PFW 09- People 3

Some of the guys I snapped with interesting styles.

Andre Chang in an architectural Protacio Empaces jacket and Balenciaga bag. Gosh I know tha B bag is like everywhere but I just can't stop thinking about it. I think I'm getting one...

Jerome Lorico in, I'm guessing, his own design and polka dot Bang Pineda tee. His boots is his own design and I think it's cool.

The always understated Eric de los Santos wearing a Norman Noriega tee. We love Norman and we try to get pieces from him everytime he's got a collection.

Ralph Ng is one designer to watch out for. Very intelligent and serious about his craft I have a piece from him that'l share with you soon. Here you see him in an Emporio Armani jacket and pants of his own design.

And last but not the list is Lotho. His ever evolving, always larger than life everyday wear is a mix of references with a dash of Carrie Bradshaw. Yes, Pat Fields would approve.

PFW 09- People 2

One of my fave models, Joan Bitagcol, in her signature mannish style.

One fashion fixture in most fashion events is the very stylish Darryl Chang of Preview. She's rockin a Ralph Ng jacket here paired with a simple LBD, killer shoes and the requisite Balenciaga bag.

Another Balenciaga lover is designer Tina Daniac rockin a dress possibly made by her. Notice her virtiginous shoes, possibly a Balenciaga, too.

One fashion goer's look I really adore is this lady. I simply forgot her name but she always attends the shows in put together looks that are quite convincing, not only for the shows, but for going out everyday. Usually, a lot would dress up for fashion's sake during fashion week and that's fun. They're allowed to do that cept it looks contrived sometimes. This lady's look seems edgy and fashion (Balmain-esque heels, YSL-esque jacket, top and skirt) but looks like she's so comfy and natural wearing it. Ahh, you get what I mean.

Of course, another standout fashion front row-ers is Camille Sison of Mega. She's always looking classic, put together and chic in her choices of outfit.

Phil. Fashion Week Holiday 09 - People

Dimples de la Cruz in a Maison Martin Margiela dress and DP scarf. Bag from Mango paired with booties.

Madame Ciege Cagalawan with Madame JP exuding jungle chic.

Mikki Licop and Mike Sorilla

The always demure looking VJ Floresca in Jerome Lorico, I think.

Starbucks MOA with friends

Missed hanging out with some of my gang. Mikki, Bo and Mike.

Moi and my yaya, este, my friend Jor-el. Mwah!

This is the time when Tita Jaki fainted. We thought she went to the airport to send off Tito Butz only to find out later she was looking for us. Hehehe!

Mobo x Bench

It's has been trend du jour for quite a time now for big labels to collab with some hot designer. Others were quite succesful which becomes full pledge labels. Check Yohji and Stella with Adidas. There's also Neil Barrett and McQueen for Puma. Or the one-ofs for H&M by the likes of Rei Kawakubo, Karl and Cavalli. There are some that are ongoing still with wonderful results like Jeremy Scott with Longchamp (which I extremely LOVE!). On the homefront I'm happy that Bench has decided to collab with Lesley Mobo for an underwear line. Mobo was a Diesel Award winner at ITS fashion award and designer for the label Jasmine de Milo. He's from Aklan. This underwear line comes naturally since Mobo designed a brief piece for Absolut when it commissioned several hot designers (also included is Jean Pierre Braganza) to create underwear inspired by the vodka.

The ones I got were graphic statements with contrast pipings and print. Almost like what Helmut Lang did for his underwear line before.

The color blocking gives nod to the current fascination for 90's dressing of minimalism with a twist (at least that's what Elle Magazine is telling us, hehehe)

My fave piece is this boxer brief in a stripe that reminds me so much of construction lines or street signs.

Can't wait to get more Mobo x Bench ;)

Friends at MOA

Seattle Best Coffee became our defacto refuge in between shows during fashion week here in Manila. Or at Starbucks or Friday's. I just had to snap my friends werqing it:

Mike in some drape-y creation (sure ako Japanese unless it's his), some skinny jeans (possibly Comme) and silver Converse sneaks.

Jor-el in a tent-y top with zebra print pants and DP shoes (f/w 09). Cavalli vibe, no?

Here's Ronnie in some vest and tee combo.

At ang magjowa, Sherwin and La Ria Bolivar in an ensembles that screams Missoni.

