It was a heartwarming sight to see socialites garbed in their native attire – some traditional, some hip – and they seemed to enjoy doing so.
There were beautiful vintage ternos dug up from the ‘60s, and a few looking so modern and so comfortable. My favorite was the all-white terno created by Lulu Tan Gan for Sigalit Djemal. It had an asymmetrical top with one butterfly sleeve, matched with slim pants.
The event was called "Hapon ng Pamana," a merienda-fashion show of the Catholic Women’s Club and Friends of Elsie Gaches to raise funds for the Elsie Gaches Village.
Chairperson was Bea Zobel Jr., the activist in terno, with Sharmila Hiranand as co-chair. Kitkat Zobel, Pilie Aquino, Chit Gohu, Lita Gelano, Karen Santos, Linda Villadelgado, Chuchu Camacho, Sofia Elizalde, Marilen Elizalde, Ane Preysler and Junie Pena were committee members.
Held at the residence of Jaime and Bea Zobel, the show directed by Ariel Lozada featured a fashion parade of women with their children or grandchildren garbed in their nationalist best. The girls were clicking their bakya heels and the boys frolicking in their airy barong as they went onstage with their moms or grandmas, to the tune of bouncy kundimans. What a fun way to make the young ones rediscover their heritage!
Let’s have more cool events like this. – Millet Mananquil