Lot's of birthday parties!
Granny's at Samhot, a French, seafood resto.
Birthday for Sarah's mom.
It's a pool party...
and a catered affair for 8 people!
Now here's another birthday party for moi by my friends in Iloilo.
Here's Andy, our Guest Relations Manager.
Blow!
Flower cupcakes by Chef Cassy for her.
Here's the birthday of Olive at Pizza Company.
Granny, Freedom and Fate.
Haven't gotten to posting this but here's some pix of my surprise belated birthday party thrown by my friends for me after I came back from Pinas. I actually celebrated my birthday back home with my family so the guys cooked up something for me like a week after my return. It was Loven who fetched me at work and I even suggested we go out for dinner but he said Fate whipped something special back home. I was really, truly, honestly surprised when all of them sang happy birthday when I entered.
Jessie girl, Sarah and Fate.
Sister act, Wena and Cielo.
Clave, Blady and Brews.
Rhea and Irish.
Coochiepopoy Freedom and Granny.
Loven and moi.
Here's another set of stuff I've worn recently. I kinda enjoy documenting my looks and how it's evolving. I'm religiously going to the gym now and I really want to lose the pounds I've gained since arriving here in Siem Reap. This diary helps me to get motivated since I don't weight myself. As long as I can live seeing myself in pictures I think I'm gonna be okey.
AT THE CAFE
Top: Muji gray top over a black generic tank
Pants: Levi's 501
Belt: Giordano Concepts
Shoes: K-Bond
TEAM BUILDING TRAINING AT A TEMPLE RUIN
Top: Y-3 shirt
Pants: polka dot shorts from the ukay with Muji leggings
Shoes: Converse
WORK
Top: Issey Miyake tie dye shirt
Pants: Levi's 501
Bag: Longchamp
Shoes: K-Bond
AT A PINOY GATHERING
Top: A.P.C. military jacket over a Gianfranco Ferre white button down shirt
Pants: Bo Parcon cropped pants
Socks: military green Burlington
Shoes: K-Bond
POSITIVE THINKING TRAINING
Top: H&M cotton tee
Pants: striped and multi belted from the ukay
Shoes: Nike Air Rift
GOING TO A BIRTHDAY POOL PARTY
Top: Muji tank
Pants: shorts from ukay
Shoes: Muji sneakers
Bag: Adidas tote
All my friends know I'm such a book and magazine freak especially about subjects in fashion, art and lifestyle. Loven, the spoolartist, recently gave me a fantastic box set of postcards, a version of the FRUITS picture book compilation. FRUITS is a Japanese street fashion magazine.
The first picture clearly shows what 'street fashion' is in Tokyo.
This is my fave among the pieces. This guy is wearing Christopher Nemeth. I learned about the designer from Ms. Chuvaness. I definitely could wear this to work.
This girl looks so cute. I really love Japanese when they wear sedate colored clothes.
This one clearly reminds me of pips in Kawadjan's entry. I think my boss would freak out if he sees me like that. I kinda fancy the shoes, though.
Hippie luxe. Outfit by Jean Paul Gaultier. Shusyal na retaso look. It looks like Xuly Bet, also.
Please don't mind the title. It has nothing to do with this post.
Anyhoot, I'm not really fond of tag entries coz I find them boring but for the sake of Kawadjan's sex life I'm doing it and also because I've asked him to buy me tons of fashion magazines from Bangkok. Yes, I am that concerned.
ThreeAsFour, one of my fave fashion collective with model Jessica Stam for Gap.
Let's get this over and done with:
Instructions:
What you are supposed to do...and please don't spoil the fun...
(1) Click copy/paste , type in your answers and tag four people in your lists!
(2) Don't forget to change my answers to the questions with that of your own
(A) Four places I go over and over: my subconscious; that place where i'm always in the middle; a place of panic; the place where I'm not allowed to go.
(B) Four people who email me regularly: Rofel (who bugs me), my clients ( reminding me to work), my boss ( reminding me to work even more), Multiply ( reminding me of all my friend's update).
