SM Megamall Exhibits Style Icon Tessa Prieto-Valdes Dresses Made by Manila's Fashion Designers
As SM Megamall celebrates their 30th anniversary this 2016, they also celebrated women’s month this March with an exhibit entitled Wildflower: A Fashion
Retrospective on style icon Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes. Amidst all the
minimalist fashion trending, one woman dares to stand out like wildflowers that
come in varied species and kinds. The exhibit portrays women from all walks of
life. Through each of her dresses, we share a vibrant story worth telling.
Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes, also known as the Sea Princess, Tessa
is a Sunday lifestyle columnist in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and manages
her own site; wwwtessaprietovaldescom
Tessa is a socialite-philanthropist known for her sophisticated style,
extravagant accessories, and colorful personality She has been featured in
lifestyle magazines and is ever-present in grand events. She also busies herself
with the different charities she supports, spending weekends in Balesin, raiding
shopping centers, and playing Barbie with different designers.
As we walk through the Sea Princess’ whimsical wardrobe collection, we
are introduced to an aspect of Tessa Prieto-Valdes that is essential to her
personality -- her imaginative fashion. The exhibit likens Tessa as a
wildflower, colorful, flamboyant, and diverse. Beauty is a natural thing whether
in simplicity or extravagance. And as we trace back to the most organic form of
inspiration -- Nature -- through Tessa’s wardrobe, we
are introduced to some of Manila’s top designers that Tessa Prieto-Valdes
champions.
Here are my favorite pieces of Ms. Tessa's designer dress that was showcased from March 11 to 18 at Sm Mega Fashion Hall.
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| Francis Libiran |
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| Jojie Lloren |
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| Michael Cinco |
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| Philipp Tampus |
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| Cherry Viric |
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| Albert Andrada |
And here are the designers who captured Ms. Tessa Prieto-Valdes' personality with the gowns they made for her:
Albert
Andrada returns
to the Philippines after 20 years designing luxurious garments for royalty in
the Middle East He was referred to as “Asia’s Most Connected Designer” with
works of very flowing, feminine, and definitely dramatic He takes inspiration
from his mother whom he refers to as “a very fashionable lady”
Ivarluski
“Ivar” Aseron is
an innovative fashion designer whose collections have been featured abroad,
including Malaysia and Indonesia Ivar is known for his ability to masterfully
fuse movement with structure, classic with current, and feminine with a dash of
gentleman as seen in his geometric style which includes a surprise of softness
that creates slim silhouettes, clean lines, and unexpected details.
Pablo
Cabahug specializes
in body conscious and tailored formal wear for men and women His work has been
featured in Philippine Fashion Week a couple of times and has been recognized
as one of the top collections with his trademark design being classic
silhouettes He won the Look of Style Awards back in 2010 which gave him the
opportunity to study fashion design and marketing at the prestigious Central
Saint Martins College of Arts and Design
Michael
Cinco is
an international fashion designer who was born in Samar and is currently based
in Dubai Michael studied at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School in the early 1990’s
and proceeded to study in London and Paris halfway through his career His
collections were featured in Miami, New York, Dubai, and Manila and he has been
designing for Gulf Arab royals for years His works boasts of lavishly elaborate
couture with detailed embellishments that sparkle with crystal beading, opulent
lace, and lush textures Michael won Breakthrough Designer of 2011 at the WGSN
Global Fashion Awards in New York and is the first Filipino designer to be
featured on “America’s Next Top Model”
Maureen
Disini is
known for her simple cuts and wedding gowns She was trained in Milan’s Istituto
di Moda Burgo in 2009, where she earned a diploma in Stilista di Moda (Fashion
Design and Patternmaking) Maureen’s aesthetic is classic, simple, easy and
feminine which tend to embrace tradition
and forego trends She customizes her pieces through the fabrics she chooses
that are ideal to the personality and character of her clientele
Rhett
Eala has
