We pay tribute to Rocky Gathercole, one the most unique and bold personalities in the world of Filipino Fashion, who has recently passed away.

They say there’s a very thin line that separates genius from insanity. And nowhere is the thinness of that line even more pronounced than in the case of FIlipino designer Rocky Gathercole.

During a virtual tête-à-tête with the avant gardiste, we unearthed not only the method in his madness, but also the proverbial can of worms… or two.

Story By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Photo by Filbert Kung

Styling, Hair and Make-Up by: Ginno Alducente

Model: Jasmine Maierhofer

Experimental, unpredictable, explosive and quite simply – mad.   He, of the fantastical creations, whose muses include insect women, gaudy showgirls, and phantasmagoric goddesses who all exist in a warped intersection between total fantasy and hyper reality.   Rocky says on his take on style as-a-matter-of-factly, “My designs are, to put it simply, from my weirdest, wildest, wonderful world (www.rg) where I am the ultimate dictator of fashion. I have a gazillion idea in my mind and fantastical is probably the simplest adjective we can associate them with. The real word to appropriately describe them has yet to come from another universe!”  He adds, “More than anything, my primary concern, most often than not, is the availability of materials to be able to realize my vision.”

Rocky Gathercole in Illustrado Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf.

For those who wonder who on earth in their right mind could wear his creations, the designer explains his style with utmost clarity, “My creations are absolutely ‘not normal.’ I’m the first one who will attest to that. They’re not for the faint hearted. You don’t deserve to wear a Gathercole if you’re not very confident, bold and brave. The strong females of this age have quite a crystal clear idea of what and who they are as individuals.”

He continues to explain, “Maybe my translation of what is ‘wearable’ is still unfathomable to those who don’t realize that fashion is a form of self-expression. I wouldn’t have survived in this dog-eats-dog rag trade for more than two decades if Arab women didn’t find my dresses wearable. As for the less than extremely daring, I’ve got huge surprises coming soon so that others can also experience wearing my signature.”

In an industry where originality has been the topic of much heated debate and where, he is regarded as an outsider by those who look down upon his perplexing fashion sensibility and less than bourgeois ways, the designer has been the subject of hushed talks, sometimes even ridicule. Unfazed, however, Rocky Gathercole cuts the image of a singularly focused design savant determined to march to the beat of his own drum. 

He acknowledges, “When I was still starting to find my identity as a designer, Thierry Mugler influenced and inspired my creations.” But he adds with brutal frankness, “However, it is not the same as the definition of ‘inspired’ by some of my colleagues. I would take some details and add my own touch or come up with my version with respect to the resources at hand. I’ve always been consistent with my ‘insanity’ as a designer.”

Hammering on the point of contention in the current state of Philippine fashion, he emphasizes, “If you will copy, justify it – if you can’t be original. Not everyone is creative. Some may be lucky with their contacts and that’s why they are famous. But fame does not necessarily mean better in ideas than everyone else. People in fashion, particularly in Dubai, a place where I am so used to people’s peculiarities – are mostly self-proclaimed. Some are paying and are dying for image. Some are trying very hard, acting out an image.”

That comment is bound to sting and ruffle more than just a few feathers.  But then again Rocky Gathercole, who’s got both admirers and enemies in the industry, does not want to be known for his delicacy in delivering his ferociously candid take on things.

Asked about his thoughts on being labeled as a costume designer, he answers passionately, “My response to that, as a ‘costume designer,’ is that they don’t know what costumes really are! I will categorically say that all the designers in the Middle East have always been costume designers. Anyone who uses a glue gun, Elmer’s glue or E6000 is not a couture designer!”

He, then adds, “People hate me for being straightforward, but I just despise dishonest people. If I am not welcome in a group, it’s the least of my concerns. It’s just their way of unconsciously declaring that I am in a league of my own… I am my own group.”

 Truly, deciding how one feels about Rocky Gathercole, his creations, his out-of-the-fashion-mould persona and razor-sharp tongue that would always say what others won’t,  is by no means a simple task.  Still, between his two decades in the Middle East, his successful shows in Miami, New York and Los Angeles (where he received a standing ovation last year), the successful launch of his atelier in Manila, and just recently a lauded fashion show where he shared the stage with celebrated Manila designer Rajo Laurel, and received praise from the iconic Imelda Marcos herself – the irreverent fire-starter-slash-underdog seems to be having the last laugh.

Ecstatic after his latest runway conquest at the celebrity-studded opening of Wiltower in Manila, the designer gushed, “Sharing a stage with the great Rajo Laurel is another dream come true.  But seeing Madame Imelda Marcos clapping for my designs is something I have never imagined. Now, I can say that I’m already a full-fledged fashion designer!  Glory to God!”

So what’s next for the designer?  What else does he dream of? Rocky thoughtfully answers, “I actually don’t dream anymore. I’m living my life as an artist in progress. That’s how I am – who I am right now. People can say anything about me. I can deal with that now with maturity. I still have long way to go in this business. I can’t say what the future holds for me. I don’t want to know. I want to be surprised. And I promise you, everyone will definitely be surprised as well.”

