Retire those shawls, it’s time for a wrap

I remember trying to make a fashion statement during my junior prom. I wore an off-shoulder ecru minidress made of a silk-satin accordion-like material with three-inch stiletto pumps. As style assertions go, mine wouldn’t have won any Best Dressed awards that night. If I had gotten noticed, it would have been because of the rather spare amount of fabric I had used (the dress fell seven inches above my knee caps). Indecent Proposal had just shown a few months before the prom and the big night was brimming with different versions of the long black slinky backless halter dress Demi Moore wore in the film. During my time, it was either you go neutral, black or bust. My generation was just overcoming the big, puffy ruffled creations that dominated the late Eighties; minimalism was the signature style.

Fast-forward to 10 years later. My cousins who are now in high school tell me that the halter dress is still a staple, as well as beaded tube shifts that you can find in almost every RTW nook. I am all set to lament the seemingly hopeless prospects of the 21st century prom until I am presented with Dita Sandico’s alternatives.

Dita Sandico Ong, the designer known for her extraordinary and imaginative work with natural traditional fabric, gives choices for prom night that startlingly defy the black halterdress custom. Says the adventurous designer: "You have to be a little bit more creative." And her latest "Paru—Paro" collection is definitely a push-envelope in creativity. Highlighting this new collection are a variety of wraps (time to retire those shawls) that can be worked in an infinite number of ways. Worn over a corset top and a column skirt, Dita’s wraps are woven from banana and piña silk, natural local fibers the designer is known to favor in her creations. The wraps also reflect Dita’s take on this year’s prom season. Bold, bright colors such as fuchsia, purple, orange, raspberry, canary and turquoise affront the usual sea of black tube shifts and pastel-colored halter dresses – suspected to be a requirement to sway along cheesy David Pomeranz on the dance floor – and offer an alternative to those "who want to look different and a little bit more dramatic." Dita asserts that her prom offerings combine different elements. "The colors are feminine, the wraps could look edgy, and the materials used are traditional."

Two of Dita’s multi-tasking creations are shown in this shoot: the paru—paro wrap and the mori wrap. The paru-paro, made of banana fabric, is shaped almost like a wedge with two arm holes and a ribbon belt. Wearing it is the ultimate test to creativity – Dita says that it can be worn in 10 different ways or more. The rather stiff texture of the banana fabric allows the wrap to be pulled up, ruched, or folded down. The mori wrap, a long piece of rectangular fabric with armholes, is the perfect excuse to retire the shawl. Made of the sheerer, lighter piña silk fabric, it is not as flexible as the paru-paro. Both wraps are made more versatile with the help of accessories: Big brooches and buckles, beaded banana fabric strips, and chunky chokers.

For this pictorial, Dita wrings out the possibilities of her wraps. She dramatizes the paru-paro by putting up the scalloped rounded end over the head to resemble a circular collar in one shot, bares one shoulder in another shot; she lets the mori shroud the body to create a fluid silhouette. The entire effect comes off as very feminine, very ethereal. Shot in a lush garden setting, the look is also very elemental.

Taking inspiration from the book Fairies, a whimsical guide to all the spirits and kindred of the woods, Dita portrays the prom princess as the diwata, the guardian and nurturer of the Philippine forests. "(The shoot) gives you a feeling of walking through the woods, of dwarves and gnomes peeking at you from behind trees and underneath mushrooms. It’s like a world of fantasy."

The real premise behind the verdant setting, however, aims at a less fanciful notion. Shooting in a set that evokes the forests and the fairies reflects Dita’s long-lasting concern for the environment. By showing prom dresses created from natural and traditional materials, Dita is trying to alert the youth on the importance of nature conversation. Wearing Dita Sandico Ong’s wraps is not just mere style statements, but also pathways to social consciousness. "It’s an awareness thing. We have to teach the youth how to dress up but at the same time believe in conservation, in going back to the basics, and in going back to the environment."

By wearing Dita Sandico Ong’s creations, prospective prom princesses are helping the women weavers of Catanduanes secure jobs. Dita, who procures some of her materials from the province, has put up a center that enables the women of Catanduanes to put their weaving talent to good use and at the same time contribute to their household income.

"Wearing these wraps is about looking good and doing good." This time around, prom night may not just be all about you. Dita Sandico Ong has extended the meaning of prom night to more than just a couple of hours of corsage- pinning rituals and awkward slow dancing. Had I been presented with these options during my own prom, my attempt at making a fashion statement would have probably worked.