ON its fifth year of the wildly successful Cut and Style campaign, Islands Souvenirs once again had plenty of shoppers looking for the perfect Sinulog T-shirt in their boutiques. Being able to stand out with one’s own unique style continues to appeal to those who snapped up T-shirts with brand new designs, ready to be shown off on Sinulog weekend. T-shirts can be cut to create fringed hems, turn tees into tanks, or with peekaboo cutouts, and then styled with beads and baubles. You’re sure to have a totally new and different design each year, as Islands introduces a different selection of embellishments every time.
On its first run, Cut and Style became so popular that it turned into an event on its own the following year. Aside from an opening party where by-invite guests could customize their shirts early, Cebuanos from different sectors in society have been joining in on the fun with the Cut and Style fashion show. Runway pros are always present, but every year, different personalities are invited to come onstage to show off all the many different ways there are to Cut and Style.
For a second time, designer Cary Santiago presented a special collection for Cut and Style. The pieces made exclusively for this year’s “Pacifique” collection included breezy dresses cut out of bright fabrics. These got a further dose of Sinulog style with bold tribal prints. The beauty queens and pageant title holders who wore them topped off the colorful looks with giant feathered headdresses. This year, Islands Souvenirs also partnered with Anthill Fabric Gallery, a social enterprise supporting Filipino weaving communities that “princess ant” Anya Lim puts her heart into. The beautifully woven fabrics added even more flair to Islands Souvenirs T-shirts.
In line with this year’s theme, the show certainly did “Bling It On” by having about 40 models walk the runway. The littlest model for the event was just two years old! Several friends and familiar faces joined the show, from Cebu’s creatives to young entrepreneurs. The smiles on the models’ faces and their families proudly looking on proved that being fun and festive never goes out of style!