What value do fashion shows carry? While designed for brands to showcase their artistry in the most unadulterated form, for the rest of the world, it more often than not serves as a media circus — a content farm for celebrities and press; a backdrop for creators. It is undeniably easy for the main offering of clothes to be decentered and treated as mere accessories. You see it in the way people talk about the set, the guests and even their own outfits before they talk about the clothes shown. “I loved the collection! It’s everything I would wear,” is as elaborate a description as some guests could give, upon being asked for a review of the shows they have just witnessed. Spliced between celebrity sightings is a flurry of iPhone footage that captures moments of the runway, setting the context for doting fans to get another glimpse of their idols.
When Men’s Folio was invited to attend the inaugural Manila Fashion Week, the immediate question came to mind: What was the plan to make the event about the clothes, rather than a hurrah for those looking to be seen? Or at least have the conversations about the designers and their work break through the noise? Another undeniable challenge to consider was the deeply ingrained snobbery of the fashion crowd, which heralds all things European as the prime ideals of creativity. With the preconceived notions about what we, as Southeast Asia, have to offer, already cast before the shows have even started, what could this event do to break through these biases?
Over four nights in mid-October, we joined a handful of Vietnamese journalists to discover what the Philippines’ capital has to offer. Just as a teaser to the city’s affinity for style, the intense humidity did little to affect what guests wore to the shows. Outside the venues, we experienced a symphony of excited chatter, the steady hum of Jisulifes and the sound of camera flashes going off.
Andrea Tetangco
As a seasoned bridal designer, it becomes very apparent that dressing women in ways that highlight their femininity and tenderness are signature elements of her creations. “Women have always been at the heart of my creative process — every piece I design is a love letter to them,” Tentangco explains. “Purity and femininity reimagined” is how she would describe this collection. Through voluminous dresses, dramatic ruffled detailings and cascading satin, designs are sculptural, yet fluid to complement the form. While bridalwear often places a heavy emphasis on timelessness, it is clear that Tetangco and her team looked to create with sensibilities rooted in the current. Cropped, midriff-bearing blouses paired with bubble skirts; a dress composed of sheer strips of fabric all play into trends of the now.
Viktor
The label leans into familiar materials to present something new. Denim, leather and wool have all been cropped, enlarged and manipulated to exaggerated proportions, creating new perspectives that are still rooted within the comfort zones of the wearer. Creative in ways that tether on playfulness, boxy biker jackets and dark, indigo trucker jackets that are elevated interpretations of classic silhouettes conjure a sense of wearability. The outerwear-centric collection does not require too much imagination and effort for potential buyers to envision the pieces within their wardrobe, as they can easily be styled across a myriad of occasions. Just when we thought the collection was done, they sent out a fleet of models wearing their line of undergarments, perhaps to drive home the wearability of the collection, and suggest that sexiness, for all intents and purposes, is something skin deep?
Chris Nick
As a designer who shares an equal amount of visibility as his eponymous label, Chris Nick was not of those individuals who needed to separate themselves from the art. If anything, he was unapologetically brazen about turning real life memories into the narrative that drives his designs. “It’s inspired by the hedonistic pleasures I enjoy — specifically adult clubs. The different shades of brown was a nod to the diverse range of skin tones, while ivory suggests something naughtier,” he confesses. Column dresses and blazer dresses may sound innocuous on paper, but presented in typical Chris Nick fashion, strategically-placed splices and cuts were aplenty to showcase the gams and décolletage. In the 14 variations of the tuxedo dress/coat variation that was showcased, it was clear that the femme fatale was a recurring archetype. However, within a large collection that already possesses such visceral themes, we wondered if there was a missed opportunity to explore other facets of sensuality, especially when Nick has already demonstrated the ability to fabricate them, construction-wise?
