At Dakak Golf and Beach Resort’s Tai Hall in Dapitan City, the evening of Oct. 12, 2025, shimmered with more than bridal elegance. It was where fashion and folklore met, as Cebuano designer Dexter Alazas unveiled his Maria Cacao Collection during “Mi Ultimo Amor: A Celebration of Love and Heritage,” a themed bridal event that Alazas himself directed creatively.
The collection drew from the legend of Maria Cacao, the mountain goddess of Argao said to sail the world with her golden galleon to trade cacao. Through this story, Alazas crafted pieces that honor Cebu’s tangible and intangible heritage, translating myth into movement and fabric.
“Maria Cacao, according to the legend, sold cacao to the world with her golden galleon. As a Cebuano designer, I want to retain our heritage through this story and through painting scenes that remind us of this Visayan legend,” Alazas said.
Each one-of-a-kind piece is hand-painted by local artists, bridging tradition and artistry. The silhouettes flow freely in the form of wrap dresses, tapis-inspired sarongs and kaftans — modern island wear designed for ease and grace. “All free-flowing fluid pieces that are easy to wear,” he described.
Four Cebuana muses walked the runway alongside Lana de Leon, president of Dakak, embodying the spirit of the goddess who symbolized abundance and strength. “The Maria Cacao Collection is aimed at empowering Cebuanas to be forward-thinking but never abandon their heritage and culture as we rebuild Cebu, its tourism, and its identity,” Alazas said.
For the designer, the fashion show was also a call to define what Cebu Wear truly means. “It’s also a campaign to always put a stamp and identity on what Cebu Wear should be as compared to the terno sleeves,” he said.
The collection, born in a time when Cebu continues to recover from calamity, carries a quiet message of resilience. “Maria Cacao is also a symbol of strength after the calamity that hit Cebu,” Alazas said.
In his Maria Cacao Collection, myth takes a contemporary form. What once sailed through legend now strides the runway — anchored in heritage, guided by artistry and stitched with the enduring spirit of Cebu.