become one of the country’s prominent design icons He first showcased his
talent as an in-house fashion designer in Rustan’s where he was offered to
design his first label entitled, “Due by Rhett Eala,” a fashion line for kids
Over the years, his line grew and matured into a more sophisticated line for
women and he exemplifies this in his position as the current Art Director of
Plains and Prints
Ronald
Enrico is
a Cebu-based designer who specializes in custom-made formal wear He is renowned
for his delicate details, fabric manipulation, clean finish, and flattering
cuts Ronald’s workmanship attracts much needed attention through weaving
flamboyant and gaudy combinations of tulle, chiffon, and taffeta in his pieces
Jun
Escario started
from Cebu and eventually grew to cater international design works where he is
renowned for his bridal and evening garments With gracefulness and elegance in
his pieces, his works have reached the London Philippine Fashion Show in 2012
Rocky
Gathercole is
well-known for his experimental, unpredictable, and whimsical creations He came
from humble beginnings but with passion and perseverance, paved himself a
vibrant fashion career Gathercole has been a designer in the United Arab
Emirates for more than two decades His definition of wearable is still
enigmatic to those that cannot comprehend fashion’s form of self-expression,
which to his advantage appealed to Arab women
Rajo
Laurel began
his career in 1993 and soon founded House of Laurel in 2000 Trained in New York
Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martin’s in London, he has
represented the Philippines locally and internationally throughout the years
and has received countless awards for fashion design and entrepreneurship His
works display his signature beading on romantic and luxurious gowns His
articles are a combination of rigid and mellow elements that creates a modern
and feminine workmanship which makes his pieces well defined
Monique
Lhuillier is
one of America’s foremost designers sought after by many celebrities locally
and internationally She is renowned for her designs that capture the essence of
sophisticated luxury by provoking femininity, allure, and glamour Her
ready-to-wear, accessories, and bridal collections embody her innate sense of
style
Francis
Libiran is
an A-list designer who has garnered success locally and internationally His
work has been featured in numerous shows, some of which include the fashion
gala at Manila Hotel during its centennial celebration, the first Canada
Philippine Fashion Week, and the annual fashion show in Tokyo, Japan He is also
the designer behind the winning gown worn by Megan Young in Miss World 2013
Jojie
Lloren is
a Pateros-based multi-awarded and considered as one of the most respected
fashion designer He graduated with a degree in Clothing Technology in
University of the Philippines Diliman and gained training from Ecoles de
Chambre Syndicale dela Couture Parisiennce in Paris After many years in the
industry, he continued to gain fame as a resident mentor at a Filipino
rendition of a renowned TV-series “Project Runway” Jojie’s style prioritizes
comfort among all other constituents of good dressing
Dennis
Lustico creates
works with styles of geometry and femininity Usually for events and social
functions, his garments feature a certain gleam of sophistication yet is still
practical and easy to wear especially for women who are always on-the-go
Pablo
Mendez started
teaching after graduating from Slims in the 1990s Since then, he has won many
awards including the grand prize for Philippine Fashion Designer Competition in
2007 While he has achieved many awards, he still returned to Slim’s to teach
part-time despite his duties as a designer
Lesley
Mobo graduated
with an Honors Degree in Fashion at Central St Martin’s in 2002 after moving
out of the Philippines to study Fashion in London His career started soon after
at Jasmine Di Milo, a newly established brand, and was soon after promoted to
Head Designer in 2003 Lesley showed passion and persevered in his field
garnering him multiple local and international collaborations with numerous
brands and features in several books and publications Lesley’s craft
entail edgy, structural elements with sophisticated soft, feminine twists that
appeal to young elite Europeans His pieces are fun and flirty despite residing
on the conservative side of ball gowns, asymmetrical dresses, and pant suits
Josie
Natori is
an award winning, foreign-fashion CEO and founder of The Natori Company Inc It
houses Natori, a global brand that started out with a lingerie line and later
on expanded to a lifestyle brand Natori received multiple awards some of which