Love him or hate him? The question is probably immaterial – because whichever you choose, the fact stands that you just can’t ignore Rocky Gathercole. 

And through all his trials and tribulations, the hushed talks and negative labels, the eye popping and sometimes disturbing designs, the ‘standing o’s’ and Imelda Marcos’ figurative ‘bravo,’ one can truly say that the designer is indeed a success where other Filipino designers have yet to prevail – and that is in finding his own voice, and having the courage to be insanely and uniquely himself.

The post Filipino Designer – Insanity: A Look into the Madness of Rocky Gathercole appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Photography: Eros Goze; Post Processing: Tom Bolivar; Hair and Make-Up: Jojo Padua and Frankie Melendez; Models: Kylene Ganigan and Darya Kovalenko shot at the Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Distinctive architectural details find new perspectives in these three-dimensional avant garde ensembles inspired by some of the world’s most intriguing contemporary structures.

Operatic Contours

By Ruben Santos 

The iconic Sydney Opera House is reincarnated in this dress featuring contours constructed with architectural accuracy.  The dress is made with molded rubber sheets and metallic components set on an ivory jacquard brocade fabric.

Sydyney Opera House 

Sydney, Australia

Designed by Jorn Utzon and completed under the direction of Peter Hall, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most iconic buildings.  Modern expressionist in design, the building’s most significant feature is it roofs – large pre-cast concrete “shells” composed of a section of a sphere with a 75.2 meter radius.  The “shells” set on a monumental podium, are covered in a subtle chevron pattern with 1,056,006 glossy white and matte-cream colored Swedish-made tiles, but appear uniform white from a distance.

Sculptural Freeform

By Ralph Ramirez

From the hem to the bodice, this piece inspired by the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is a continuous swirling and rising journey from darkness to light. Interpreted in monochromatic tones of black, grey and white, the dress features an asymmetric neckline topped on one shoulder with pure and organic structural form that crown the museum.

Guggenheim Museum 

Bilbao, Spain

Known as the most important structure of its time, this masterpiece of renowned architect Frank Gehry was probably the most mentioned new building of the late 90’s in architecture circles around the world.  The structure done in free form sculptural style features random curves designed to catch the light.  It’s brilliantly reflective titanium panels resemble fish scales, echoing the organic forms that are common in Gehry’s designs.

Curvilinear Fabrications

By Angelo Estera

Combining different fabrications with both soft and tough textures is this dress based on the Yas Hotel.  Calling to mind the building’s distinctive domes.

Yas Hotel 

Abu Dhabi, UAE

A landmark in the UAE, the Yas Hotel and the accompanying Formula 1 circuit is one of the main attractions of the ambitious developments at Yas Island.  The building, designed by Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture, principals of New York based Asymptote Architecture, meant to embody speed and movement juxtaposed with the artistry of and geometries of Islamic arts and details, has as its focal point a 217 meter expanse of curvilinear forms made up of steel and 5,800 pivoting diamond shaped glass panels known as the “Grid Shell.”  The “Grid Shell” which has the effect of an atmospheric-like veil features an amazing lighting system which incorporates video feeds, visible from miles away.

Crystal Aggregate

By Dan Delima

A clean sculptural art piece inspired by the crystal formation design of the Futuroscope of Poitiers, France. The dress features molded metallic organza in gunmetal gray.

Kinemax Futurescope

Poitiers, France

Futuroscope is a French theme park featuring multimedia, cinematographic and audiovisual packages.  The theme park made up of many pavilions built of glass and metal – modern materials which give the buildings form and texture, as works of art that make the observer stand and stare, is designed by architect Dennis Laming.  Its flagship building Kinemax, is fashioned after rock crystals thrusting out from the ground.  The structure’s 45,750 ft surface area is covered is with 3,000 reflective glass plates.

 Urban Organic

By Aldwin Ornopia Guardiana

Cut rubber and glass in irregular undulating layers mimic organic forms in this piece inspired by a unique skyscraper slated to punctuate Chongqing, China’s skyline – Urban Forest.  The dress is matched with a voluminous full bias cut cape in metallic fabric embellished with cut mirrors.

Urban Forest

Chongqing, China

Set to change the skyline of Chongqing, China, Urban Forest is an ambitious project from MAD Architects inspired by Chinese landscapes and traditional hillside villages. The commercial high rise with a distinctively organic form is meant to depict a stacked vertical forest in the heart of the city embodying the designers’ affinity to green and sustainable architecture.  Urban forest features curved, abstract shaped floors which have been layered slightly off-center from one another. Connected by a core cylindrical structure, each level’s interior is protected by full length glass windows with a see-through, wrap around balcony, providing transparency throughout the building, making the floors appear to float on top of one another.

Mesh Construct

By Tim Tejares

The sinewy lines and intricate mesh like façade of Kuala Lumpur’s Sunrise Tower are echoed in this dress which uses both soft and industrial materials. The piece features a plunging neckline bodice made of Montana gray silk taffeta embellished with silver mesh strips and exaggerated hips using boning and industrial hose for the web-like structure.

