Fashion Designer 

From gaining his first stylistic inspirations from his grandmother as a creative thinker in his youth, Furne One has transformed his bold ideas into articulate creations, acting as a catalyst in the Middle East and Philippine’s fashion movements.

Launching his avant garde atelier ‘Amato’ in Dubai in 2002, the designer brought something distinctively contemporary to the regional couture scene – something unexpected, bold, edgy, future forward, romantic and sometimes even bizarre – but all at once very beautiful and exciting.  His creations have become coveted by the region’s elite, his dramatic shows have turned out into the most in-demand tickets during fashion season, and A-listers from all over the globe, too many to mention, have worn his pieces.  He has showcased his art around across the globe in runways, events and collaborations from the UK, Australia, Germany, to the USA. In recent years, Furne has also been holding shows in the Philippines, a nod to his roots.

Ever the consummate hardworking and strategic professional that he is,  Furne views his field as one continuous adventure and challenge that he is geared to win.  “The fashion industry is a fast-paced world. It changes constantly. You must learn to adapt and evolve with it but also challenge yourself to swim against the tide and strive to create your identity.” He says, continuing to work away on his next greatly anticipated works of art.

Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf is Supported by: Kaya Skin Clinic,  Emirates Airline, and Unilever.

Special Thanks to Michael Cinco, Ezra Couture , Giordano, Darcey Flowers, IKON Solutions, Victors Freight, MPQ Tourism, Asia Gulf Companies –La Carne & Filfood, WOL Water

Get a copy of Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf Legacy Edition

100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: Furne One – Fashion Designer

Extraordinary he is – ‘The One and Only.’ Heading a couture brand – Amato – as its founder and artistic driving force for the longest time now in the emirates, it goes without saying that Furne One is a consummate master of his craft. And over the years, what he has learned is this: “The fashion industry is a fast-paced world. It changes constantly. You must learn to adapt and evolve with it but also challenge yourself to swim against the tide and strive to create your identity.”

Besides the extensive roster of international celebrity clients he has dressed, the numerous awards he has received, and the many fashion weeks graced with his drop-dead gorgeous gowns and dramatic stylings on the runway, not to mention pride of place for his atelier at the Dubai Design District, Furne modestly remarks that being able to grant support through his business to others has made his career all the more rewarding: “I think that the achievement I am most proud of is providing employment for my staff. Most of them have become like family to me, and I am most proud to have been able to help them and their families through Amato.”

Never running dry of ambition, Furne notes that alongside talent and originality, designers should possess an innate warrior within them and that the mere thought of abandoning hope shouldn’t exist. Furne says: “Giving up easily will not get you anywhere. I believe that failure can sometimes be the best way to learn. I’ve had failures in my life, but I never failed to get back up and learn from them.” And that is why Furne is the powerhouse designer we know of today.

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Photography by: Rozen Antonio

Illustrado 100 was made possible by sponsors: Giordano, Liali Jewellery, Mitsubishi UAE- Al Habtoor Motors, Michael Cinco Couture, Mapúa Institute of Technology, Centro – Amwaj Rotana Hotel , Max’s Restaurant Middle East and 

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All photos captured by Bethoven Filomeno (@caughtbybetongslens)

Michael Cinco

michaelcinco.com

Ezra Santos

ezracouture.co

Furne Amato

amatocouture.com

Ryan Pacioles

Atelier Zuhra

Read more on these designers: 

100MIFG – Michael Cinco

100MIFG – Ezra Santos

100MIFG – Furne One 

100MIFG – Ryan Pacioles 

Read more about Filipino Fashion on www.illustradolife.com

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It’s our 12th year anniversary and what’s a more fitting way to celebrate than asking the fabulous fashion circle of UAE to come party with us in their own interpretation of our theme for the evening: “Dark Seduction”.

Spoiler alert? They did not disappoint! One thing we love about our parties is our attendees; because they don’t just show up — they come through in the most stylish way. So expect nothing but darkly seductive looks!

Set in the ultra Insta-worthy naughty Barbary Deli + Cocktail, people took advantage of the 1930’s vibe of the place to pose, snap and dance the night away! Headlining our guest list are fashion industry’s iconic “Holy Trinity” Michael Cinco, Ezra Santos, and Furne One Amato and since it’s also our Big Fashion Issue, top designers in the UAE were also present at the party! Statuesque Phio Enaje came in his mysterious version of the dandy look, Yen AB showcased his impressive signature stone studded cap. Casting Director of Fashion Forward Dubai, the svelte Michael Amazona was present along with Dubai’s fashionphiles. Notable fashion photographers Rozen Antonio and Jef Anog also did not miss out while make-up maven Valentino Montuerto and dazzlingly skilled stylists Joe Dark and The Style Curators Dubai served us with some fashion extravaganza!

Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes also clocked in with his wife Madame Yasmin Balajadia – Cortes who stunned everyone with her elegant beaded black dress. CEO and Managing Director of Giordano Middle East Ishwar Chugani also joined us as well as remarkable personalities from the business industry like Philippine Business Council Dubai Chairman Bobbie Carella.

We can go on with the name dropping but we think we should just show you:

https://www.facebook.com/illustradomagazine/photos/ms.c.eJxlk8ltBUAMQjuKvIy3~;huL8g9R8rgiBozNuHm7xZsZs7LyL~;9FeoiM~_1~_kotbK~_CqAVDwgzw7KZSVe5KzLhJfkBHUqE~_5xVE4jJ83JCXqlM3u~_IeJLJASpJpJMmi~_Yqzhzic4E59kkUiWcJ8pD9~_3jq2Wulkbl59D~;lFc4Jd04es0zmVBucbzgPHYjRzZW7Gobsz~;pxjQ7v9KxXm61gzOvzix77uSeZ5FrzRycWya9pvvVg~;slX7X8pktmv~_KVf5bBvyxeT7JrW~;JznW9T~;e70.bps.a.10161024772900051/10161024777005051/?type=3&theater

Take a peek at our livestream before the event:

So for those of us who have fun in fashion, it’s a Monday night that is worth remembering – not only because of the music, the naughty vibe and everybody’s love for dressing up, but most importantly, it was an occasion when we all came together to celebrate a community overflowing with so much talent, passion and respect for one another.

Special thanks to: Emirates Airline and Barbary Deli + Cocktail

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FURNE ONE

Fashion Designer

Head over to the fabulous Dubai Design District and you will be pleased to note that one of the most prominent fashion spaces is owned and headed by a Filipino – the “One and Only” Furne One, he of the Dubai fashion rock star stature, whose dramatic haute couture extravaganzas are the hottest tickets come fashion season in the city of bling.

From being a Fine Arts student, to winning a fashion design competition in the Philippines, to becoming a mentee of Josie Natori, to having his own haute couture brand worn by international A-list celebrities, and receiving numerous awards, Furne One has steadily built his haute couture career with exacting precision, dogged determination and pure discipline.  He offers advice to would-be designers, “A lot of young designers think that the fashion industry is just about pretty dresses, fabulous parties and being famous. They often forget about the responsibilities that go along with it. The truth is, it’s all about having a clear vision of your aesthetic, good business acumen, hard work and perseverance”.

With his diligence paying off in aces, Furne continues to grow his renowned brand Amato Couture, opening two new spaces at the Dubai Design District this year, while officially launching his pret-a-porter line to provide a more accessible fashion collection for the younger sartorially savvy audience. 

He adds, “You need to focus on your goal, work hard and persevere. The only person you have to prove yourself to, is yourself.

Special thanks to – Giordano, Nikon, Liali Jewellery, Lulu, Mitsubishi and Western Union.

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Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: Furne One – The ‘One’ and Only

The Cebu-born talent, whose career in fashion began in winning MEGA Magazine Young Designer of the Philippines Award in 1994, has certainly gone a long way from being an intern at Josie Natorie’s atelier. Now, Furne One co-sits in the triumvirate royalty of couture designers in the UAE through his very own fashion house: ‘Amato Haute Couture’.

Since its establishment in 2002, Amato’s avant-garde designs have continuously pushed the boundaries in the style stakes. Combining the classic, the unconventional, the east and the west, the dramatic and the edgy, the couture brand has sky rocketed up the fashion barometer in Dubai and globally. With well-received shows in LA, Dubai, London and Miami, Amato has morphed from a local fashion favorite to a respected global player.

Quite famous for his golden locks, Furne One is further renowned for his creativity and uses his natural panache to elevate everyday trends into works of art. He is well known for his signature flair that uses an enchanting mix of rich textures and lavish materials with a heavy emphasis on luxurious detailing and embellishment as well as inspirations that range from romantic Shakespearean tales, vintage postcards to the vibrancy of new-age, even alien, imagery and the dark dramatics of a corpse bride. Furne One’s shows are also known to be the hottest of runway spectacles to which passionate passion fans throng to during Dubai’s style season.

With his clothes earning the love of top global performers like Beyonce, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Sherzinger, Kelly Rowland, Rita Ora and Shakira among others, one wonders what else is next for the One and Only.

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Nowhere is the special role and capacity of women in facilitating cross-cultural understanding more apparent than in the case of the group FLAG (Filipino Ladies Association for Growth).

Composed of the Diplomatic Ladies of the Philippine Consulate General of Dubai & the Northern Emirates, and supported by a select group of prominent Filipina leaders, FLAG was founded by Mme Lu Cimafranca – wife of former Phil Consul General Head Hon. Frank Cimafranca in 2014, and is now lead by Mme Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes wife of current PCG Consul General Hon. Paul Raymund Cortes. Mme. Cortes explains, “FLAG’s main objective is to enhance the role of Filipino ladies in the UAE through active participation in community events. It focuses on women empowerment and the advancement and the promotion of Philippine culture. We hope to raise awareness among the various ethnic communities in the UAE about what the Filipina woman can contribute and achieve in this country’s multicultural landscape.”

