Vestiges of the Subconscious

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

zarki.multiply.com

Fun is where your friends are...

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!

Fashion Diary 2

Another boring fashion diary.

Going to Sunday service

Shirt: Lanvin

Bag: Adidas tote

Pants: True Religion jeans

Shoes: Giordano Concepts

Arts Lounge event

Jacket: Plantation

Shirt: Comme des Garcons Homme

Pants: Bo Parcon cropped pants

Shoes: Don Protasio gladiator shoes

Grocery shopping

Hat: Topman

Shirt: Yves Saint Laurent

Pants: Yves Saint Laurent

Shoes: Litmus

Going to a birthday party

Hat: Topshop

Shirt: Jil Sander

Pants: reworked pants

Shoes: canvas Converse

Break from work

Shirt: Missoni

Pants: Dries van Noten

Shoes: K-Bond

Cocktail and dinner for a friend at Sugar Palm

Shirt: Giordano tee under Y's Yohji Yamamoto top

Pants: Balenciaga

Shoes: Converse

Busy again...

Contrary to popular belief back home that I don't do ANY work, I spent last Friday and Saturday working. We had to clear the Arts Lounge space for the next exhibit. By the way, we raised $26,000 all in all for the 2 charities we are helping. The next day, Sunday, I had to go back to the Arts Lounge to supervise the arrival and transfer of the new artworks. I checked the drawings and they are wonderful! Kinda dark in subject though because they are all portraits of people who died in the infamous Toul Sleng prison during the Khmer Rouge. we open the new exhibit tomorrow and that is the reason why I've been neglecting my blogging duties. So, yes, it's all work for me.

Croissant and Green Tea

1. Breakfast and lunch for the past days. Been sick so it's a diet of croissant and green tea for me. I like it because I feel so light.

2. Today I had a brief chat with Lyka Bergen. The diva seems fun. I was surprised he came from Iloilo, too!

3. I miss chatting with Kawadjan. Busy yata sa lovelife ang supermowdel ng Thailand.

4. I miss, miss, miss, miss M. Hug you!

5. I miss B.

6. Busy with preparations for the next exhibit which is goin to be on Tuesday. As I'm writing this I'm in the Arts Lounge supervising the removal of the logs of coconut we used for the previous one. Loven, who got the logs for free, said he placed some of it in my room. Hehehe!

7. He gave me FRUITS postcards which he got from Phnom Penh.

8. Cecile Zamora van Straten emailed. She's so chica. There's a sale at Eairth I learned from her.

9. My friends went out tonight. : ( And I'm not there!

10. I might take a short vacation end of August. : )

Why smoking seems so appealing and fashionable.

I've never tried smoking in all my life and I don't think I'd be starting now but everytime I have a photoshoot I always end up suggesting to have the model light up a ciggie. There's something fashion and glam about it. If you're that chica I guess you're allowed to smoke.

I don't know if it's right to say this but I think there are just some people who look good smoking cigarettes and have ' it ' written all over them. A fine example:

Fashion writer Martin Webb seems to have that certain style of making smoking so appealing and fashionable. At least in the pictures I've seen of him with a stick.

Even his wife Yoshiko has ' it ' . She looks fasyon!

I read somewhere that they spent one of their Christmas in the Philippines. That's nice to know.

I was recently interviewed by The News Today and they asked me who I think is fashionable. I said Ann Demeulemeester and Martin Webb. You all of course know who Ann is. Martin...I'm a fan of www.ashadedviewonfashion.com, the style blog of the very stylish Diane Pernet and Martin Webb is the contributor from Tokyo. The blog is like a virtual clubhouse where Ms. Pernet's cool friends report from all over the world about fashion, parties, culture, personalities and happenings. Can I contribute about Cambodia, too? : ) Hehehe. Btw, I've taken all his picture from there.

He also is a copy editor of several publications and writes for several magazines and newspapers. I think he styles shoots, too.

Anyway, that is where I usually see Martin Webb and I find his style very admirable. I think it's easy for fashion people to get so far out there, wearing the most outrageously uncomfortable and impractical fashion or they can go at the very extreme and not care how they look because caring might seem that they're too desperate to tell the world they work in fashion. You get my drift?