(C) Four of my favorite places to eat? Molopor ( a hole in the wall type), Meric (de la Paix's fine dining resto), Afrique's (fond memories), Cibo (comfort food).
(D) Four places you'd rather be? Dreamland, coz I've been losing sleep; Roxas, with my family; Iloilo, with my friends; and, Magarbo, hunting for the next ukay.
(E) Four people I think will respond: Loven, Rofel, Cecile, Paolo. Guys, wag nyo akong ipahiya! Pleeeease!!!
(F) Four TV shows I could watch over and over: CSI: Miami, Gossip Girl, Project Runway, and Heroes.
Note: Bad sex for 4 years for those who will break the chain... so be very afraid
Let me tell you something about the concept of my Philippine Fashion Week capsule collection. I based it on 'memory' and past influences like the 90's and Helmut Lang. The pieces are reworked of existing shapes and patterns I've done before. Hence, the memory part and the title being described as 'vestiges of the subconscious'. I wanted it to be very sedate, wearable and my goal really is to come up with clothes that are not just for the runway.
I find it funny though that a lot of the reviews I've got described my clothes as simple. I must admit they do look simple but in reality the patterns I've used for the dresses and even just the vests are quite complicated. I expected ' fashion writers' to come backstage and inspect the clothes and talk to us designers but it was only Mega and the Chang siblings who talked to me after. Maybe that is the reason why most of them didn't get it.
I wanted also to feature different textures and fabrics, I normally just use 2 or 3 the most, but for this collection I had Vietnamese leather, Takeo weave, Japanese cotton, chiffon, Cambodian silk, organza, cotton jersey, etc. There's sheer, matte, shiny and smooth.
I ended up using a Bjork track because they couldn't play 'Drifting' by Claude Chale.
I was really happy Jasmine opened for me. Here she's in a short layered dress of chiffon and cotton jersey with leather fringe neckpiece.
It's just in the styling here but the wrap top is very wearable and versatile paired with a wrap dress with a complicated side cuttings. Those are the details you really can't see in the runway.
Samantha's wearing a shift combi of silk and cotton with suede scarf.
To reinforce the memory concept I opted to use PP synthetic plastic camera neckpieces.
I really didn't like this model. Her face looks bent or something. And her puson is so big. Nothing personal, she's nice though. She's wearing 3 layers of different cotton paired with pants. It's supposed to be low waist but it became high waisted here because it couldn't fit her. That is the reason why it's important to use the right models for your designs. But what can I do? The organizers assign the models. Good thing not all my models are chaka. I have designer friends complaining that they had to cut off a good portion of their dresses because the model lied about their height. Or waistline! Goodness help you backstage!
Amy is wearing one of my most complicated patterned dress. It's an assymetrical style frock that you can tie in the front to balance the proportion of it. It's paired with gladiator boots. Someone asked me if I copied Balenciaga and I said no because Raf Simons did it before him for his own collection and it's where I got the 'warrior' concept. The boots are made here in Cambodia but the leather comes from Vietnam.
I originally intended of doing an all jersey collection but I got wind that a lot of my designer friends were using the same fabric, too. I couldn't resist on this piece because it required a heavy fabric that drapes. I wanted the dress to be versatile. You can make the train into a cape, a scarf, a hoody, etc. The silk tassel neckpiece was designed by my friend Loven Ramos.
My big black bird dress. Got the most rave and flak. Here my intention is to really go over-the-top with the texture. And it's never meant to be worn in the tropics as some commented that it's impractical. Yes, I know that. I designed it for people who might use it abroad, anyway. Like here in Cambodia, it can get cold that some have to even use furcoat. Crazy, huh? But it's true. There was a time when it even snowed here. Anyway a collection has to be versatile nowadays. It got bought so I guess clients have a different criteria than most fashion writers.
