Fantasy turns to gothic romance
MANILA, Philippines - Chris Diaz opened strong with graphical black and white body suits, but stumbled a bit when they morphed into short dresses and bolero outfits, which were sometimes paired with contrasting prints, colors and materials to confusing effect. The long gowns fared better as they conveyed the seductive tango theme with Latin flounces and vintage silhouettes, topped off with wide-brimmed black hats — a sexy, masculine touch to all the polka dots and ribbons.
Jerome Salaya Ang went in a completely different direction, using necromania as his holiday theme. The dresses seemed appropriate for a prom in Hades, where it’s probably a hell of a lot more fun anyway. Shredded layered ballet skirts, burnt-out holes, webbed tops, cyborg references and vampiric makeup seemed strangely appealing after all the haughty haute couture. With loud goth metal blaring in the background, Ang’s show was a smart and edgy take on a dark subculture.
Joel Escober’s Nutcracker-themed show had exuberant origami folds and ripples, making the pieces both playful and highly structured. There were instances however when it just seemed too much, as dress after dress came out with piles of ruffles and rosettes and frills attached to them in every variation and pattern possible. His signature palette was an eye-pleaser, with plums, metallics, greens, blues, grays, teals, browns and washed reds capturing a lighthearted holiday vibe.