Now here comes a straight guy who looks fasyon and really owns his look. See below:

Suit jacket with torn jeans. Informal Formal?

He loves breaking fashion 'rules'. Isn't it a no-no to button the bottom button of a suit jacket?

Messy hair with an impeccably cut suit.

Trying on some jacket. Some would say he's very Dior Homme-ish but I think he goes beyond that.

He read that TNT interview and placed a link on his blog for Tokyo Numero.

He even placed a pix of me there. Hmmm...I hope the Japanese are not having nightmares. Hehehe.

Hong Kong Fashion Week F/W 2008

The kind people of Hong Kong Trade Development Council invited us for their fall/winter shows and exhibition. Sent us invites, passes and all. And since it was SALE season and it was around the time of my vacacion grande, it made perfect sense I drop by and check out the SALES, este, the shows, right? They even called us to confirm if we really are coming. I love the folks at HKTDC!

Good thing my good friend, the Queen of Hablon, Jaki Penalosa arranged the tickets and booking because I couldn't have managed it myself. Even my passes and ID for the shows was coursed thru her. Her daughter Aisha, a budding fashion designer herself following the steps of mamman, came with us.

One of the shows we liked so much is Fashion Fiesta, a group show of the different fashion schools in HK. It proved to be a popular show because a lot of HK celebrities and fashion editors came to watch it. There's even a performance of a pop group and they will also be singing for the Olympics. How do I know even if I don't have an effing clue who they are? Well, camera crews trailing behind, paparazzi's and several Marni balloon bags (I want one!), apparently, the du jour 'it' bag of the HK fashionistas. And generally, Hong Kong-ites are skinny but their fashion editors and fashionistas are even skinnier. I'm so obese there!

The Olympic fever has bitten them fashion people there and sportswear inspired stuff ala Stella McCartney for Adidas, Yohji Yamamoto Y-3 and, to even ballroom inspired outfits. Hey, dance is sports now! And you have designers churning out sci-fi inspired stuff complete with light chuva and all. See below. I like the equestrian outfits the most, whoever designed them, and you have to take my word for it coz i didn't take pix.

See that model in the middle? That's Jasmine Maierhofer and she's the fiercest model among the lot. I swear she owned the runway. And she's Filipino. Sorry but taub ang mga HK models sa kanya. Hehehe. She modeled for me during Philippine Fashion Week 2008. My ' first model ' , actually. Ms. Chuvaness (http://chuvaness.livejournal.com/419296.html) of chuvaness.com even wondered if she could fill in the shoes of top model turned photographer Joan Bitagcol. I think she can. She's very nice and friendly.

We bumped into each other after the show. That's moi, Jasmine and Camille Sison (Mega's Assistant Fashion Editor), who sent me this pic.

Anyway, i really shouldn't be comparing HKFW with our own but I hope the government and manufacturing pips out there would team up together to create something like it. Fashion is not just glamour and shows but it's also a business. More than anything, fashion is a business for them there. You watch the shows and after you go to booths and order clothes. A lot of buyers are there, from all over the world. Yes, Pinoys have the talent and artistry but it sucks when you can't sell your ideas. No venue to sell it. Buyers don't know where to find good talents. That's why I think there's no fashion industry in the Philippines. Unless you talk of brands like Bayo, Bench or Kamiseta, etc.

Is there hope one day where the likes of Ivar Aseron, Joey Samson or Inno Sotto being sold in stores around the world?

That I don't know.

Health! Happiness! Success! Oh, yessssssssss!

1. Saturday I was feeling shit. Got this cough and flu thingy. Friday's closing event went great and the excitement of the bids and all made me forget, temporarily, that i was feeling shit. Woke up Friday feeling sore. Woke up Saturday feeling worse. But I'm the type who would rather do something to forget my miserable state than mope and suffer. Thank goodness for work!

2. We raised US$26,000 for the 2 charities we support. It will definitely be a big help. I'm just so glad it's over now. On to the next exhibit.

3. I miss HK. No, I miss ang mga SALE signs sa HK. And infairness, kahit di ako nakabili ng marami ang saya saya to see the actual clothes of my fave designers. I learned so much techniques kasi I looked at the seams, turn it inside out, taking note of the cuts and folds. Hehehe! Kaya siguro the people at Marni were staring strangely at me. Hehehe!

