Filipino designers to bring back Manila's fashion glory days at 'Rampa Manila 2024'
MANILA, Philippines — The Malate District in the City of Manila used to be the undisputed nucleus of creativity from the 1970s to the early 2000s. The greatest names in Philippine fashion, such as Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales, Aureo Alonzo and Christian Espiritu, to their heirs apparent like Inno Sotto, Barge Ramos, Joe Salazar, Frederick Peralta and Auggie Cordero, preferred this location for their ateliers.
To revive this glorious era is the impetus for “Rampa Manila,” the fashion spectacle that is spearheaded by Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, together with Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila (DTCAM) Director Charlie Dungo and Creative Director Bang Pineda.
“Rampa Manila” is poised for its sophomore outing on June 19, 2024, at the Bulwagang Antonio Villegas at the Manila City Hall, after the resounding success of its inaugural edition in 2023, which featured Albert Andrada, Marlon Tuazon, Puey QuiNones, Jo Rubio and Michael Leyva.
This year, “Rampa Manila 2” will showcase the collections of Val Taguba, Marc Rancy, Neric Beltran, Jhobes Estrealla and Anthony Ramirez. The event will also feature fresh young talents such as Dhenyze Guevara, Joanna Santos and Morisette Magalona.
“Manila is the fashion capital, because of Divisoria,” said designer Bang Pineda, who had a hand in selecting the designers, at the press conference at Manila City Hall last April 11. He revealed the 2024 theme as “Texture, Textile and Technique,” celebrating the artistry and innovation that are integral in Filipino fashion.
Divisoria, however, has somewhat lost its luster in recent years.
“It’s so sad. Before kasi talaga, puntahan ang Divisoria for any needs, any kind of textile. During the past few years, nag-dwindle talaga iyong desire to go to Divisoria to avail textiles,” lamented Mayor Honey, saying that designers opt to shop at other suppliers or get their materials abroad.
With “Rampa Manila,” Mayor Lacuna aims to change this mindset: “It’s also the local government of Manila’s way to help our stakeholders doing business here. We’re trying to invite designers and future designers to go back to where it all started.”
Featured designers
Five influential designers were carefully selected to present their visions of what a Divisoria revival can do to reinstate Manila as the country’s fashion capital.
As the fitting follow-up to his 15th-anniversary show, the self-taught and self-made Anthony Ramirez will unleash his creative flair so favored by his famous clients such as Liza Soberano, Francine Diaz, Jasmine and Anne Curtis-Smith, Jennylyn Mercado, Ruru Madrid and Nadine Lustre.
Jhobes Estrella, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, is the go-to designer of senatorial and congressional wives, politicians in his native Laguna, and Mariel Padilla. His creations, which run from the traditional to the modern, is proof that “his craft is undeniably timeless and ever-evolving.”
Even before Marc Rancy finished his studies at Raffles Design Institute Manila, he was already a darling of showbiz’s brightest stars. After completing his dual-master of Fashion Management in Paris’ IESEG School of Management and at Istituto Marangoni, his exquisite creations are being worn by Tinseltown’s prettiest like Ellen Adarna, Jodi Santa Maria, Lovi Poe, KC Concepcion and Ivana Alawi.
Neric Beltran’s avant-garde glamour have adorned Vice Ganda, Catriona Gray, Kathryn Bernardo, Marina Summers, Heart Evangelista, Marian Rivera, SB19, Julia Montes, Bea Alonzo and Kim Chiu. They are enamored of Neric’s detail-oriented, cutting-edge and innovative pieces.
Providing the drama will be Val Taguba, whose impeccable craftsmanship was perfected in the Middle East. Classy and sophisticated, his fabulous outfits have been paraded on the global stage by beauty queens such as Rachel Peters, Celeste Cortesi, Nikki de Moura, Chantal Schmidt, Stacey Gabriel and Kathleen Paton. The black wedding gown that Maja Salvador wore in a pivotal scene in the teleserye "Wildflower" instantly became an iconic TV moment.
Future of fashion
“Rampa Manila 2” will also provide a platform for three fresh talents: Dhenyze Faith A. Guevara, Joanna Santos and Morisette Magalona.
Guevara is a cum laude AB-Fashion Design and Merchandising graduate at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Her brand, Dhenyze, is “made by and for eccentrics.”
Santos is a fashion design student with a clothing brand she calls Anna Ma.
Magalona, from Bato, Camarines Sur, is an architecture graduate from the University of Saint Anthony in Iriga City. His namesake fashion brand “aims to offer distinct perspectives in terms of concept, design and ideas, as well as materials and techniques. The sole requirement of this brand is that you must possess confidence when wearing Morisette.”
Like its maiden edition last year, “Rampa Manila 2” is in celebration of Manila’s founding anniversary.
“Bilang pagdiriwang ng araw ng Maynila, tamang-tama lang na sa taong ito ay ulitin natin ‘yung ‘Rampa Manila 2.’ Dito po kasi sa Manila, maraming batikan at magagaling na mananahi, and of course, mga bagong talento,” Mayor Lacuna said.
The stylish, silver-haired lady mayor added: “Ang ating ultimate goal is pataasin ang antas ng industriya ng fashion, hindi lang sa Maynila, kundi sa buong Pilipinas, at makapagbigay pa ng inspirasyon lalong-lalo na po sa mga batang nagnanais ding pumasok sa industriya na ito.”
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