OXGN
Streetwear has always been the middle child of fashion shows, admittedly — given their target audience and relatively accessible price range — brands, understandably, face the challenge of needing to present something visually invigorating for the show, while still being ultimately relevant to a younger, more everyday crowd. With an elaborate set depicting a post-apocalyptic setting, the team at OXGN presented a school of delinquents dressed in jerseys, jorts and fitted tanks navigating the end of the world. While the clothes fit well within the current landscape of current trends — signalling the wearability and marketability — the collection needed the auxiliary elements of dramatic styling and distressing to imbue pieces with a sense of storytelling. Peep the moss-infested tracksuits and foliage-for-necktie moments on the runway. The final “wedding dress,” composed of a fitted tee and a pile of fabric, makes a strong attempt at theatrics, which perhaps represents a more subversive take on recasting the familiar as conceptual, rather than the more tired, overdone takes that luxury has been applied to street culture.
IÑIGO
As a former dancer, movement becomes an important element in this collection. Fringe crafted of flat leather strips, cascading beads and textured fabric all possessed their own momentum, suspending themselves in the air for a moment as models glided down the runway — an effective method of showcasing dynamism, given that the audience could witness how the clothes moved, rather than mere interactions through glossy, airbrushed images of the collection. In this co-ed showcase, the boys got an equal dose of drama with voluminous ruffled coats and beaded mock-neck tops. While the guests were treated to a kaleidoscope of ideas, a tighter edit of ideas could definitely drive home the delectable vision IÑIGO has to offer.
DBTK
As the only other streetwear label presented during MNLFW, Don’t Blame The Kids played up the ideas of childlike whimsy without relying too much on nostalgia. Drawing on a naive view of adulthood through the young eyes, the modern prepster comes alive in chunky cable knits, playful letterman jackets and cardigans, while the racer is adorned in cut-off tank tops and loud racing jackets. Cow-printed ensembles, leather shirts, and cotton blousons further extend the idea of what it means to be a grown-up guided by imagination. Perhaps bound through a shared need for creative expression and a rebellious mindset to counter mainstream culture, where streetwear shines the most is the strong sense of a community, as seen through the palpable sense of joy during the show’s finale.
VIÑA ROMERO
Scheduled on the last day of MNLFW, the brand had to rise to the reputation of being one of the must-watches of the season. Their largest collection yet, according to founder Romero, the collection paid homage to their signature vision of organic, earthy elegance, featuring raw-hemmed patchwork pieces, wavy cutouts rendered in a palette of natural hues. A fully-realised vision with thoughtful details, one could easily spot strategic pocket placements, split hems on shirts and most notably, the way she manipulates the fabric with a sewing machine to create new textures, all give way to a cleanly executed collection. However, given the specificity of her creative vision, attracting new audiences who are not looking to commit to the look fully could serve as the brand’s next big opportunity.
RANDOLF
Closing out the season was contemporary label Randolf, which presented a high-octane collection rooted in hearts — where love lies, and where hurt originates. Exploring notions of wearing one’s heart on their sleeve, the label was not concerned with portraying subtlety, but instead made it their mission to proclaim love (and loss) without restraint, just like the sheer, playful barongs showcased. Heart motifs aplenty, with a cheeky pageant-inspired train attached to a gown that spelled out “MISS U”, the collection was a delectable showcase of the Filipino craftsmanship and its unapologetic queerness that is deeply ingrained into the world’s perception of the nation — an astute way of wrapping the inaugural event.
Across the creators and celebrities that came to support their beloved designers, the media fanfare was a necessary part of the appeal of Manila Fashion Week. After all, they are the muses who will breathe life into these pieces beyond the industry bubble we exist in. The metric of success, however, comes down to how much the conversations about the designers and their garments are able to break through the combined clout of their guest list. Within the elaborate sets that were reconstructed to the designer’s vision for each show, the internationally diverse cast of models, it is clear that the intention was to present the designers with the opportunity to showcase their work in the best light possible. The goal was not to create shows that were “good for Southeast Asian standards”, but rather shows that are conceptually aspiring, yet commercially viable. Perhaps the largest area to reflect upon is for designers to identify whether if a show is the best medium to showcase their artistry, given tight deadlines, and a laborious feat that requires creating close to 40 looks.
All images by @chaptersph
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