MANILA, Philippines – In this era of haste and instant gratification, few things take as much time and skill to create as couture. Fewer still are those who approach it with such reverence, like 29-year-old designer Hannah Kong, who formally launched her debut collection on May 24 at Aruga by Rockwell.
The showcase featured Hannah’s imaginings woven into life: 15 pieces of broderie d’art occasion wear, most taking hundreds of hours of meticulous stitching, beadwork, and embroidery known as the Lunéville or Tambour technique. The young couturier is one of few Filipinos so far who’ve learned the craft at the Ecole Lesage Paris, established by renowned couture embroiderer François Lesage. The storied Maison Lesage goes back to 1924, and the couture house worked with fashion luminaries such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Louis Vuitton, Valentino Garavani, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld. The latter acquired Lesage as part of Maison Chanel in 2002, in an effort to preserve and promote the craft of fashion artisan workshops.
It’s evident in Kong’s designs that apart from the skills she learned in the Professional Training for Haute Couture course, Hannah brought home from Paris this newfound appreciation for handcraftsmanship. The designer’s work may be likened to a painting, with silk organza on an embroidery frame as her canvas. Her brushes are needles and hooks. Her paints: threads, beads, and paillettes. These tools of the trade allow her limitless materials to play with: traditional fabrics, leather, metallics, mesh, precious stones, and virtually anything that can be sewn together to form intricate patterns that seem to float on a beautiful silhouette.
She passed on her techniques and penchant for details to her staff, resulting in exquisite works of wearable art that speak for themselves. Despite her relative newness, her creations have captured the fancy of editors, stylists, celebrities, and brides-to-be looking for the perfect dream of a dress.
“This collection is all about creating romantic, timeless pieces,” Hannah says. “It’s really in the details.” This is why for her the success of the launch rests as much on her staff. “I want to celebrate them. Their hands make the beautiful gowns. They are the real artisans behind each one.”
Hannah’s showcase harks back to her time at Ecole Lesage and her experiences since. Her dresses are named after teachers, roommates, earliest clients, and favorite French names. “My show is very French — the feel of an afternoon stroll in the gardens of Versailles,” she says. “It’s an ode to my stay in Paris.”
Down the line, Hannah Kong is looking into prêt-à-porter. “But our focus is custom bridal because I love being able to do a lot with a wedding dress,” she says. “I really love embroidery and I’m trying to push the craft. I want to show that there is so much more to it, it’s really an art.” If her debut is any indication, she is poised to succeed.
Hannah Kong’s atelier is located at 6063 R. Palma Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. For more information, visit her website at www.hannahkong.com and www.instagram.com/hannahkong/.