include Fashion Group International’s Humanitarian Award, and the Lakandula
Award last 2007
Eric
Pineda is
a costume and fashion designer credited for his outstanding design works for
theater plays, a period soap opera, as well as bridal gowns and fashion
ensemble for celebrities His passion for designing for theatre plays began in
college as one of the enthusiastic young members of the University of the
Philippines (UP) Repertory in 1982 and was soon after recruited to tackle the
production needs of other theatre plays outside UP Eric had to juggle
academics, organization, and production work and still continues to show
relentless energy and quality in his works
Gian
Romano is
an Iligan-native that started designing and styling back in 2000 A graduate of
De La Salle University College of Saint Benilde with a degree in Hotel,
Restaurant, and Institution Management, he then pursued his Fashion career
after being granted a scholarship to study in Central Saint Martin’s in London
in 2004 In 2005, Gian returned to Philippines and revealed his first collection
“No Wave” which tackled the foundations of fashion design His works adhere to a
minimalist and utilitarian taste yet brings out the elements of self-expression
and consciousness to form and structure
Joe Salazar studied at Slim’s Fashion
and Arts School in the 1960s He was known for his ornamented ternos and evening
wear that avoid minimalist trends He enjoys doing classic pieces however
continues to add a hint of modern styling to each Often listed as one of the
Philippine’s outstanding designers, he was the first prestigious Ramon Valera
awardee, and recently nominated as National Artist
Amir Sali
Aluk is
a Paris-trained Filipino designer who ails from Sulu, Philippines He studied
Fine Arts at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City During his early travels
abroad, he met a Saudi princess and was offered to work as a designer for the
royal household After his 18 years as a designer for the Saudi Royal
family, he returned to the Philippines last 2009 to start his own design line
which started in his small Greenhills shop His style revolves around heavy
layers, seas of colors, and generous beadings which eventually got him
the title of Prince of Beads
Cary
Santiago is
a Cebu-based master couturier At a young age of 23, he went to Dubai to work
for Hazaar Fashion where he learned all the basics of haute couture Later on,
he moved to Beirut and became the creative designer for the House of Jibran His
work is very intricate - all well crafted and well constructed He has become a
household name in Philippine Fashion with his designs being worn in weddings,
state dinners, SONAs, and even the Oscars
Ezra
Santos has
been featured internationally in fashion shows, magazines, and events He put up
his own atelier in Dubai in 2008 after working with many designers in the
Philippines and Saudi Arabia His works are seen to use lavish, intricate, and
feminine designs and materials
Inno
Sotto received
multiple degrees in Fashion and Art in different schools abroad namely the
University of San Francisco, San Francisco School of Fashion and Design, and
Parsons in New York With his subtly draped designs, Inno Sotto has done a
number of international galas, specifically 27, in his 32-year career
Philipp
Tampus is
a Cebu-native designer and proud alumnus of the Filipino rendition of the
renowned TV series “Project Runway” Well-known for his intricate details,
random patterns, and artwork that emphasize a woman's shape, Phillipp is
gaining a steady following of loyal clientele, not just in Cebu but all over
the country as well
Oliver
Tolentino, coined
as the “Valentino of the Philippines”, began his career in the late 90s and was
the first Filipino designer to expand his business to Los Angeles in 2009 Since
then, he has catered to both local celebrities and Hollywood stars
Cherry
Samuya Veric’s crafts
entail intricate details and cuts that bring out the wearer’s seductive
silhouettes He adorns his designs with ornamented pieces finishing with
delicate numbers that appeal to varied audiences
Chito
Vijandre is
a top lifestyle and design guru He is the creative director of a chain of
lifestyle and design stores which include Chichirico, Felicity, Firma, and
AC+632 Aside from being a fashion designer, he is also known for his signature
home furnishings
Yvette
Ylagan is
a graduate of De La Salle University and Philippine School of Interior Design
She is the other half of the sister duo behind the local clothing brand,
Religioso - a brand that champions locally made materials and showcases world
class designs, details, and workmanship
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