AT THE bright days and warm nights indicate, summer is quite certainly here. The respected designers of the Fashion Council of Cebu launched their collections for Spring/Summer 2014 in a Summer Solstice show, featuring Arcy Gayatin, Jun Escario, Philip Rodriguez, Oj Hofer, Cary Santiago, Philipp Tampus, Edwin Ao, Yvonne Quisumbing, Ditas Rodriguez, and Albert Arriba.
In the free-spirited mood of summer, there was no strict theme or motif to the fashion show. Each designer brought his or her own interpretation of Spring/Summer to the catwalk in a panoply of colors and fabrics that called to mind the untethered feeling of the season.
The silky fabrics for Arcy Gayatin’s loose trousers and collarbone-revealing necklines billowed out in airy, dreamy movement down the runway. Edwin Ao’s deconstructed menswear pieces featured clothing elements in unusual placements, such as a tie tucked beneath a shirt instead of over it.
Yvonne Quisumbing’s easy khaki trousers were paired with black pieces in uneven hemlines and other special details. Oj Hofer’s spring suit for men included a blue shirt and corduroy jacket paired with flat-front trousers, while pieces for women were in fiery hues.
Philipp Tampus’ sheer fabrics in muted gold and champagne were embellished with dainty sparkle for his romantic designs. Jun Escario’s dresses in his signature clean lines were done in pastels with like-colored accents for a sleek and feminine effect.
Cary Santiago’s striking ensembles for women were done in timeless all-black with volume and draping. Evening dresses by Philip Rodriguez were crafted from lush fabrics in rich tones of fuchsia, purple and citrine, with floral appliques on two creations and an asymmetrical, voluminous hemline on a third.
Two of Albert Arriba’s dresses used pleated brocade fabric, while another dress in fully embellished silver had a touch of lightness with a sheer overlay. Ditas Rodriguez had different takes on a floral motif, with two dresses in a decidedly girly pink and green motif, and a third peplum-waist dress with red blooms on a black background.
The event was attended by Cebu’s fashionable set, held at The Gallery of Ayala’s expansion wing, which was filled with music by the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra. Hair and makeup artistry were by Emi Ayag, Ramil Solis, Martha Opolentisima, Erika Diaz and their teams. Junjet’s Production directed the show, while stage design was by Doro Barandino.