Some of the most remarkable Filipino designers and brands will be convening at the annual bazaar.
Filipinos shine quite brightly in the realm of arts and fashion. There are plenty of Filipino talents who are on par with international designers, and in fact there are many who have achieved international acclaim.
Soon, some of the most remarkable Filipino designers and brands will be convening at the annual Designers’ Holiday Bazaar in Makati City to showcase their craft. Curated by Bea Zobel Jr. and Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, the exhibit will be filled with different apparel designs, jewelry, bags, various accessories, and even furniture and food. Here are five designers we think you shouldn’t miss.
Feanne
For young fashion-forward Filipinos nowadays, when you say “kimono,” it’s Feanne’s clothing line that comes to mind. Feanne is well-known for her effortlessly modern Asian aesthetic. She seamlessly combines what is commonly associated with the Japanese, the kimono, with beautiful freehand designs of Filipino flora and fauna. The result is beautiful, intricate print on gorgeous, elegant apparel.
Another notable feature of Feanne’s line is that she smoothly blends style, utility, and comfort in her pieces. Her designs are usually reversible, or have pockets. It’s quite challenging to find other labels that can say the same of their clothing. Sashay into a room wearing one of Feanne’s kimonos and instantly end arguments between the art for art’s sake and art utilitarianism camps.
Feanne’s wearable art line also offers silk and satin scarves, kimono jackets, boleros, coats, tie-on sandals, spaghetti-strapped tops, wide pants, skirts, and dresses. It must be mentioned that while most of the items available in Feanne’s line appeal more to women, her kimonos and kimono jackets can actually be worn by both men and women. She also creates kimono variants for men that are bigger, have slimmer sleeves, and have no slits for the legs.
Floor cushions are also available for those who want Feanne’s art in their homes as well. Not long ago, Feanne’s freehand illustrations also became available as wallpaper exclusively at Tecnografica, and Italian wallcovering company that has stockists all over the globe.
Riqueza Jewellery
With all the love retro has been getting for years, we can say with certainty that period pieces will always be in style. People will always be nostalgic for those good old days when things were bright and lovely and fashion had a certain charm and grace that are lacking in most contemporary styles. This is where Riqueza Jewellery comes in.
Riqueza Jewellery evokes wistful memories of bygone eras. Creations crafted by Riqueza are the sort you would imagine being donned by the classy crowd frequently populating Manila’s business hub, Escolta Street, in its heyday. If you love reminiscing about the golden age of Manila, or if you simply see retro and vintage aesthetic as romantic, Riqueza jewelries will surely delight you.
Riqueza Jewellery uses gold vermeil for their pieces, which allows them to offer their clientele exquisite premium quality jewelry at a more affordable price range. Gold vermeil jewelry, aside from it being more durable and valuable than the gold plated or gold filled ones, is also a better choice for those with allergies to copper or nickel.
Matthew & Melka
Bold and whimsical are the two adjectives that come to mind when it comes to Matthew & Melka, a local fashion label that specializes in head pieces, bags, and jewelry, especially earrings. With their bold florals and bright jewel tones, Matthew & Melka’s designs meld youthful playfulness and grown-up class, and making it look as if it were natural and effortless for them to go hand in hand.
What Matthew & Melka clearly demonstrates is that being classy doesn’t mean that you have to stick with meek and modest colors all the time. Fashion can be fun with garments and accessories featuring a more dazzling palette. Matthew & Melka’s colorful pieces capture the Filipinos’ bright and sunny disposition brought about by our year-round sun, lush flora, and beguiling beaches.
Joel Escober
Joel Escober is no less than the Filipino fashion designer who dressed the Miss Universe Japan 2019 finalists, including Miss Universe Japan 2019 titleholder Ako Kamo, and current National Director Hiroko Mima, who held the title back in 2008. He also designed Miss Universe Japan 2018 Yuumi Kato’s evening gown for the Miss Universe 2018 pageant.
The designs Joel Escober made for this Miss Universe Japan 2018 and Miss Universe Japan 2019 feature quite different personalities. The dress Miss Universe 2018 Yuumi Kato wore was a simple, feminine, blush-colored ball gown that stood out from all the usual sparkly pageant garb. The one Miss Japan 2019 Ako Kamo wore was a black one-sleeved ensemble with lots of lace, black crystals, and ostrich feathers.
If you’re a fan of Disney movies, you’ll realize that he can make dresses for both Aurora and Maleficent. Are you an angelic princess? Are you a dark and mysterious villain? Doesn’t matter. Joel Escober’s talent can accommodate your taste in evening wear.
Rurungan sa Tubod
Sustainable fashion labels with a heart will always have a place in every sensible fashionista’s closet, and Rurungan sa Tubod is exactly such a brand.
The Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation is a Palawan-based non-profit organization that uplifts the lives of the women residing in the rural areas of Palawan by providing them a viable source of income through piña weaving. What you get is fashion that is uniquely Filipino-made, with eco-friendly materials that are native to the islands, plus an excellent way to support local artisans.
This is especially valuable to them because Palawan as a whole is still mainly a fishing and farming province where income is seasonal. During the low seasons, it is mainly the women who take up employment to support their families. Rurungan sa Tubod aims to give these women and their families sustainable income no matter the time of the year.
The Rurungan sa Tubod line has scarves, shawls, tops, wraps, bags, and sarongs. They also collaborated with Label Manila for last August’s ArteFino and came up with the House of Pilar, a collection of women’s everyday wear made from fabric woven by Rurungan’s artisans.
The Designers’ Holiday Bazaar 2019 has many other exhibitors this year beyond these five, all of whom boast such diverse skill and creativity. Catch the rich, abundant display of Filipino talent and indigenous treasure at The Gallery at Greenbelt. The bazaar starts on November 15 and wraps up on December 15.
