Friday, October 26, 2012

Poll: What are Your Thoughts on this Open Letter


Dear Philippine Fashion,

Just as any formal letter would go, we’d start by asking how are you? Over the past seasons we’ve seen you grow leaps and bounds. Look around and you will see a relatively thriving industry. And look at you, making waves across international shores. With this much attention I am sure we are all encouraged to step up our game to play with the big leagues abroad. Because you know what? We totally can.

Right about now everyone is talking about the 2013 Spring/Summer edition of Philippine Fashion Week. Spirits and anticipation are at a high. What will we see this season? Last season we took the liberty of listing basic fashion etiquette guests should keep in mind when watching the shows. This time we take to the opposite end and list down what we are tired of seeing go down the runway.

1.) Peplums. This may be a marginalized peeve but let’s move on from that trend. It was fresh at least three seasons ago but now it is just exhausting to look at. We’ve seen peplums in different variations and I think it is about time to give it a rest. There are other ways to go about accentuating the waist area, I’m sure.

Special mention goes to the other runway favorite, the mullet skirt. Enough said.

2.) Remember when seasoned models were falling one by one on the catwalk? Yes, that one. While we are glad that designers are thinking of an entire look by having shoes made specifically for their shows. But please, test run those pairs first before sending them out. The models may be a pro at walking in sky-high heels but you never know what will go down (pun intended) the runway. Accidents happen and falling flat on the floor is not pretty. Don’t just make shoes just for the sake of. Function over form. As visually interesting (or editorial) as they may be, it must be carefully engineered to walk in real life. Oh and can we also step away from the heel-less shoes? Their statement has run out, I’m afraid.

3.) We know it’s your heart and soul walking out one ensemble at a time but by now we are all aware that your fashion shouldn’t be indulgent. Garments still have to sell at the end of the day. You want the guests to want your pieces. An over embellished, over designed, I-can-barely-move-or-sit dress is just that, indulgent. Strike that balance between designing for ones self and designing with a woman (or man) in mind. You’ll thank us later.

4.) I believe we’ve seen one too many a season of Project Runway to know that it gets crazy leading up to the show. Incidental problems will arise for sure. This however doesn’t give you the excuse to send down garments with unfinished hems or threads sticking out and catching wind. You wouldn’t want people in the first few rows to want to grab a pair of scissors and snip at the raw edges. You’ve all been given time to complete your collection, we hope you used the time wisely.

5.) Again, you wouldn’t want your guests to cringe at ill-fitting ensembles sashay on the runway. Fit is of utmost importance. You want to show everyone that your clothes can be made for them not I will make one in a generic size and hope it fits you.

6.) Originality is relative. However, I’m sure we understand how the Internet works right? Everyone is informed. You are without a doubt highly creative. Reference thoughtfully and come up with something brilliant as compared to being “totally inspired” by an existing collection from foreign shores. And don’t belittle your audience, some know their fashion and can pinpoint even the most obscure reference. Be very careful.

Other than those mentioned, you’re good to go. We don’t have control over what you ultimately did to your collection. We can only hope for stellar work. It’s your time to shine and with the current trajectory in mind a good chunk of you will hopefully not let us down. We are most definitely looking forward to seeing amazing fashion go down the runway. As Tim Gunn would always say, go out there and knock our socks off. It sure is an exciting time for Philippine fashion and boy are we glad to witness it.

Source: megastyle.ph

60 comments:

  1. Like those overpriced, overexposed and overpraised skeleton heeled shoes na kinopya lang kay alexander mcqueen.

    Pero above all, i'm excites to see the Jenner sisters! : )

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  2. Sobrang haba, na-bore ako sa unang paragraph pa lang. Sorry po, nasagot lang ako sa tanong ni FP. Peace!

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  3. Raymond G, ikaw ba ang nagsulat nito?

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  4. Some people involved in Philippine Fashion Week have a lot of its own shortcomings that have to be addressed. Fashion Designers' etiquette and professionalism is one. When you ask for models to go-see, make sure you are all sincere in getting those who deserve and fit to wear your creation. As it is, there's always the palakasan system. In short, DO NOT ANNOUNCE A GO-SEE WHEN YOU HAVE ALREADY HAVE PRE-SELECTED YOUR MODELS BEFOREHAND. #MasabiLangNaNagpa-gosee

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  5. marami naman designers na gumagawa ng wearable outfits sa Fashion Week. Siguro yung nahahighlight lang eh yung mga ala-Alexander McQueen na todomax ang design. Originality and Taste are relative. That is why fashion is not math where there is an exact answer to every question. Fashion, like art, is subjective, and, as such, its appreciation would depend on the taste of the observer. #nosebleed

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  6. Mejo off ako sa statement 1-3. Designer yan eh, kung gusto nila ireinvent yung mullet skirt or kahit anu pa yan, wala tayong magagawa. Kung dmo gusto, hindi ka pipilitin. Saka kung mag avant garde man sila, [statement 3] eh ganun talaga. Hindi naman rtw yung binebenta nila saka pfw is a venue for them to showcase their skills... tapos simpleng wearable dress lang gusto mong iparada nila? Minsan kasi, kapag bet na bet yung complicated pieces nila kahit hindi naman talaga wearable, they still make an impression.

