Designer Anthony Nocom at the finale of his menswear show held during Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012 last May 23 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.
Menswear designers are giving the urban Pinoy a fresh spin on masculine dressing. But the options presented at Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012 at the SMX Convention Center are not for the conservative, vapid type, because the overriding theme played on will appeal more to the adventurous and frolicsome male.
Edgar Buyan's Holiday 2012 collection consisted of coattails in the form of plaid or tie-dye prints paired with matching pants or above-thigh shorts. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.
Inspirations ranged from the jeepney (Edgar Buyan), the sport of polo (Frederick Policarpio), the macabre (Jesson Capuchino’s Dia de los Muertes), Mother Nature (Jinggo Inoncillo’s natural objects and the elements, Ulysses King’s soil and rocks), laser cuts (Simon Ariel Vasquez), and aliens (Zxander Tan).
Simon Ariel Vasquez incorporated laser-cut details in his creations including in this pair of shorts, the back of shirts, and in shirt pockets for his Holiday 2012 menswear collection. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.
Textures and silhouettes were kept ruggedly virile. Anthony Nocom stayed true to his suit dressing but mismatched the pieces for versatility. Davao’s Dodjie Batu’s Ragdoll collection used checkers, houndstooth and stripes. Some of Drei Soriano’s stray jackets and slim pants were made of Japanese Shibori fabric. Ronan Opina’s staple options became more interesting wih graphic illustrations.
Dodjie Batu's Ragdoll Collection included shirts in shades of purple and pink paired with shorts and trousers in neutrals or plaid. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.
In the wittiest collection of the night, directed by PFW co-producer Audie Espino, Herbert Custodio argued that geeks can be chic. “My anthology translates how bloggers can make or break a designer’s certain collection via graffiti and pixel shirts,” he stated.
Herbert Custodio's Holiday '12 collection is pegged on color systems and digital technology translated into shirts and jackets with graphic designs. Photo by Peter C. Marquez, InterAksyon.com.