Sunrise Tower

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Designed by Zaha Hadid, the Sunrise Tower set for development in Kuala Lumpur is a design concept that blurs the difference between building and landscape, characterized by fluidity between the interior and exterior. The tower body is developed through a performative outer skin that merges programmatic, structural and building envelope requirements. The design integrates natural light, shading, program, access and views, making the component the key operator of the transition between interior and exterior spaces. The building has 66 floors and an absolute height of 280m. The ground lobby is the primary hub of the tower, defining four different dedicated lobbies for residential, hotel, offices and general public.

Distinctive architectural details find new perspectives in these three-dimensional avant garde ensembles inspired by some of the world’s most intriguing contemporary structures.

Body Canopy

By Ushi Sato

Depicting sensuous curves using metal screens coated with lightweight paper creating asymmetrical waves on the body, this piece is all about movement inspired by The Hotel Marques de Riscal.

Hotel Marques de Riscal

Elciego, Spain

Another Frank Gehry architectural masterpiece the Hotel Marques de Riscal showcases a series of rectilinear elements, clad in sandstone, combined with sweeping panels of gold and pink titanium, and mirror finish stainless steel.  The structure is a former winery transformed into a City of Wine complex, complete with a five-star hotel, spa, museum of viticulture and wine shop.  The building was inspired by the character of the region and its famous vintage.  Hence, the usage of a titanium façade shaped into a ribbon reflecting the colors of the wine Rioja, the silver foil shielding the cork, and the distinctive gold mesh which adorns all Marqués de Riscal bottles.

Engineered Protrusions

By Romel Ma. Tumulak

A bustier and pants ensemble fashioned after the Seed Cathedral – UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World 2010 expo, this piece features plastic straws to echo the fibre optic rods used in the original structure. Plastic sheet cut in different shapes and crystal elements embellish the bodice.  High heeled boots complete the ensemble.

Seed Cathedral

UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010

One of the most significant structures built for the Shanghai Expo 2010 is this extraordinary bristling form of 60,000 fibre-optic rods, each with a seed implanted in its tip, created by Thomas Heatherwick and his studio.  Formed from 60,000 slender transparent rods, each 7.5 meters long and each encasing one or more seeds at its tip, the Seed Cathedral is 20 meters high.  As wind moves past this building, its optic “hairs” move gently creating a dynamic effect.  At night, light sources inside each rod makes the Seed Cathedral glow.

Sail Simulation

By Manny Cajoles 

Sculpted metal sheet in pleats formation attached to a wire, form a shape that mimics the sail of a ship channeling the Burj Al Arab, this time in V formation.  The dress is accentuated with diagonal cut mirrors and matched with leggings.

Burj Al Arab

Dubai, UAE

Known as the only seven stars hotel in the world, the Burj Arab Hotel is not only known for its legendary luxury, but also the uniqueness of its architecture.  Designed by Tom Wright, the iconic building stands at 321 meters and mimics the image of the billowing sail of a boat.  The structure features an exoskeleton wrapped around a reinforced concrete tower, with a Tefloan-coated fiberglass “sail” curving across the front, creating an atrium inside.   The sail is made of a material called Dyneon, spanning over 161,000 square feet.  At daytime, the white fabric allows soft natural light into the building, while at night it reflects color-changing lights.

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The post Filipino Designers: Architectural Avant Garde appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

When Middle Eastern mystique, contemporary lines and rich details collide – prepare to be spellbound.

Photography – Eros Goze

Post Processing – Tom Bolivar

Styling – Ginno Alducente and Daze Tan

Hair and Make-Up:  Ginno Alducente

Model:  Nina Naval-Niemczyk

Couture by: Bandoix Flores

Shot on location at the Mövenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel – Dubai

Filipino Fashion: Black Magic

The post Filipino Fashion: Black Magic appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

My Enterprise
Event Plus is a Dubai-based full-service destination management company. It offers a full spectrum of destination services such as groups and incentives programs, conferences, corporate events, teambuilding events, AV production, weddings, destination PR, sales representation, and corporate outbound group travel.

My Beginnings
I have been in Dubai since 2003. Just like most of our fellow Filipinos, I came here with a hope that I will only stay for couple of years. Then 2 years became 5 years, and next thing I knew I was already on my 10th year mark. Eventually, I decided that I didn’t want to be an employee anymore. In early 2014, I launched Events Plus. I did everything on my own, from the business plan, down to the website. I had very minimal capital. I even worked from home during the first 6 months to save cost. My hospitality experience, determination and dream were all I had to start with.

My Struggles
Being an Asian entrepreneur with a start-up company is definitely not easy. We like to think that ethnicity doesn’t matter, but the reality is that some – if not most – people will assess you and your business at face value. And as a start-up company, the real struggle is to build a solid level of trust with your prospective clients. These are very challenging circumstances indeed, but you just have to plow through them, continue knocking down doors and give your 100%. One day, it will all pay off. This has been my experience as an entrepreneur.

We are now 4 people in the team with a representation office in UK and Germany. I’m also looking at setting up a satellite office in the Philippines, hopefully by next year. Despite the obstacles, I am proud to say that the future is looking bright for our company.

