Iloilo's fashion designers to join Philippine Fashion Week anew

By Joanne Marie Combong-Pijuan

The Fashion Designers Council of Iloilo (FDCI) will once again be a part of this year's PHILIPPINE FASHION WEEK. Joining top retailers and Manila designers from the Fashion Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Fashion Designers Inc. (FDI), Young Designers Guild (YDG) and top designers from Cebu and Davao in PHILIPPINE FASHION WEEK 2005 in Manila on March 28 to April 6 — FDCI will again strive to make Iloilo proud.

For two straight years now, FDCI is honored to be the only Ilonggo designers group to be invited to this most prestigious fashion event in the country produced by Runway Productions. Runway Productions, a company dedicated to the marketing and managing of Fashion in the Philippines is headed by noted fashion producer and director Joey Espino. Espino knew that Filipino designers needed a platform to launch their collections to be able to become key players in the global fashion business. Thus, Philippine Fashion Week was born—a new global concept in fashion marketing.

Now on its 8 th year, Philippine Fashion Week will again hold on site shows at Ayala Center and off site shows at NBC Tent and other locations in Makati. It has grown to be the biggest fashion happening in the country and has become a successful launching pad of over 200 designer collection shows and over 80 fashion labels collection shows. This ten-day series of fashion shows, exhibits, demonstrations and press activities will keep Filipinos up to date with the latest local and global trend in fashion, beauty and lifestyle choices.

The success of these series of Philippine Fashion Week activities and shows particularly the REGIONAL DESIGNERS COLLECTION SHOW in Glorieta last year is proof of the Filipinos' growing appreciation for local fashion. It was in this show last April 26, 2004 that the members of FDCI led by Roy Sesbreño, Aldrich Aparicio, Jasmine Castelo, Bo Constantino, Claire Jarantilla and Eric de los Santos were able to showcase the very best of Ilonggo creativity and talent through their fabulous collections. The rave reviews that they garnered as proven by various write ups in different broadsheets and magazines in the country like Mega Style Annual, Mega Magazine, Preview, Manila Standard, and Philippine Daily Inquirer to name a few are written testaments that true Ilonggo talent can never be ignored.

This year, the group aims not only to surpass what they have achieved the previous year but most especially to once again bring pride and honor to Iloilo City to the best of their abilities. Fashion veteran Roy Sesbreño will be presenting his design forte: flawlessly cut and sophisticated yet romantic tailored suits in brilliant and colorful tweed. Aldrich Aparicio takes inspiration from the stylish Holly Golightly of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and how her classic style has influenced generations of women particularly the women of "Sex and the City". 40s glamour will spell out Bo Constantino's collection as he intelligently draws inspiration from Armani and Oscar de la Renta. Anticipate the marriage of elegance and simplicity in Constantino's creations with effortless yet ingeniously cut and embellished fabrics. The brazenly-experimental Jasmine Castelo will not disappoint as she plans to make use of recycled materials, hand-painted and deconstructed fabrics. Her designs which she has aptly coined "Art to wear", will also take their cue from the works of fashion designers Hussen Chalayan and An Martine Margiela. The two ubiquitous essentials of fashion which are 'glamour' and 'romance' will be present in Claire Jarantilla's collection for this year's Fashion Week. Expect the colors blue and red to dominate as well as the perfect fusion of denim and buttons. And not to be missed is Eric de los Santos, as he will boldly reincarnate Hollywood glamour in the 1920s with sexy and sophisticated creations drenched in rich details of beads and ostrich feathers matched with bold accessories.

Armed with their inimitable talent and belief in their capacity as artists and designers, coupled with their vision to uplift Iloilo's fashion industry—the members of the Fashion Designers Council of Iloilo will undoubtedly stand out in this year's Philippine Fashion Week. Fashionistas from all over Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and the rest of the country will once again take notice because genuine talent always comes through—no matter what.

Photo by James Chua