal themselves silly over the varying styles and colors the brands carry. All three brands did not dare miss out on using all the possible shades in the rainbow spectrum. Although neutrals are part of the Australian trio’s palette, bright primaries, pastels and fluos revived from the Bangles’ music videos are very much visible.
Just when women are beginning to become too possessive about their Chocolate, the retail umbrella has brought in Grab Men, a line that would definitely give women more excuses to drag their "mates" shopping. Much like its female counterpart, Grab Men has styles for the cool hunter to the male who thinks he’s too cool to be indulging in any trend-setting. Take it from a country where businessmen prowl the boardrooms in shorts. The regular crewneck shirt is given a make-over with humorous logos, patches, and embroidery. Long-sleeved shirts shake free of their boardroom reputation, appearing in funky floral designs and with interesting detail (I’m itching to buy my dad one of the their hippie-ish tie-dye print button downs). Grab Men is also swearing by its jeans. After seeing a couple of male friends strut their stuff in Grab denims, I’m swearing by them, too – and forsaking any form of baggy apparel.
I’ve never been to Australia but I am half—convinced of moving out to live there permanently – the other half loves Philippine beaches too much and has gotten attached to Metro Manila traffic. There’s something about Gold Coast beaches, the casual—cool Australian vibe, the promise of never going unfashionable, and the possibility of meeting a Heath Ledger replica that calls me to land Down Under. I’ll probably consider retiring in the Gold Coast. Right now, I’ll stick to being Aussie-fied with a pair of jeans.
Chocolate, which carries Grab, Earth Angel, Endless Spirit, Grab Angel, and soon Surf Angel, is now open at the East Wing of Robinson’s Galleria. Another branch opened last September 15 at SM Megamall. Chocolate is also available at Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Tower, Shangri-la Plaza.
In the realm of fashion, Australian brands are also upping the hip factor. Colette Dinnigan, a Sydney-based designer has been dressing up Natalie Imbruglia, Jerry Hall, and Claudia Schiffer. Edgy streetwear brand Gas Station by Australian designer Christopher Chronis is giving Diesel a run for its money, while swimsuit brands Tigerlily and Seafolly (sold in Manila by Tabu, partly owned by Australian model-host Amanda Griffin) are taking up airspace at Fashion TV.
Burrowing into the local style set’s clothing preferences will bring an onslaught of ultra-hip, "Created in the Land Down Under" designs; designs that combine Japanese street-cool with young London’s flair for trendwear. Casual clothing brands Grab, Earth Angel, and Endless Spirit – all from Australia – have, over the past year, been the female trendsetters’ preferred tag names. All being sold under the local fashion franchise Chocolate Clothing, Co., these three brands, launched less than a year ago, are already closet staples. Women of all ages love these Australian imports. I have heard positive comments from 16-year-old fashionistas who visit the Rustan’s outlet every week to 50-year-old Chocoholics who can’t resist incorporating a bit of hip to their wardrobe. Grab, in particular, has some of the best-fitting jeans barring liposuction – pairs that lovingly contribute the "perk" factor to your rear ends. Chocolate’s frontwoman Ana Amigo-Antonio has tales of women in their 50s who love Grab denims so much that they end up buying three pairs at a time. Her younger clientele squeal themselves silly over the varying styles and colors the brands carry. All three brands did not dare miss out on using all the possible shades in the rainbow spectrum. Although neutrals are part of the Australian trio’s palette, bright primaries, pastels and fluos revived from the Bangles’ music videos are very much visible.
Just when women are beginning to become too possessive about their Chocolate, the retail umbrella has brought in Grab Men, a line that would definitely give women more excuses to drag their "mates" shopping. Much like its female counterpart, Grab Men has styles for the cool hunter to the male who thinks he’s too cool to be indulging in any trend-setting. Take it from a country where businessmen prowl the boardrooms in shorts. The regular crewneck shirt is given a make-over with humorous logos, patches, and embroidery. Long-sleeved shirts shake free of their boardroom reputation, appearing in funky floral designs and with interesting detail (I’m itching to buy my dad one of the their hippie-ish tie-dye print button downs). Grab Men is also swearing by its jeans. After seeing a couple of male friends strut their stuff in Grab denims, I’m swearing by them, too – and forsaking any form of baggy apparel.
I’ve never been to Australia but I am half—convinced of moving out to live there permanently – the other half loves Philippine beaches too much and has gotten attached to Metro Manila traffic. There’s something about Gold Coast beaches, the casual—cool Australian vibe, the promise of never going unfashionable, and the possibility of meeting a Heath Ledger replica that calls me to land Down Under. I’ll probably consider retiring in the Gold Coast. Right now, I’ll stick to being Aussie-fied with a pair of jeans.
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