Great strides in hosiery

All eyes were on the gams last Tuesday night, when Leg Love debuted their latest line of hosiery. Retro-inspired stockings with a visible seam warred with bold tribal prints on the runway.

The show opened with a striptease. Blond-haired Bianca Valerio, her hair teased like a ‘40s bombshell, peeled off layer after layer of frilly underwear until all that remained was a pink brassiere and tights. Mighty liberated of her, considering her parents were in the audience.

Not your mother’s pantyhose: Leg Love got a leg up on the competition with hosiery that’s modern yet wearable. The label is available at SM Department Store.

Like the sudden appearance of male models in boxers, white shirts and socks in what appeared to be an homage to that ’80s Tom Cruise flick, it was a night for risqué business. While the socks line designed by Ferdi Salvador and Ram de Vera for Elements had a dandified quality many men look for before slipping into their Tod’s driving loafers (in particular, the striped and polka dotted sock are classics in the making), rest assured few people were looking at their feet when those half-dressed hunks padded down the spotlit runway.

But the highlight of the night, hands down, was the debut of Pablo Cabahug’s collection for Leg Love, modeled by his muse Divine Lee and a range of tall models made mysterious by lace masks. Graphic patterned hosiery reminiscent of the tribal motifs made popular by Rodarte a few seasons ago stood out. Cabahug’s modern aesthetic was readily apparent. Nostalgia was an afterthought as he strolled right into the future with nylons that looked contemporary, whether worn underneath a form-fitting garment or some slouchy nondescript garb.

It’s a look with legs.

Elements of style: Ferdi Salvador and Ram de Vera collaborated with the sock line Elements.