Speaking on the special role of women in the community, particularly the contribution that diplomatic spouses bring to the table, Mme Cortes elucidates, “Spouses provide the foundation for diplomats to keep grounded especially when the world of diplomacy and consular issues gets rough. In addition, we complement their work plans most often in socials and cultural events. There are many instances where the informal and back channels work more effectively than the formal and official route and this is where the spouses play a decisive and crucial role.”

Last year, FLAG spearheaded the Terno Ball in the UAE which brought Filipino trailblazers and the diplomatic community together. The group has also provided support to some charity organizations. Continuing on, Mme Cortes shares, “We will be working on the Filipiniana Ball which we hope could showcase the uniqueness of Filipino fashion and highlight the renowned creativity that have produced superb talents like Michael Cinco, Furne One, and Ezra Santos. We also hope to plan more activities in the next couple of months.” She also adds that FLAG will also pursue worthwhile advocacies back home especially those related to disaster relief and support for less-privileged children.

“We are excited to work with everyone here most especially in projects that would uplift the image of the Filipino in the emirates. Rest assured, I will continue playing an active role in ensuring that our women are empowered and confident of what they could contribute in this part of the world,” she concludes.

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Photos From the Illustrado Fashion Editorial – Amor Vincit Omnia; Haute Couture – Ezra Santos; Creative Director – Michael Cinco; Photography – Jef Anog; Hair & Make-Up – Valentino Montuerto Jasmin; Models – (Luna of MMG Models), Karo and Nikola of The AgenC

If Michael Cinco is all about grandiose beauty, Furne One the master of dark drama, and Rocky Gathercole continues to play shock and awe, Ezra Santos’ domain is firmly placed on the altar of refined elegance.

It has been a decade since we started Ezra-spotting – watching and imbibing this Filipino designer’s divine definition of fashion.  From the time he unveiled the startling Ezra dress – with string upon strings of pearls draped as a bodice, to his first gala held for the Middle East glitterati, his debut in New York at the Couture Fashion Week, and through his various shows at Dubai Fashion Forward, and Philippine Fashion Week.

If Michael Cinco is all about grandiose beauty, Furne One the master of dark drama, and Rocky Gathercole continues to play shock and awe, Ezra Santos’ domain is firmly placed on the altar of refined elegance.

His signature style nestled on a foundation of clean elegant lines, consistently pushes boundaries with a fresh point-of-view, and is blessed with just the right touch of dainty, as well as mindful and measured use of embellishments and detailing.  Nothing more that will make the piece look the least bit ostentatious, yet nothing less to make it another generic and safe fashion rehash. 

Flawless. Disciplined. Beautiful.  

That definitive aesthetic is no more pronounced than in his collection this year. Stamped with Filipiniana inspiration featuring contemporary interpretations of the Maria Clara dress of another era – Ezra’s current style assemblage showcases incarnations of the baro with its voluminous sleeves, as well as the ultra feminine paňuelo.  Curve hugging serpentina dresses with a new version of the butterfly sleeve emulate the terno.  The collection was an astounding exercise in merging both traditional and contemporary fabrics, as well as old and new techniques that typically won’t find themselves side-by-side on the same runway.  Abaca, piňa, and tulle, including space age neoprene, in a barely there palette of blush, soft pinks, and peach with an unexpected smattering of deep fuschia, provided the canvass to hand painting, 3D laser-cutting, as well as laborious beadwork. 

All in all, elements were deftly combined to make up a collection that is on one hand, fresh and current, but on the other, rooted in timeless elegance.

Interestingly enough, this the second time Ezra has brought Filipino style to the international runway.  The first instance was when he unveiled his Imeldific revolutionalized terno at his Dubai gala in 2010.  What is pleasantly surprising though, is that even in this second display, his inventive streak has been successful yet again, at churning out something that is new, albeit built on the old.  Quite an edge, compared to other Filipiniana-oriented designers who somehow seem shackled to the dictates of tradition. 

Perhaps, even more admirable, is that fact that the inspiration for his collection is deeper and goes beyond the mere creation of another fashion moment, a new trend, and opportunity for more business for his atelier.

Asked why he keeps on campaigning for Filipino style, a risk averse to commercial considerations, Ezra Santos shares, “I feel it is my duty to promote our country through fashion. If we won’t do it, who else will?”

Click here to check out our previous articles on Ezra Santos

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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 FIlipino Designer 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 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 in being beautiful, feminine, yielding, but still unabashedly rich and dramatic. Ironically – a new Amato, but always ever the same Amato.

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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.

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