Here Lance is modeling my look for men. Indian cotton scarf over a cotton jersey tee with a layer of Cambodian cotton tank and Takeo weave shorts. Takeo is a province in southern Cambodia known for silk and cotton weaving. It's just 7 hours from Siem Reap. Yeah, that far.
A hoodie top made of Takeo cotton and board shorts of Japanese cotton. And gladiator boots for men.
Biker jacket and a slightly looser cut pants with classic men's formal. I'm so glad I had all the shoes made. It really completes the look I want.
Backstage make-up.
Some line-up by a fellow designer backstage.
moi! hehehe.
Thanks to:
clickthecity.com
konradphoto.multiply.com
entropicmind.multiply.com
Aside from the ukay and bangus, it's my friends that I miss most about Iloilo. I don't think Iloilo would be so endearing to me if not for my friends. Gosh, they're the reason why I've stayed on for the longest time! They were the first one to support me also when I decided that I need to explore outside of there. Here is just SOME (coz I still have lots to include here) of them:
Jaki Pen and Tito Butz. Almost like my mom and pop cept that they don't want to admit it. It's an age issue. Hehehe! Tita Jaki is my confidante, travel companion and lending shop when I need money. Tito Butz is like an endearing friend, always sensitive to my wants. I always have pasalubongs from his trips abroad. Hehehe He's very generous and I love talking dirty politics with him especially if I backbite all those trapos (traditional politicians).
Sol is like a big brother to me. Literally and figuratively. He's been my confidante and my longest friend of the bunch here. We go a long way. We love to talk about our ' friends' and their latest shenanigans. It's an inside joke we only can understand. Hehehe
Ditas is my former boss who became my friend. We love to eat and she always has food for me. She allowed me to creatively blossom while using the miniscule (hahahaha!) resources of the company we work for. That's the reason why I became a designer and an artist at the same time. Marichel is her barkada. We became close because of food, too. I love it when we just bond over a spread of food in some new resto. Both of them I drag in some ukay place and I think I'm the only friend who can do that to them. Hahaha! And we love to gossip. Hehehe
Tita Glenda is like my cool aunt. It's usually moi, Bo and her and we would hop from one bar to another. She's very generous and kind. Always giving and accommodating. Very fun to be with.
Ria (with her boytoy Sherwin) is Bo's baby. I was the one who asked her to model for me. Spotted her in a Salbacuta rap concert. From newbie to supermao to best dressed of Preview. I'm so proud of this girl. I usually stay at her apartment when I'm in Manila.
The gang (L-R): Mikki, the non-Ilonggo friend I only have, is a complicated romantic intellectual. Jor-el is the wacky, nakakaloka friend who was with me backstage during Phil. Fashion Week 2008. I won't forget all the help he did. Then that's Mike (see below). Angel is the gaga-gaga, wacky but talented girl. I adore this kid. And finally KL who's always there but not there. I mean that in a good way. Total support. Tagapalapak, tagaubos ng pagkain, taga-please attach any word. That's KL. Hehehehe!
Miguel is the chef I want to be. I could eat all the food Miguel cooks! He makes vegetarian food taste like non-vegetarian. He makes evil food even more sinful. He's the perfect companion to anything and everything. This guy doesn't say No. Go lang sya ng go!
Mike is my sounding board, a shoulder to lean on, the person who has supported me with all my ideas even if I know it's crap. But yeah, he tells me it's also crap, too. He's an ukay companion, an alarm clock even when he himself is always late. Mike has a special place in my heart. A very good friend.
That's Peer with Mike. This two are very good friends now. I love Peer's design. We usually bond over design stuff and tsismis about fashion and all. His sensibility is quite similar to mine. We both love dark, minimalistic concepts. He's cool, fun and laidback just like me. Hehehe Di bala?
Bo is my older sister! Hahaha! What's life without Bo Parcon? BORING!!! I miss this guy so much. I'm the yin to his yang. We're like Wonder Twins Power Activate. Hehehe!
Miss you guys.
Oh, tama na ang drama at emote na eto!