My Life As An Entrepreneur
The most obvious advantage of being an entrepreneur is being your own boss having the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want. You’re working for yourself and nobody else. You may find yourself working 18 hours at any given day, but in the end its all for you. Every day is full of opportunities.

But in as much as it is exciting and joyful, it can also be lonely and scary. The stress levels of making all the decisions can sometimes be overwhelming, and can put a strain on your personal life. Your work schedules can also be wildly erratic. However, the pro’s still outweigh the con’s. It’s all a matter of striving for work-life balance, and setting your priorities straight.

My Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
An entrepreneur’s life is not for everyone. It requires a lot of perseverance, determination, and most of all, patience. Always strive to give the best service to your customers and try to always say “yes,” even if their requirement seems impossible. It’s a fierce market out there. Your only edge is how well you serve the needs of your clients. If you think you have what it takes, go for it. Go for it now.

The post Pinoy Entrepreneur: Jennifer Ebrada appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Photography: Eros Goze
Post Processing: Tom Bolivar
Hair & Make-Up:  Frankie Melendez

Models: Michelle Sophie Pudda, Renee Taylor Virtudazo-Hyde and Izabel Joan Z. Elliot

Fashion:  Joel Villanueva, Jules Quirante, Henry Mangahas and Garimon Roferos

Oh to dream of innocence …

Of fairy frills, the playful whisper of silk,

and the smell of charming pastels

Oh to go back to sweet and glorious insouciance!

ON MICHELLE: Vanilla-colored gown made from layers upon layers of the lightest silk organza with a dramatic train, featuring a bodice embellished with handmade flowers with Swarovski crystals; ON RENEE: Lemon yellow gown featuring vertical layering crafted from the purest bias cut silk organza with a black velvet sash and oriental-inspired tassels. All by JOEL VILLANUEVA

 ON IZABEL: Off White gown made of rectangle cut-outs of silk Gazar layered alternately with paillettes to achieve volume. The bodice features embroidered flower appliqué finished with a navy blue velvet sash and antique border lace for that Victorian feel by JOEL VILLANUEVA; ON RENEE: Lemon yellow gown featuring vertical layering crafted from the purest bias cut silk organza with a black velvet sash and oriental-inspired tassels. All by JOEL VILLANUEVA

ON MICHELLE: Vanilla-colored gown made from layers upon layers of the lightest silk organza with a dramatic train, featuring a bodice embellished with handmade flowers with Swarovski crystals

 ON MICHELLE: Victorian gown with puff sleeved red velvet top and a black full skirt with hand painted floral design topped by a delicate layer of tulle, by JULES QUIRANTE

ON RENEE -LEFT:  Vintage-inspired tent dress in soft purple faille satin, punctuated by a fully beaded black collar and a shower of black pearls and crystals, by HENRY MANGAHAS; ON RENEE – RIGHT: Soft green and yellow layered gown in tulle with a lace-up halter bodice by JULES QUIRANTE

ON IZABEL: Dramatic and whimsical nature-inspired gown featuring layered and ruffled soft tulle in multi-toned greens topped by a sequined bodice, by HENRY MANGAHAS

ON MICHELLE: Fairy tale inspired couture number in winter black embellished with an array of colored sequins on the bodice, that graciously sprinkles down the full circle cut skirt, by HENRY MANGAHAS

ON IZABEL: Golden French dentelle maxi dress with crystallized neck accent and emerald green faux fox fur stole, by GARIMON ROFEROS; ON RENEE:  Crystallized laser-cut soft pink ball gown with white faux fox fur stole by GARIMON ROFEROS for Michael Cinco

ON MICHELLE: Midnight blue silk crepe dress topped by a blue faux fox fur stole and matched with a mini fascinator

DESIGNERS:

JOEL VILLANUEVA

Laswa Fashion Design

201 Mohammad Rasul Choory Bldg.,

Airport Rd., New Central Market, Abu Dhabi

Tel. No: +971 2 622 0944 / 050 1706361

E-mail: msm424@gmail.com/jayvil430@yahoo.com

JULES QUIRANTE

Al Hanna Center, Mezzanine 1, Dubai

Tel. No: +971 50 927 7178

E-mail: julesatq@yahoo.com/julesquirante@gmail.com

Website: www.wix.com/julesquirante/julesquirantehautecouture

HENRY MANGAHAS

La Reina Fashion

Emirates (Sana Fashion) Shop 7

P.O. Box 50336, Karama, Dubai

Tel. Nos: +971 4 336 0647 / 334 9441

E-mail: henry_mangahas@yahoo.com

GARIMON ROFEROS for Michael Cinco

Michael Cinco Haute Couture

Suite 301, The Office Towers, Crowne Plaza Hotel,  

Sheikh Zayed Road, 74689 Dubai

Tel. No: +971 4 332 8488

Email:

Website: www.michaelcinco.com

The post Filipino Fashion: Little Women appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

The Men of Michael Cinco

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Photo by: Eros Goze

Models: Paul Kiefer and Mauro Olguin

Shot on location at the XVA Art Hotel, Dubai

Much has been said about Michael Cinco’s women who live in a decadently elegant world all to their own, but not much about his men.  We take a look at the designers’ growing line of men’s fashion – his latest foray, inspired by the romantic Castilian style icon – the matador.

