10 years 10 collections

In celebration of my 10 years in fashion, I have selected 10 collections that I feel, define me as a designer. Here's to the next 10 years! And the next, and the next, and the next... Cheers!

2002. Mega Young Designers' Competition. "Prayer". My very first collection. All white dresses in various geometric shapes. This one is the "Cube" top in organza, cinched at the waist and worn on top of a canvas shift dress. All of my models wore prayer veils/habits.

2002. Paris Young Designers' Competition, Manila finals. My gown was chosen among the 5 to represent our country in the Paris competition. The top is made of fabric circles linked together using pant hooks. The skirt panels were stapled together then embellished with pant hooks and eyes. Inspired by ancient star maps.

2004. 10th anniversary show of the Young Designers' Guild presented by Alliance Francaise, PMAP and Saga Productions. Each designer chose a French short film for inspiration. Mine was a film on Martin Margiela. I created shift dresses decorated with slopers and patterns in brown fabric with orange top stitching. I used tape measures and tomato pins cushions as accessories. My homage to the neighborhood mananahi (seamstress).

2005. Fashion Declaration. My 25 piece collection was inspired by Filipino comedians. Each piece had a punchline or a witty twist. This is a white cotton shirt dress which we inflated into a bubble at the hem.

2005. Philippine Fashion Week. I was inspired by pillow cases, bedsheets and slipcovers. This is a double-cube skirt in twill. The top had extra sleeves at the waist to act as a sash.

2007. Philippine Fashion Week. My Homage to Graphic Design and Pop Art. This dress in duchess satin features an open back with a patchwork hand appearing to pull down the zipper.

2008. Fashion Watch at Makati Shangri-La. I was so honored to have been invited for the first time to join the Fashion Watch series. My collection was called "Metropolis". Inspired by a futuristic city where weather, time and seasons didn't matter anymore. 

2009. Designing for Barbie. Ballet Philippines chose over 20 designers to come up with a collection each for Barbie  which were auctioned off for the benefit of the Ballet Philippines Scholars. My collection was inspired by Odille, the black swan. A tribute to contrbidas (villainess). It was a contrast to Barbie's sweetness. This particular one, in black satin with feather-like beadwork, was auctioned off live.

2011. Fashion Watch at the Makati Shangri-La. This was my "Silence" collection inspired by the Japanese  during the time of the earthquake. These tops are exactly the same cut,  just worn different ways.

2011. Fashion Watch at the Makati Shangri-La. This was my Summer 2012 collection inspired by the works of Patrick Nagel. This was also the first time I used acid colors in any collection. The result was a riot of colors celebrating summer.