Cambodia Fashion Week Launch

Last month I was invited to attend the launching of Cambodia Fashion week, slated to be end of October through first week of November this year. It will be the first fashion week on this region, in the capital Phnom Penh, and will be participated by different local brands and invited guests from abroad. I was invited to participate and showcase my designs, tentatively slated for November 4. Last Monday I talked to the production group behind the event and we discussed my production requirements for hair&make-up, set-design, music, lighting and models. I'm planning to show 30 pieces of my collection for spring/summer 2012 and I'm excited for all of us. We are producing the pieces now and I hope to finish everything before I leave for Philippine Fashion Week, which starts October 24. That means I'll be in the Philippines for a short time only because I need to be back to prepare. Anyway, here's some pics from the launch event:

Moi with Sophy Ke, editor-in-chief of F Magazine, wearing a lovely Alexander McQueen dress and hot pink Hermes Kelly bag.

The venue was packed!

I went with Franco D., creative director of F Magazine, here trying to see if he can carry a hot pink Kelly! We all agreed it's not him, LOL!

Six Bags

Some thrift finds:

Unbranded leather bag, $7

Unbranded Intreciato woven clutch, $2

Hermes Fourre Tout canvas bag, $0.25

Comme des Garcons Robe de Chambre briefcase, $1.50

Porter wallet, $0.25

Ann Demeulemeester fabric bag, $0.10

Total cost: US$11.10

Not bad for a little retail therapy, non? ;)

10 Looks

tank top - DP, vest - Romyda Keth, pants - thrifted, shoes - DM's, clutch -thrifted

tee - PAID, pants - EDITED, shoes - DM's, tote - Takeo Kikuchi

top - DP, pants - thrifted, shoes - DM's, bag - Takeo Kikuchi

top - SRCC Anniv tee, pants - Neighborhood x Izzue collab jeans, shoes - DM's, bag - Jean Paul Gaultier

tee - Izzue, pants - EDITED, shoes - Muji, waistbag - Y'saacs Homme Yohji Yamamoto

tee - American Apparel, denim vest & cut-off shorts - Levi's, shoes - DM's, shades - Dior Homme

top & bottom - Norman Noriega, shoes - DM's, sling bag - Nike

tee - Human, pants - Dries Van Noten, shoes - Nike, bag - Comme des Garcons

top - Norman Noriega, pants - Frapbois, shoes - DM's x Raf Simons, bag - Comme des Garcons

top - Izzue, jeans - from HK, bag - Vivienne Westwood, shoes - DM's

Canonet 28

I really don't know anything about photography and cameras but when I went thrifting the other day and saw this Canon tucked in a corner of a shelf in the thrift shop, I got intrigued. When I checked it the leather strap, solid built and handsome feel of the camera made me excited. To be honest, I was charmed because I had a mental image of me looking cool using it, hahaha! Anyway, I asked my friend who knows more about photography and Canon cameras to check it for me, if it works or will it be just another glorified dust gatherer I usually hoard. He said it works so i went ahead and bought it. Now the problem is finding a replacement battery since the specific type used for this model is banned for Mercury content. Also, since it was made and sold between 1968 to 1976, it'll be a little difficult to find especially here in Cambodia. Not a lot of people use films and analog cameras now that digital is the norm. There's great difficulty with old style cameras, too. That is half of the fun for vintage stuff, right?

New Designs

My new designs available at Poetry.

Recent Thrift Shopping Finds

I went thrifting the other day here in Siem Reap for a bit of retail therapy and these are the pieces I got:

I was so happy to find this vintage Yves Saint Laurent tee.

A bit of nautical feel in the embroidered chest with leather anchor detail. Can't wait to wear this after laundry.

This Nina Ricci blazer looks like something Peter Copping would have designed now for the label's latest collections.

There's something totally charming with this Junko Shimada plaid waistcoat. I think the zips made it totally cool.

I was so surprised to find this Limi Feu checkerboard wrap skirt there since it's usually stuff from the 70's that I usually available and not labels from recent years.