His affair with men’s fashion started a few years ago when the designer began tinkering with men’s couture styling during his collaboration with Bench Body in Manila.  Season after season, we would see a smattering of a few key pieces made for daring males when Michael Cinco would hit the runway.  He might be known for dressing up Hollywood sirens Sofia Vergara, Britnes Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Dita Von Teese, among others, but he has also garnered attention for some of his amazing pieces worn by Chris Brown and Will.I.Am.

This fashion season around, however, the designer unveils a more substantial, albeit mini-collection, that’s set to whet the appetite of his growing clientele of male fashionistas from Dubai-to-Singapore-Manila and beyond.

Inspired by the romanticism of the handsome matador, Michael Cinco Homme features an interesting assortment of tailored jackets, capes, hooded tops, and shirts matched with sleek trousers.  A focal point of the mini-collection is the richly embellished jacket which combines immaculate tailoring, classic detailing – florid forms and arabesque motifs, done in contemporary execution in the form of laser cut acrylics and rich embroidery.  Another good example of the old and the new intersecting is his industrial feel neoprene hooded cape punctuated by intricate arabesque embroidery – its veritable piece de resistance.

“Young, fresh, adventurous and is still in touch with his feminine side,” is how the designer describes the Michael Cinco man.  Certainly, his designs are not for the one-dimensional rugged male, but the multi-faceted man who is beyond raw masculinity – those who are brave enough to embrace the dramatically beautiful.

M5 Makes a Mark for the Philippines in Asian Fashion

Michael Cinco has just made a mark for the Philippines by being the first Filipino inaugurated as a member of the Asian Couture Federation, together with highly acclaimed Asian designers including Japan’s legendary Kenzo, Yumi Katsura, Junko Koshino, China’s Guo Pei, Singapore’s Frederick Lee, Indonesia’s Sebastian Kuniyawan, Korea’s Lie Sang Bong and etc.

The Asian Couture Federation or ACF is a newly formed organization based on the long-established Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. The ACF aims to provide a “platform for recognizing, promoting and nurturing the most exceptional design talent in the region”.

Missing this season’s fashion event in Dubai, where he is a regular, the designer is also set to debut at the Singapore Fashion Week on the 16^th of October, where he is set to showcase his own brand of couture alongside international greats like Alexis Mabille, Julien Fournié, Stephane Rolland, Pierre Balmain, among others.

The post Filipino Designer: The Men of Michael Cinco appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Photos by: Tinayums.Com for Illustrado Magazine

Last night was perhaps one of the busiest nights for the Madinat Jumeirah.  The area, where traffic was choc-a-block, was absolutely teeming with fashion fans at Fashion Forward Season 2’s closing evening.

Amato Couture by Furne One opened their show to a restless crowd – no doubt uber excited at the prospect of seeing, yet again, another dramatic show the fashion house is known for.

The show opened with a video featuring blasé couture clad models shopping at a grocery store – whimsical but with an odd air of nonchalance.  Then the models started streaming in one by one, dressed in white, to the rousing sounds of Japanese taiko drumming and shakuhachi – out of the Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack – and it was apparent that this was not the same Amato show of yore.

Designer Furne One unveiled a beautiful east meets west collection last night, taking on a couple of interesting historical and cultural references to come up with pieces that are a cross-cultural mélange tied together with Amato Couture’s signature maximal approach to fashion.

Just as a number of international designers have come down the same route before, it is not the first time that the designer has touched on the land of the rising sun for inspiration – in fact he has used Japanese details in styling a previous campaign.  What makes this collection different from other takes, however, is how Furne has skillfully and convincingly, juxtaposed traditional Japanese with old world British – Elizabethan and Victorian, and made it all look like it all made perfect cohesive sense.

Japanese kimono jackets, exaggeratedly stiff geometric Geisha-esque tops, extended silk sleeves, melded seamlessly with Elizabethan lace ruff collars, voluminous ruffled skirt bottoms, as well as florid Victorian patterns on the lace and illusion tulle bodices embellished with a number of materials and techniques – from embroidery to beadwork to laser cut acrylics, flower appliqués and etc,. The typical body conscious Amato silhouette was cinched in by the designer’s maximal version of the traditional obi featuring yards upon yards of satin bows and other whimsical attachments.  The color palette was tone-on-tone – ivory, salmon, powder blues, soft beige and gray – fresh, clean, delicate.

For the designer, it would seem, gone are the dark obsessions of the past – the gothic, the macabre, the ultra-edgy, stealthy and Gaga-esque. For now, at least, Furne One’s muse appears to be content with being beautiful, feminine, yielding, but still unabashedly rich and dramatic. Ironically – a new Amato, but always and ever, the very same Amato.

