A tale of two fashion weeks

Back to back fashion spectacles in the city

- -Joseph L.Garcia

THE CITY was treated to two back-to-back fashion spectacles this month: first came industry stalwart Philippine Fashion Week on Oct. 15, then BYS Fashion Week, now rebranded as Manila Fashion Week (its first showing with that name) just the day after.

Philippine Fashion Week had a one-day showing at the Ayala Museum, featuring designers Jaggy Glarino, Ram Silva, and Jerome Salaya Ang, and a collaboration with chocolate brand Toblerone. Manila Fashion Week, meanwhile, had a four-day showing (from Oct. 16 to 19) at several venues within SM Aura Premier with designers Andrea Tetangco, Don't Blame The Kids (DBTK), Chris Nick, Viña Romero, OXGN, Íñigo, Randolf, and Viktor.

PHILIPPINE FASHION WEEK

The Oct. 15 Ayala Museum show featured a heist theme, promoting Toblerone's new product, diamond-shaped Toblerone Truffles. It's no surprise then that some of the clothes reminded one of chocolate: for example, Mr. Ang opened his show with a model in a rich brown velvet dress with a sweetheart neckline, all veiled in gold. There was a pleated brown dress draped gracefully over the bust, with a matching pleated cape (in an interview, he talked about mimicking the effect of melting chocolate).

We saw a sequined bra with a skirt, crystals, and hooks holding the dress at the hips, followed by a more meditative burgundy gown that reminded one of a monk's habit. Another dress had black pleats forming a fichu, curving around the shoulders of a model like an ammonite.

Mr. Silva showed red and black dresses: the first one was impressively morose, with a black long-sleeved gown, with a high neck and a floor-length straight skirt, with a windblown cloud of tulle forming a veil. The red dresses, meanwhile, appeared like mirror images of their black counterparts, but with modifications (the red partner would be off-shoulder, or something else).