The label is designed by Limi Yamamoto, the daughter of Yohji Yamamoto, hence the use of big snaps, a signature Yohji-ism. I guess the fruit hasn't fallen very far from the tree.

This sequinned top labeled Les Amies de Poplar was sold to me for $0.75 so I was very happy.

The whole surface of the top is covered in black pailettes with flower details on the front. Initially, I wanted to re-sell it but now I've decided to hold on to it for now because I like looking at it.

I also got some bags. This fabric tote bag is by Agnes B., a very practical piece I love using for errands and I need a bag where I can dump stuff.

I also got a Margaret Howell canvas tote and a Lanvin Bleu canvas pouch.

I don't carry or use handkerchiefs but I couldn't let go of the Celine and Vivienne Westwood I found.

This Paul & Joe floral fabric pouch was too cute and cheap for me not to get.

Also I got my first thrifted Pucci piece, a tie! I hope next time I find a shirt or dress. I want to add Pucci to my clothing archive.

Oh, and more ties from Hermes, Agnes B. and Kenzo Homme.

Mickey Me

I'm one sour faced mouse, hehehe! A portrait of me by Inal Kay.

BLACK and WHITE

I've been loving the whole black&white palette I've been wearing last week.

Top - DP, pants - EDITED, shoes - DM's, cuffs - assorted, canvas bag - from Japan, thrifted.

Top - DP tank layered with Norman Noriega tee, pants - GAP jeans, shoes - DM's, bag - thrifted, cuffs - assorted.

The back view. This Norman Noriega tee from his fall/winter 2010 collection has a shorter asymmetrical back than the front.

Top - Bo Parcon, pants - Bo Parcon, shoes - DM's, bag - Maison Martin Margiela, cuffs - assorted.

Top - Eairth tee with polka dot Fight! wrap, pants - EDITED, shoes - DM's, cuffs - assorted, bag - Agnes B.

Top - Izzue tee, pants - Henrik Vibskob, shoes - DM's, bag - thrifted.

Grocery Kokur

This post was spawned because I got excited when Paul of Paul Highness blogged about wearing some vintage Paolo Raymundo pieces he was gifted by Michael Salientes, one of the Philippines' popular stylists. His posts reminded me so much when I would have trips to Manila and go shopping at Milkwear buying Paolo Raymundo or at Defect for Cecile Van Straten's stuff, and also meeting vanguard designers like Mich Dulce, Ignacio Loyola. Noni Diza and Tina Daniac. I would also buy Havoc and check out the pieces of DAACS, Warp and other labels associated with the rave culture. Funny, I was too young to go to such parties but I totally love the whole movement and the way they wear their fashions. Of course, I developed a different taste, eventually, and my style veered away from all of those stuff but I somehow saved a lot of pieces from that time, which was stored in our ancestral house. The jacket above is a gift from Cecile from her line called Grocery Kokur. Some sort of polyester fabric was used and it was spray painted silver to give it an antique look. I do have a feeling this jacket was part of her first fashion show collection for her store Grocery. I just wanted to share this because I've always believed that it's important to appreciate the works of designers who made a mark in our fashion history. I wish I could find more pieces by Cecile and other Filipino designers from the 90's because it's a period that's very relevant to me. I'm so happy Mr. Salientes bequeath a lot of his clothes to Paul who in turn gives it a sense of importance by wearing and sharing it on his blog for everyone to see.

The News Today Interview

Thank you The News Today and Kathy Villalon for the feature! ;)

DP at Robinsons Iloilo

In Iloilo my clothes can be found at the 3rd floor of Robinsons Place Iloilo at Atelier Parcon sold along with EDITED by Jaki Penalosa + Don Protasio and other young Ilonggo designers.

JS x Longchamp ss 2011

Another one from the successful collab of Longchamp and Jeremy Scott, and this time with pills printed on the canvas body and black leather handles. I really like it and it would be a great addition to my collection.