The post Filipino Designer: Furne One Leaves the Dark Side appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

By Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Photo By: Zyvervenz for Illustrado Magazine

Special Thanks to: Cristina “Tinayums” Linaza

After being spoiled for choice year after year viewing the luxuriously elegant and sometimes out-of-this-world creations from what the local press calls Dubai’s couture kings – Cinco-One-Santos – one wonders what else is there within the context of the region’s own brand of decadently detailed couture.

Enter Filipino designer Ezra Santos, at the “definitive opening show” at Fashion Forward’s second season’s first day, with a collection replete with clean details, and pure silhouettes, one could almost hear Dubai’s fashion world giving out a much needed long and cleansing elegant exhale.

Entitled Divine Romanticism – Ezra’s new offering inspired by the Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements pays homage to the 1920s golden era where glamour, beauty and art reigned supreme.

The collection had three highlights allowing the designer to delve into a braver more contemporary and fashion forward category, whilst at the same time providing his loyal following the rich, elegant and classic couture staples Ezra’s designs have always been known for.

First on the runway were pristine ensembles in white with art deco gray prints punctuated with brilliant crystals providing a lift to the elegantly restrained background.  The pieces featured strong architectural details and atypical silhouettes – away from the usual hour glass and body con shapes ubiquitous in the region’s couture.  Part of this sub-collection were dresses in the season’s fave futuristic material – neoprene.  Used in runways across the world for edgy, sporty and avant garde-leaning ensembles, Ezra’s skill was in turning this industrial material into elegant and feminine sculpted gowns, which – for lack of a better term, were very “Ezra.”

Then came the hour glass dresses with serpentine bottoms that looked like they were made of liquid metal – liquid black, gold and raspberry, pieces that look like they were designed to slink their way into Hollywood red carpets and glamor capitals across the globe.

Last of the collection highlights were the multi-colored dresses in tulle, crepe, lace with multicolored crystal embroidery echoing art noveau patterns.  Elegant, rich but restrained and very sexy, none embellished for excess.  The kind of pieces one comes to expect from the house of Ezra.

The show ended with an art deco wedding gown – an incarnation of the quintessential Ezra dress of previous years – this time, instead of featuring strands of pearls, the gown’s focus was on waves upon and waves of meticulously sewn dainty pearls which was a study of beautiful symmetry.

If there was one thing that could be called a disappointment during the show, it was the fact that we didn’t have enough and couldn’t get enough of the white printed art deco gowns and other contemporary pieces which signify a sort departure from the more obvious couture choices of the region – we definitely were left wanting for more!

The post Filipino Designer Ezra Santos at Fashion Forward Season 2 appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

One of the hottest and most flamboyant personalities in the fashion industry – may it be in Dubai or Manila and Los Angeles – Filipino designer Michael Cinco shines brightly with his amazing collection of achievements, especially this 2012.

“It has been an awesome year. The Michael Cinco brand has achieved international acclaim. My fledgling pret-a-couture men’s line has been very well received, and halfway through the year I have launched my own perfume, Impalpable by Bench,” says the designer who has won the heart of supermodel-turned-host Tyra Banks.

Between his stints as Guest Designer on hit reality show America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) in 2010 and 2011, his runway shows at the Philippine Fashion week, Dubai Fashion Week (where he earned the People’s Choice Award in 2010) Miami Fashion Week and etc., and bagging the Breakthrough Designer award at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in New York last year, Cinco, from his Dubai base, designs for royalty, supermodels, celebrities, beauty queens and socialites across the Gulf, US and the Philippines.

Known to his friends as deeply romantic and spiritual, Michael Cinco shares in laughter, “I live by the mantra ‘work, pray, love and travel’. [Currently], I am on a romantic tryst in some undisclosed urban paradise with a special someone.”

Despite his busy schedule juggling his love life and clear-cut future, he knows his priorities as a fashion designer, and that would be his clients. He says, “I have been continuously invited to join prestigious international fashion exhibitions, and have consistently turned them down as I have an ever growing loyal clientele to (somehow) prioritize. But then again, it is a very highly competitive industry, so I always try to keep some aces up my sleeves.”

Being highly regarded in the fashion industry as a genius creative who produces ethereal gowns that are flatteringly feminine, Cinco who is slated to be a Guest Judge/Designer in the first Asia’s Next Top Model, the Pan Asian version of ANTM to be aired sometime in October 2012 says, “To say that it is a steady, unfettered climb to my goals is an understatement. I simply work hard, keep abreast and strive to be on top of my game. It is very challenging and yet, it certainly is a charmed life.”

Photos courtesy of Michael Cinco

The post Filipino Designer: MICHAEL CINCO appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

By Sherry Tenorio

(Photos courtesy of the designers)

Illustrado reveals some of these brilliantly fabulous createurs de mode who, not only, have made a success out of feeding the region’s grandiose appetite for couture, but have also proven time and time again, the Filipino artists’ brilliance and cachet in an industry far from home.

ELI OABEL

From studying BS Foreign Service and Fashion Design, Eli found a turning point in his passion and career when he was recommended by his school to join SO-EN Garments in Manila. The stint paved the way for his learning the ropes of the fashion industry early on.

