Revisit the collections that won us over during stylefestph's Designer Mentorship Program
The first of its kind, stylefestph symbolized a new beginning for fashion industry, for the seasoned designers who introduced their new ready-to-wear collections and most especially for aspiring young things of the local fashion landscape. Invited to submit their designs to create streetwear collections in partnership with retail heavyweight Zalora, 5 promising talents emerged out of the Designer Mentorship Program victorious.
Just a couple of weekends ago, ViƱa Romero, Ron Xavier Santos, Benj Rogando, DC De Castro and Marc Blanco took their work to the stylefestph runway. And as they say, the rest is historyāābut don't all good things warrant a double take? Steal a second lookĀ at the 5 Zalora Emerging Designer collections up ahead.
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Left: VIĆA ROMERO FOR ZALORAĀ tie-strap dress and straight-leg trousersĀ
Right:Ā VIĆA ROMERO FOR ZALORA v-neck blouse and loose shortsĀ
ViƱa Romero takes apart existing conventionsāāthe structure and tailoring of menswear, the flow and delicacy of womenswearāāand uses them to build a distinct whole. With a sharp eye for design, she sees opportunities for detail and pursues them with expert execution: a knotted detail here, a contrasting hem there, a slit and buttons running down the back of a blouse. The beauty lies in the subtleties.
RON XAVIER SANTOS FOR ZALORA sheer boxy jacket and cropped printed trousers
RON XAVIER SANTOS FOR ZALORA sleeveless top with button-down detail, cropped jacket and A-line skirt
Ron Xavier Santos simultaneously deconstructs and puts together. In his collection Alpas, named after the Filipino word for breaking free or coming loose from imprisonment, he breaks down the notions surrounding the barong and fuses the concept with modern streetwear. Straddling the line between traditional and the here and now, Alpas is the best of both sensibilities.
Left: BENJ ROGANDO FOR ZALORA gray plaid button-down, suit jacket and trousers
Right: BENJ ROGANDO FOR ZALORA gray and blue high-neck top with navy details and gray and blue plaid trousers
Benj Rogando‘s collection finds footing in smart tailoring and variations of plaid. But don't let the foundations fool you: there's more to his unique concept of anti-dapper than meets the surface. With this Benj's collection, the fun is in the details as he turns the typical idea of menswear into something street-ready and modern.
DC DE CASTRO FOR ZALORA cropped rainbow top and drawstring wide-leg pants with yellow panel detail
DC DE CASTRO FOR ZALORA dress with knot detail and denim bomber jacket
DC De Castro may be fairly new to the womenswear game, but his collection is testament to the fact that new paths don't faze him. The menswear designer's first foray into women's clothing ties together athleticism and unmistakable femininity by way of dark denim, colorful graphic lines and silhouettes that do nothing but justice for the female form.
Left, on Nastya: MARC BLANCO FOR ZALORA gray high-neck sweater and straight-leg two-tone denim pants
Left, on Leo:Ā MARC BLANCO FOR ZALORA black t-shirt with silver graphic print and red trousers with black panel detail
Right:Ā MARC BLANCO FOR ZALORA black t-shirt with red tassel detail, red cinched-waist jacket and black contrast stitch trousers
In the early stages of the competition that birthed the Zalora Emerging Designer collections, Marc Blanco introduced himself as Star. It was the name his friends called him and a word that would ultimately ring synonymous to his winning collection. He delivers streetwear at its finest. Picture basics like denim, t-shirts and simple outerwear elevated by patchwork, tassels and eye-catching elements.
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Consider this fact: these collections won't be the last you see from these up-and-comers. Stay on the edge of your seats because we're calling it: bright-eyed and brimming with potential, these kids may just be the new breed of Philippine fashion greats. In the meantime, get ahead of the game and shop their collections exclusively on Zalora.
Photography James Lopez
Stylists ZALORA Styling Team
Hair and Makeup Zarry Borbon
Models Nastya and Leo
Layout and HeaderĀ Alexandra Lara