Queens's livery

Thursday, January 19, 2012

IMAGINE an ensemble befitting royalty and put that in the middle of a grand festivity.

Behold the Sinulog Festival Queen accoutered with finesse and beauty.

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She was not born with royal blood, all the same, Apriel Smith was destined to get the crown. On the night of Jan. 12, she bested 13 other lead dancers of the different Sinulog contingents and claimed the coveted title Sinulog Festival Queen 2012.

It may have been her distinguished dark color, courtesy of her African-American heritage; or the grace of youth that helped seal her victory. But then again, maybe it was the poise of 16-year-old Smith that eventually guaranteed the judges’ approval.

Whatever it was, one thing is for certain: she wowed the crowed the moment she stepped out wearing her Festival Queen costume designed by Danny Booc.

Who could possibly miss that red-and-gold ensemble, reminiscent of the Sto. Niño, accessorized with a sizable gold nimbus attached at the back of the gown? If anything, it only made her more stunning.

“Basically, inspired ko sa Sinulog,” shared Danny as he explained his choice of colors. Yet another inspiration was Amaya, a historical period drama produced GMA Network. For anyone familiar with the show, the inspiration is evident. But for those that are not familiar with Amaya, it is a soap that depicts the lives of the native Filipinos until the Spanish colonization.

The ensemble won Apriel the Best in Festival Costume and Danny, the Best Festival Costume. It was described as a Victorian-inspired, Queen Elizabeth gown. Any doubt about the gown’s charm was settled with the awards.

Danny was overwhelmed by the award, saying, “Wala ko nagtuo nga ako mapili because rush kaayo to siya (I didn’t expect it because the gown was rushed).” He struggled with time management because he also designed the costumes of the entire Tribu Lumad Basakanon, which won fourth place in the free-interpretation dance category. By the way, it was the first time Lumad Basakanon acquired the expertise of a designer.

When he saw the costumes of other contestants during the pre pageant, his exact words were “Murag nanliit ko kay kalami nila ug costumes (I felt so little because they had very nice costumes).” Comparing his creation with the others, he thought his was the simplest. Nevertheless, his triumph proved simplicity, elegance and class combined, can outshine even the most dramatic idea.

The bouffant gown was mainly made of velvet for the outer layer and silk for the base.

It also features laser-cut satin wrap for the waist giving it a Victorian glint. At the bottom of the skirt was an electric-pleated organza. For a spectacular finish, the gown was embellished with rhinestones and pearls.

For the back accessory, Danny chose white to highlight the vintage look. It may look heavy because of the size but Apriel’s confidence as exuded in her gait, made it seem lightweight. Perhaps being an Ozar model developed her outstanding poise and composure.

Danny shared that it has always been his passion to create costumes. Costumes are much complicated than an ordinary gown, he said, with a necessity to pay careful attention to details. One cannot simply create a costume without doing the necessary research. In this case, Danny’s hard work paid off.

Apriel’s court consists of Nerissa Modesto of Pasaka Festival from Tanauan Leyte (first runner-up), Conchita Cleofe Yu of Tribu Linggamay from Alang-Alang Leyte (second runner-up), Shekina Rose Lasola of Sandurot Festival (third runner-up) and Angel Lou Pates from Lanao del Norte’s The Land of Beauty and Bounty (fourth runner-up).