4. I'm drowning myself with green tea and hot water. I can't stand my itchy throat. And my stomach hurts from all the coughing. I thought at first it was dyspepsia or diarrhea.

5. Last Saturday, we were supposed to a.) Go to the Shaolin show with friends b.) Go to the Singles party at church c.) Have dinner with Sarah and her friends from Malaysia. Eventually, I ended up eating an early lunch at Sugar Palm because Loven and I were so hungry. Sarah and her friends arrived much later. We had grilled tofu, fish amok, lime soup, crispy noodles, vegetable noodles, coconut soup, and the best selling grilled eggplant with salty beans. Needless to say we were stuffed. Then we had desserts at AHA. I'm lovinf the new Tiramisu there. Basta, it's unlike any Tiramisu I've tasted before. I call it deconstructed Tiramisu.

6. I learned a new mantra from Rachelle, Sarah's friend and training manager of Saujana, " Health! Happiness! Success! Oh, yesssss!" Say it like you're having an orgasm. Simply hilarious. Apparently, the good pips at Saujana chant it everyday before every morning briefing. Imagine that. I would slit my throat if ever we do that here in our hotel. I don't mind other people doing it as long as it's not me. Hehehe!

7. Sunday. Went to church. Then we finished Season 2 of Heroes in one sitting. I had to rest my eyes after, lie down in bed and process the whole thing. Around 10:30pm, I woke up, did a few sketches for some clothes I'm doing. Went to bed around midnight.

8. Today. Still sick. I hate the bastard who infected me.

9. Check out www.the-chronicles-of-e.blogspot.com, a diary of a recovering addict.

10. I love to have this kind of set-up to display my clothes. Hussein Chalayan at Dover Street Market.

Unraveling the spool

Finally, without much fanfare or drama, possibly intoxicated with some potent wine, or out of boredom or hunger, perhaps, Loven Ramos, friend artist extraordinaire cum jack-of-all-trades, has started a blog. It promises to be as personal and colorful as his artworks and will feature some of his witty musings on everything but the kitchen sink. Don't take my word for it, head to www.spoolartist.blogspot.com and discover for yourself what I'm talking about. Leave a message or two, just to encourage the newbie blogger and to make him feel welcome.

Welcome Spoolartist!

Marc

I was hoping it was Marc Jacobs and not Marc Nelson. He just passed by me. He was with his girlfriend (I presume), who's not Filipina. Mukhang Brazilian. Thank goodness there are only two of us Filipino here in the hotel. And we both don't like showbiz people. Showbiz gossip, yes, we like. Showbiz people, no. If he stayed in that other hotel I know with lots of Filipino I'm sure he'll get some buzz there. Good thing he decided to stay here where he'll never be bothered. Or baka popular na sya after Amazing Race Asia chuva nya? Hmmm... Popular ba na show yun? Unlike Rain, when he shot his Canon commercial at Angkor Wat, droves of Korean fans trooped the hotel lobby to catch a glimpse of him. Ngek! Eh he was so regular looking kaya although he does have a nice body. Funny him, he arrived in the hotel around 12 midnight and after checking in his room he requested to go to the gym. Kaya naman pala that body is ripped. Hmmm...maybe 12mn workout works better than day workouts? What am I thinking!?

On another note, I'm not feeling 100% good today. I have this stomach situation. Not diarrhea, not acid, not ulcer. I don't know what it is but it's not that painful. I just feel a little upsetting jolt inside. Basta it's making me restless and uneasy. Avoided drinking milk and eating complex food. I just had croissants and water today.

Or maybe this is just stress for tomorrows closing party of the Bill Bensley Auction exhibit? So far we've raised US$20,000 to help Shinta Mani Hospitality Institute and Hotel de la Paix Sewing Center. Hope we can double that amount.

Tired but happy

I'm back from a very short vacation. Went home to Iloilo for a week and another week in Hong Kong. The picture above was taken at the pier area at Central in HK. That was our second day there and the accumulated late nights to early morning parties and other shenanigans while I was in Iloilo is noticeable. And, who ever sleeps in HK when there's major SALE shopping (morning till night) and partying (Hello La Kwai Fong!)? So I'm still recovering from all of it. Give me time and I'l be back in my good old blogging ways.

Cheers!