Knowing the new fashion trends

WEARING the latest trendy designs has always been a part of Kagay-anon lifestyle.

The fashion scene in the City of Golden Friendship has seen a gush of escalation that has evidently evolved over the last few years after the first Mindanao Fashion Summit was born in 2011.

We can now see that an increasing number of local designers began to come out from their shell and express their abilities to create designs that can compete around the globe as well as fit the conservative style of Kagay-anons.

This year, the three-day 2nd Mindanao Fashion Summit organized by the Oro Fashion Designers Guild (OFDG) and the Designers Assembly (DA) held at Limketkai Center has indeed, proved that local designers has the potential to soar high in the fashion industry that even the City Tourism Board, headed by the glamorous Rhia Rhita Abalos, showed support to the event.

The expectant “fashionista” audience marveled at stylish fashion brands and the creative minds of notable fashion designers all over the country who showcased their global designs and fashion forecast for spring-summer 2013 collection in the three-day event, held from January 5 to 7.

Mark Christopher Yaranon of Iconic Fashion, who is also the president of OFDG, gathered in this year’s most awaited show around 26 local designers from Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, Butuan, General Santos, Davao and Manila -- with the likes of Dong Umaga Diaz, Frederick Peralta and Ronaldo Arnaldo who already made a name in the fashion world -- to showcase their array of glamorous collections that surely attracted a wide range of fashion aficionados from all over Mindanao.

The fashion brands of Ororama chain of stores were also showcased in the event.

On the first day of the summit, designers highlighted the men’s fashion statement in time for spring and summer through the Men’s Wear collections of designers Benjie Manuel, Boogie Musni Rivera, Celeste Magsalay, Gil Macaibay III, John Mark Magallanes, Joshua Guibone, Juniel Doring, Kiko Domo, Mark Yaranon, Dodjie Batu and Edgar Buyan.

On the second day, fashionistas enjoyed watching the Women’s Wear collections of Peralta, Aztec Barba, Jeffrey Garde, Oscar Flores, Ronaldo Arnaldo, Jinky Petalcorin, Popoy Barba and Diaz.

On the last day, organizers staged two shows -- the first part was for the best creations of Angela Soriano, Ann Semblante, Jonie Rivera, Mark Dominuez, Mavy Ladlad, Primo Zayas, Alma Mae Roa, Alquin Cap-atan, Celeste Magsalay, Darwin Buo, Sunshine Casiño, Villa Go and Roel Rosal while the second part showed off another round of collections of Peralta, Musni, Guibone and other guest designers as the event’s finale.

The three-day summit also served as a fellowship for the designers and local models and celebrities who wore experimented cuts, mix and matched colors and innovative designs showing off the playful minds of the artists, which has somehow enlivened the local fashion industry.

Dennis Almazan, the summit’s director, said the event has greatly contributed to the growth of the fashion industry of Northern Mindanao.

He says local designers are now being recognized as they took pride in showcasing their predicted collections for local celebrities, dignitaries and personalities.

“Even local pageants have contributed to the growth of the fashion world as organizers would prefer local designers for their glamorous gowns and casual wears,” Almazan adds.

With the recent summit’s success, designers will again show off their second season collections for the second part of the Mindanao Fashion Summit to be held in time for Cagayan de Oro’s fiesta in August.

“As we are making trends in this side of the country courtesy of our very own local designers, we will make sure to hold two summits in one year as a way of promoting the local fashion industry as well as for the designers to shine and create a name for themselves,” Almazan says.