Swatch it! It’s the Year of the Snake

MANILA, Philippines - Are you ready for this? The Year of the Snake calls for a big celebration as The Philippine STAR and Swatch present the much-awaited annual Chinese New Year competition. Now marking its eighth year, the contest gives a shout-out to designers: “Let’s twist, curl and Swatch it!”

Designers are asked to bring out their sketchpads and pencils, make their patterns and create their best twisty, curly snake-inspired wraparound fashion entry. They can submit their actual entry at Swatch Shops starting today until Feb. 2.

Notable Filipino fashion designer Joey Samson created a suspender (or braces as called by the Brits).  His snake-like accessory wraps around the body with the suspender clips as the snakeheads. Joey’s creation, dubbed as “Brace Me, Petrantoni,” was inspired by the pieces from the Swatch x Lorenzo Petrantoni collection. Joey explained, “I had Petrantoni’s works printed on stickers and stamped on button pins so he is ‘all over’ the one who will wear the suspenders. Attached to one end of the suspender strap is an actual Swatch x Lorenzo Petrantoni watch.”

The design aesthetics of Joey have always been focused on or geared towards a look that is mannish, androgynous, evoking old-style glamour, with hints of romantic forms, and married to zesty experimenta

tion. His style is classic coupled with a bit of the unexpected, balancing extravagant detailing with traditional silhouettes.

Joey is one of Slim’s Fashion and Arts School’s esteemed alumni. Like Joey, a lot of graduates from Slim’s are already making their names in the fashion industry both here and abroad. Offering Fashion Design and Dressmaking/Patternmaking as main courses, Slim’s has been teaching fashion for over 50 years.

Slim’s Fashion and Arts School is one of the participating schools for this year’s “Let’s twist, curl and Swatch it!” competition. Other schools that wish to be invited may e-mail marketing@giftgate.com. See posters for more details.

Swatch is available at Swatch Shops in SM Megamall, Glorietta 1, Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 5, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Marquee Mall, Angeles, Pampanga, SM Mall of Asia, SM City North EDSA, SM City Davao, Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Greenhills V-Mall, Shangri-La Plaza, Robinsons Place, Ermita, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Festival Mall, Ayala Center, Cebu and Abreeza Mall in Davao.

Did you know that…

The founders of Slim’s — sisters Purificacion and Salvacion (“Slim”) — were Tsinoy? Their father was from Amoy (now known as Xian), and had a passion for Chinese philosophy and the art of calligraphy. When Salvacion was a toddler, the family spent some time in China, and for a short while she only understood Chinese. She grew up in a household with a Chinese tutor and Chinese cooks. As Salvacion Lim matured as a designer, her creations celebrated the multicultural side of being Filipino, combining both Eastern and Western influences in her work.