From there he was head-hunted by Cinderella to handle three major in-house men’s lines including the labels Japs and Rusty Lopez. That did not last very long as he was offered a job in Bahrain and stayed there for almost six years. The opportunity even furthered his wings in the field of fashion design, which is a passion not only for him but his family as well.

Eli found himself progressing even back in the 90s when he was recruited by Balqis Fashions of Al Tayer Group from his job in Bahrain. The lucrative position allowed him to travel all over Europe, and in 1994 he was able to join his very first course at Central St. Martins London College of Fashion, where he studied every year.

The fully blossomed fashion entrepreneur then saw a fitting post in Scalini as a Designer/Managing Partner up until 2003. He helped establish its couture department and made it to the forefront of the local fashion scene for 10 years. He also co-founded the flower shop, Fleur-de-lis Flowers and Gifts, which opened in Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel a year after a very successful couture launch.

It has been an unbelievable journey for Eli, as he looks back in his fashion career. His loyal clients are mostly forward thinking local women who love and appreciate his designs. Currently, his fashion house Villa Sposa by Eli is expanding, moving towards retail with its own in-house prêt-a-porter collections of bridal, traditional, western and children’s wear.  A proper launch – a garden event with a fashion show – is in planned for the fall season this year, though the business has been in operation for already a year.

While Eli sees that his career in Manila is beckoning, he also looks forward to starting his own men’s line someday. He also aims to mentor his two nephews, Tristan and Bunny, who have strong design inclinations being artists themselves. Mentoring on fashion is something he sees as means of giving back the blessings he reaps.

ROCKY GATHERCOLE

Rocky Gathercole is one name in the local fashion industry that’s synonymous to “causing a commotion.”  Known for his sometimes extreme avant garde creations, Rocky Gathercole has shown his brand of unapologetic creativity on the runway in the UAE and the US.

Apart from participating in local bride shows in the emirates, as well as the Dubai Fashion Fiesta, the designer has showcased his “Showgirls” collection at the Miami International Fashion Week 2011 where he was called by the South Florida Chronicle “a powerful and dangerous presence.”  That was followed by his participation at the Brooklyn Wave Fashion Show 2011.

A recent trip to New York City saw the designer causing a scene at Times Square with models decked in his astonishing designs posing amidst the throng of pedestrians. Finally, this just in, the designer has scored a placement in Vogue’s Special Anniversary September 2012 issue via an advertising collaboration with Ne émah Perfumes.

Indeed, for the last two decades Gathercole has created more than just a passing impression with the fashion watchers he has come across.  Even today, he remembers his mentor Vicente Arcania who was instrumental in landing his first ever fashion job in Saudi Arabia where he admits that it was more of a motivation to find a decent job that got him into this business in this first place.  Now, the designer professes that more than anything, his driver is artistic expression.

From his former base in Saudi Arabia, and then Dubai, since the beginning, Rocky Gathercole’s fashion ethos has always been unconventional. This has actually given him the leverage to attract local Arabic women whose way of dressing veers towards the dramatic, even eccentric. Over the years, he has been designing party dresses, engagement and wedding gowns for three generations of local women, allowing him to feel their patronage and trust throughout the years.

RUBEN SANTOS

Inspired by Hollywood and beauty queens, Ruben Santos recalls how he started out designing dioramas and creating miniature dresses in his youth and how that led him to studying at the Slims Fashion and Arts School in Manila.  He worked as an assistant designer to Mike dela Rosa in the 80’s and has showcased his creations in various fashion shows and competitions in the Philippines until he finally found himself in the Middle East – living his dream.

In his early 20’s, he was given a chance to work with royalty in Saudi Arabia for half a decade. Thereafter, he moved to Abu Dhabi to launch Queen Palace Haute Couture, and has since worked with clients from the royal families, socialites, including to diplomats from the emirates and around the Gulf. A well-renowned designer, Ruben has received numerous recognitions and has also been awarded as Designer of the Year at the Anyo 2000 Mini Fashion Show celebrating Philippine Independence Day.

Currently, Ruben designs for J’Adore Couture in the emirates’ capital, and is busy doing ready to wear and custom made dresses. He is also looking forward to participating once again at the Philippine Fashion Week after his successful stint in 2011. For the future, he aspires to be able to showcase his designs in Paris Fashion Week someday. Furthermore, he shares that his ultimate goal is to go back to his homeland and build up his own atelier someday.

ALDWIN “JLO” ORNOPIA

A hobby back in high school paved the way for the young Aldwin to pursue his creativity, and actually make a living off of it at the same time. With his innate talent and perseverance, Aldwin used to create prom dresses, evening wear and party frocks; a teacher of his became his very first client.

In pursuing his calling, his family’s support and influence played a pivotal role. In fact, his father even became the instrument for him to move to the UAE capital in 2005 to chase greater opportunities.

And like any new aspiring designer in the city, it was a challenge to find his own spot under the glamorous fashion sun. His break came at Art Fashion Tailoring Company in Abu Dhabi, where he managed to impress a high profile client base which included royals, with his very feminine and romantic dresses.  He hasn’t looked back since.

