Feté de la Fleur

CEBU, Philippines — Cebuano fashionistas gathered for an awareness-oriented fashion event at The Gallery of the Ayala Center Cebu on May 19. Titled “Feté de la Fleur” and spearheaded by JCI Zugbuana, the fashion presentation showcased the latest “hablon” fabric-tailored creations of designer Dexter Alazas – who, in the new collection, crafted fineries that were inspired by the petals and sepals of various varieties of tropical flora and fauna.

The executive officers and members of the organization modeled a selection of “hablon” ensembles which ranged from chic pantsuits to bell-sleeved ensembles. The ladies also wore a curated selection of jewelry pieces designed by Cebuano jewelry designer Jarra Angbetic.

The new Alazas collection mainly dwelt on the minimalist trend, which worked well with Angbetic’s elemental approach in designing jewelry pieces. Bereft of overtly ornate appliqués and embellishments, Alazas’ designs complemented well with Angbetic’s jewelry pieces.

“Hablon” is a type of fabric that’s traditionally woven with materials like abaca and tingkal (stranded cotton). The fabric has been woven by weavers in Agrao since the early 1900s, and is widely considered to be one of Argao’s well-known crafts.

The name “hablon” stems from the vernacular word “habol,” which translates to “to cover.” Though the term “hablon” is short for “hinablon,”  the weaving process of the fabric.