Chuva Haus

One of the big highlights of my Manila trip is going to the house of my style icon (naks!) Cecile Zamora van Straten also known as Chuvaness. She took a picture of moi and Bo sitting on her Onion chair. Let's just say some of my friends are green with envy that I got to hang out in there. We had cute Coke solo in bottles while making tsika about...and... ;) It was a whole lot of fun. Moi, Ms. Chuvaness, Bo and Khaz huddled outside their main door drinking Coke solo and talking. Reminds me of what my highschool friends used to do when I would visit their homes.

Apres, she gifted me with lots of stuff like fabrics, clothes (vintage Xuly Bet, Grocery jacket, etc which some I shared with Ria Bolivar) and stuff. Let's just say I'm one suitcase overloaded when I left their house. Bo even got a bag from her we lovingly dubbed, 'Is that a bag or is that a crib?'.

Guess which gnome did I sit on?

Love this Ghost chair, too. The Chuva - van Straten house is such a home. You can feel that there's laughter and love in their. Thank you Cecile for all the stuff! Hope to visit you again on my next vacation.

Pepper Lunch Shang

My Manila trip wouldn't be complete without eating at Pepper Lunch. I wish we have it here in SR rather than KFC which is totally tragic if you ask me.

Let's just say I enhaled all of those that you see there minus the hot plate, of course. It's the first time I tried the Shang branch. Their other branch is at Powerplant in Rockwell. I think I like the Shang lay-out better and it's bigger. Anyhoot, if you haven't tried Pepper Lunch yet I just don't understand why. Go na!

I was with Bo and Khaz. Here Mr. Parcon is wearing a Helmut Lang tee he stole from me, Gucci bag, D-Squred2 jeans and Adidas sneakers.

Khaz here is wearing a Ben Sherman jacket, Topman tee, jeans and Jeremy Scott x Adidas sneakers. His head thingy is something he grabbed from SM. Bo liked it so much.

More Eairth-y stuff

I believe this tee you see here is what they call the 'Tausug' boy tee. I just LOVE it! It's their sample so they couldn't really sell it to me. But I'm crossing my fingers I'l get it coming October.

My friend Paul works there. We go a long way back in Iloilo when we're both doing theater productions. It's so nice to see him again.

I'm just fascinated with the whole going-ons whenever I visit a workshop. It's that part of designing that intrigues me the most. Manang here is draping and making the sample of one of their spring/summer 2010 pieces already.

The table of the designer, Melissa Dizon. That's not her, I think it's also one of her assistants.

Her mood board. Simply fascinating. Only the designer knows how all these elements can form into one coherent collection.

Now that's her, Melissa Dizon. Too bad she's not there during our visit. I would have loved to meet her.

I just had to take a snap of that piece of picture from her board. I love the poetry of tattered clothes.

I promised myself I'l come visit again when I'm in Manila. I learned they're constructing their new building for their flagship somewhere near their current place. Right now they share the space with Soumak so it'l be different when they really have their own space to fully display the universe and style of Eairth.

at Eairth

One of places I've been excited to visit in Manila is the Eairth workshop. It's such an amazing place to visit. We checked out their upcoming spring/summer collection.

Love this piece with an amazing print.

The fish print figures prominently in the collection. It's a bit surprising to see different colors like pale yellow, green and purple because from what I've seen from their catalogs of previous collections, Melissa Dizon, the designer of the label, favored neutral colors like white, gray and browns. I think she was inspired by the underwater landscape.

This piece is such a joy to look at. I loves it even though the color is not me. I'd wear that in white or black.

I came with my friend Khaz who kindly modeled some pieces for moi.

He's got a blog that you can read here. He's loving all the scarves and wrap pieces. He ended up buying an amazing piece.

The piece I'm wearing is something I'm definitely bent on buying. Got other pieces I will post about soon. More Eairth on my next post.

Stuff at Bench

My friend Liz would love the colors of these shirts. I believe it's Bench's summer tees as worn by Richard Guttierez in the billboards I saw in Manila. I like the pink and red. Quite similar to the American Apparel Summer tee that I got recently.

And I love this sosyal camisa chino/filipino they are selling in better fabric. This is a must when wearing barong. In yummy shades pa.

One thing I was excited to buy is the Mobo underwear collab. Sous-vetements...sous-yal!

I'm regretting I didn't buy the pink briefs. Got the blue, white and blue/yellow/white version only. I want the pink/blue/white boxers, also. Next time...

p.s.

Kiel daw bought Mobo briefs because he was inspired by moi according to K. Isdatru? At pinakita nya pa kay K while he was wearing it. Hmmmm...