For the past six years, Aldwin has also been very active staging four fashion shows – one of which was with the signature fashion event of Dubai Summer Surprise, at the Dubai Fashion Fiesta, the others were presented in 2011 during a wedding and beauty exhibitions in Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah where he also showcased his bridal collection. His creations have also graced the pages of fashion magazines Lamasat (Arabic magazine) and Illustrado Couture.

At the moment, he is busy putting together a new collection for a fashion show this December, creating pieces for a well-known Philippine actress and preparing for an editorial fashion shoot in the US.

Indeed able to create a name for himself, he hopes to expand internationally, dress Hollywood celebrities one day and open his very own fashion house in his hometown of Cebu City.

ARIS PICO

Dreams do really come true, especially if the dreamer is as talented and as hardworking as Aris Pico. He swears not to have even imagined being where he is in right now, but he feels blessed with tremendous success in being able to create stunning dresses and get raves about it.

The young Aris has taken inspiration from his mother and six sisters whom he wanted to dress stylishly. Also, he would remember the sudden burst of happiness while watching ladies donned with beautiful gowns, often seen during the traditional Santacruzan in the Philippines. He then started dreaming of owning a shop and creating dresses perfect for the ladies of Santacruzan. That was the dream. And that was the reason why he took the risk of flying abroad – to get a job to save up to open his fashion house in his hometown.

Twenty two years after he made his initial steps in the emirates, Aris has gained the kind of success that was more than he hoped for – something that he wishes every fellow Pinoy who went abroad would experience. His exceptional designs earned him a set of loyal clients that he treats like family now. He does not need to market himself because most of these local women do the talking, recommending his work to friends, family and even royals.

Yet over the years, he still yearns to open his very own fashion house in the Philippines, and hopefully branch out to London. Though these dreams may appear to be in the pipeline as of the moment, his participation at the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012 in May this year was a big triumph for the designer.  His joining of the PFW in October is also quite imminent.

Although filled with glamour, the dazzling world of fashion did not change the craving for simplicity that is innate in Aris. He wants his four year old ARISteo design to expand with an abaya line so he can offer more jobs to fellow Filipinos. Indeed, with a golden talent and a pure heart, this fashion designer is a supporter of Bantay Bata Foundation. He knows that he has been utterly blessed, but he knows that he should not be the only one to receive such wonderful things.

RALPH CRUZ RAMIREZ

They say that a true friend enriches your life. True enough for Ralph, his best friend back in Manila recognized his talent in fashion illustration and submitted his name to a recruiting agency. After an interview with a visiting employer, he was hired on the spot. So in 1989, at 20 years of age, Ralph left for Al-Khobar, KSA and worked there for five years armed with a gift for fashion illustration and skills learned from the SLIMS School of Arts and Fashion.

In 1993, an employer invited him to work in Sharjah. The multicultural environment as well as the openness and tolerance of the emirates, beckoned to the young artist. After working for almost 12 in the same company, Ralph was finally able to buy Lafana Fashions from his employer in 2005.

With ample capital, well-trained staff and a very loyal local clientele, he was able to fulfill his dream of standing on his own as a fashion designer and entrepreneur. Being independent opened doors for him to advance in his craft through research, travel and education especially through courses at Central St. Martins in London.

Through the years, he is proud to say that he has dressed three generations of women during their wedding celebrations – from the grandmother, mother and the bride herself, and whenever schedules permit, all the female members of an entire extended family.

Currently, Ralph is working on his vamp collection for the 2012 Autumn/Winter season. It is a dream for him to show at the Dubai Fashion Week but his immediate target now is to exhibit in the upcoming bride shows to reach and establish a wider client base.

YEN BARI

Although Yen Bari, or Yen AB as he is known, has always been drawn to illustrations and beautiful things when he was young, it was only when he got tired of his chosen profession, Nuclear Medicine, that he realized his passion and talent in fashion design stumbling into his crossroad in 2008.

Despite his intent to eventually jump into the fabulous world of fashion, the entrepreneur in Yen was very careful to tread into the industry unprepared.  He first had to consider his goals, brand aspirations and commercial targets, as well as the right people that would help him realize his goals.

It seems that it was meant to be for the fledgling designer, as he was able to establish the House of Yen in no time, with the support of its sponsor Khamis Al Hameli. Now, the three year old fashion house serves mostly ladies from the GCC, as well as some from Europe, Russia and Africa. Yen’s high profile clients have become accustomed to his breathtaking designs in the form of ‘Arabic Contemporary’ pieces (modern versions of the Arabic jalabeya), wedding dresses and other haute couture creations. 

The House of Yen has also garnered visibility with their creations being featured the music videos, as well as the movies of Arabic mega star Wiam, Gulf superstar singers Balqeez, Ranya and Aryam and Channel 5 TV host Shams Alsaabi.

Currently, Yen divides his time among his three branches in the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. He is also ecstatic about signing his line with a renowned boutique chain in the UK. His busy schedule is also filled with preparations for an upcoming gala exhibit in Doha this September as well as a couple of fashion editorial and video shoots.

The post Filipino Designers Par Excellence appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.