PRODUCING designers in the region like “they are running out of fashion” as the idiom says, is not going to make us run out of style. In fact, fashion and design competition in Davao City aimed only in bringing out the best among young Mindanaoan designers.
The Davao Fashion and Design Council (DFDC) concluded its Mindanao-wide fashion and design competition dubbed as “Stellar: Rising Fashion Star” at the Abreeza Ayala Mall’s Activity Center last Friday evening which was participated by young and rising designers Aries Buenvenida, Neil Patrick Jimlani, Wilson Limon, Jr., Lala Luz, and Mandy Velasco from Davao City; Chard Pulatche from Davao del Norte; Mimi Tandingan from Davao Occidental; Frankie Galagnara from Cagayan de Oro City; Marlon Suan from Tagum City; and Mark Joseph Sayad from the Island Garden City of Samal who were the finalists for the competition.
In a brief phone interview with SunStar Davao, DFDC’s Dodjie Batu said that the event was not solely a competition because it also provided design ideation and business incubation education to the participants to help them with their plans in putting up their own business under the design industry.
“Hindi lang siya (competition) fashion design but may kasama na rin siyang design ideation at business incubation para turuan [ang mga participants] sa business nila,” Batu said.
DFDC made it a point to never set aside the Mindanaoan identity through the designs or creations of the participants by encouraging them to bring out a contemporary image on Mindanao’s cultural and artisanal heritage so that their outputs will draw a global appeal, Batu explained.
The finalists and their works went through the scrutiny of the judges and upon the event’s conclusion, Wilson Niñofranco Limon of Davao City emerged as the Grand Prix Winner for the 1st Stellar Mindanao Young Designers Competition. Lala Chua and Neil Jimlani, who are both from Davao City, also bagged the 1st and 2nd runner-up titles, respectively while Mandy Velasco grabbed the Stellar's Samsung Designer of the Year.
The fashion competition may just have ended but the journey towards fashion and designing in the region will continue.