MANILA, Philippines - Like goddesses coming out of a snowstorm or a galactic explosion, the creations at Philippine Fashion Week’s Premiere B showed a fantastical bent that went from oriental romantic to out-of-this-world, cementing the imaginative power of the global Filipino designer.
Dubai-based Albert Andrada took us into his wings to imagine imperial couture that took on a cold, wintery stance by means of a palette of white with gold accents on slinky gowns and sensual shapes. He did this by utilizing the peplum and bold shoulder, but tempered the shape by means of a serpentina hemline and by maintaining strict focus on the center of each ensemble, ensuring a satisfying symmetry in his use of accents.
True enough, he admits to finding inspiration in the delicate oriental vases he has encountered in his travels. Fluid yet structured, stark and embellished — these are just some juxtapositions in form and material that he deftly executes to highlight his range and understanding of form, as well as his mastery of oriental motifs such as dragon, flower, and crane patterns, peek-a-boos, and simplified shapes of royal headdresses.
Another heart-stopping show came from Ezra Santos, who, like Andrada, studied in Slim’s and is now based in Dubai. Like his peers, he demonstrated the exquisite craftsmanship that Dubai designers are known for. Culling inspiration from the Arab princess, his collection takes on a futuristic bent with the all-white, Swarovski-encrusted bodysuit and ribbed frame jacket ensemble, the jewel-crusted dresses and gowns with armor-like tops, or the snappy metallic cuts and edges softened only by delicate lace, French tulle, and beading. His collection transitioned from hard to soft, as with his palette of liquid metallic that slowly inched its way back to sand and sunset, and emerged into the ethereal quality of his wedding gowns at the end.
On the other hand, Butz Fuentes presents a similarly structured collection, but this time exploring texture by his use of shiny plastic embellishment and tricky laser-cut paper in filigree and lace patterns over floor-length gowns — a combination that offers a touch of Filipinina from the shape of the panuelo and the terno’s raised shoulder. Also, Bandoix Flores went with layering and whimsy that focused on volumes created by draping using different weights of fabric for a closely knit collection of romantic noir ensembles.
And perhaps the most dramatic (or controversial, take your pick) of them all is Kermit Tesoro’s offering of a mishmash of high-density looks with generous use of fabric and embellishment that touched on bio-mimicry with a futuristic bent. The allusions are endless — the llama shrug, heels likened to horse hooves, cut panels like insect abdomens, web-like tassels, or even the witty use of bullhorns. All these textures take on a planetary kind of rawness, especially with the armor-like embellishment and the metal accents, all culminating with a stardust body suit with a face mask and the seemingly precarious heel-less shoes, a look reminiscent of Harry Potter’s golden snitch in motion.