Parallel lines

Art has long been a source of inspiration for fashion, and fashion has practically been elevated to the level of art. Though art and fashion often seem like one and the same, the integration of the two disciplines is a fairly recent phenomenon. Couture pieces that would have once been displayed only on a catwalk are now featured in exhibits showcasing the talents of local designers. Traditional Filipiniana fashion (most notably the terno) has gone from private closets to museum spaces. Clothing has become a kind of soft sculpture, with forms and silhouettes carved by a needle and thread, and given texture by a combination of fabrics and unusual details.

Designers and artists alike draw upon a wide range of influences and experiment with various materials to interpret their visions and express their ideas. Instead of presenting nature in an almost photographic way, modern art employs textures and lines that interact with each other in space, creating a new reality. Contemporary fashion design salutes non-objective art by emphasizing volume and geometric shapes while reworking conventional aspects of design to create something completely new.

In this pictorial, members of the Young Designers Guild forge their own ideas with those of key figures in Philippine modern art. Ang Kiukok’s tortured and distorted cubist figures, Hernando R. Ocampo’s use of fluid, pattern-like shapes, Jose Joya’s abstract expressionism and multimedia expertise, and Arturo Luz’s linear and playful pieces act as starting points for their own fusion of art and fashion.

Ricky Vicencio’s graphic design background informs his clothing design aesthetic; his piece makes use of sexy fabric and a slim cut black canvas corset with volume added by a chiffon skirt. James Reyes’ Kabuki-inspired design plays with volume, length and shapelessness to create a highly theatrical silhouette, while Ivarluski Aseron’s work is a three-piece ensemble that consists of a sheer wrap top and huge linen wrap pants layered over sheer slim pants to create a ninja effect. Joey Samson’s take on the modern-day dandy is a deconstructed tuxedo fit for a woman, with a train that is a textured collage of pique, heavy wool and organdy. Mel Vergel de Dios’ streamlined look takes an interesting turn with an elegant net and face-framing collar. Avel Bacudio’s Victorian corset and tattered chiffon skirt and Yvonne Quisumbing’s skilled beadwork and impeccably executed pleats mix unusual elements for sophisticated and alluring results. As the post-war modernist artists defied the conventional realist perspective of their predecessors by making non-objective art, the Young Designers Guild continue to redefine design by using geometric shapes and combining textures in new ways through their work – and by always embracing the unconventional.