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    1. I beg to disagree with you. Fashion, whether it's avant garde or RTW, should always serves its purpose. Someone should somehow fit and move with it. Wearability does not equate RTW. A true creative mind can marry out-of-this-world-idea and wearability. Gone are the days of "show pieces".

      I always dream of that day that Filipino designers will dictate fashion. That day when we are the ones who will create fashion trends. And I will always hold on to that dream.

      -Tim Ganun

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    2. 6:26 Pag wearable, simple agad?!


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  7. I agree with number 2 and the overdesigned clothes. As a girl, I want to see something that I could wear, and not just admire. Also, kawawa naman yung models kung di man lang naiconsider yung wearability ng shoes.

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  8. Right about now everyone is talking about the 2013 Spring/Summer edition of Philippine Fashion Week ------> TRUE!!! narinig ko ngang pinaguusapan yan sa may palengke, sa kanto, sa may bakery, sa parlors, barber shops sa paradahan ng tricycle, bus at jeepney at tren! sa pagkakarinig ko nga they are really excited and can't wait to see yung latest fashion!!! nagiipon na nga raw sila for it! hahahahahaha my gosh everyone is really talking about it!

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    1. Im sorry natawa talaga ako dito lol

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    2. hee hee. dami ko din tawa dito. love it!!!

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    3. Hahaha!! Tumpak.mga socialites at social climber lng nman ang dead na dead jan.

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    4. LOL pasok sa jar! And why do they call it "Spring/Summer" eh wala naman tayong Spring season? So feeling natin we have autumn and winter seasons din. Pwede namang PFW Summer 2013 lang, I think!

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    5. Dapat magpakatotoo tayo na WALANG spring, autumn at winter sa Pilipinas. Dapat Summer lang talaga or BER collection for October to December.

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    6. tumpakels anon 8:04! di ba pwedeng dry/wet season na lang para mas simple dabah? natatawa ako pag may thanksgiving sale pah! hahahah! nasan ang mga pilgrims at native american indians sa pinas?!?! hahaha! kalokah!

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    7. Hahaha sooo true! Mga social climbers, overrated bloggers and fame wh*res lang naman interested sa mga ganito. Maybe they called it Spring-Summer kasi may global warming na? Haha kaloka!

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    8. Dry / wet season...so kapag wet season made sa plastic/rubber mga designs? HAHAHA!

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    9. they used to call it just summer collection and then holiday collection. but then again maybe bec everything is global now, they at least can cater to international market.

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    10. SUMMER/STORMY Collection 2013

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    11. natawa ako. wet and dry, parang palengke lng ah! hahaha

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    12. spring / summer kasi ang dapat na vision natin sa industriya ay international hindi lang summer sa philippines. short sighted ganun? talangkaan festival, pinoy style.

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  9. why do I smell PR stint?

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    1. amoy nagpapapansin para madaming pumunta sa pasyon weak!

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  10. Inspired by Ayyy teh! ba ito? But true, kung maka-over design ng clothes, parang costume party palagi ang peg. Dinadaan sa bigat at dami ng embellishments. Hindi naman masuot during regular occasions.

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  11. Boring talaga basahin promise.

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    Replies
    1. sulating pormal ang peg

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    2. hahaha! Tumfact!

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    3. kasing haba ng lord of the rings trilogy.. (ang OA ko naman)

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  12. ..for me i notice yung tela ng mga designers laging may shantung lalo na sa mga gown..

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  13. Makes sense.But at the end of the day,the designer is still an artist.He has to be able to express himself through his creations.I think most Filipino designers are well aware of the current global trends and are able to put their own twists to it.

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  14. nagpapaalipin ang mga filipino designers sa usong usong "high street fashion" trend. Nagpapainspire masyado sa mga blogger, tuloy ultimo established women nagmumukhang teenagers. Meron naman na atang topshop at F21, di na nila kailangan sumiksik.

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  15. Brilliant? Overrated lang kamo. Ang daming mahusay na designers dyan pero underrated. Parang sa showbiz. Daming overrated na artista na wala namang ibubuga sa aktingan like ilong ranger. Underrated naman ung mga katulad nina Charee Pineda, ang galing umarte pero panghapon lang. Fashion industry is like showbiz

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  16. I'd rather wear jeans and shirt and a pair of chuck taylor.

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  17. Inferlaloo BORIIIIING!!! Pati mga comments boring!! Hahaha

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  18. Gusto maging original at truly pinoy, imbes na Spring/Summer Collection gawing Taginit/ Tagtuyo Collection at for Fall/Winter Collection na non-existent sa pinas ay gawing Tagulan/Baha Collection.

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  19. FP,

    in the first place, is there really a local philippine fashion industry to speak of? obviously none, we are just riding the bandwagon of the successful filipino designers who made it BIG abroad, and to define successful is when a designer was able to dressed up world known celebrities in Hollywood, the likes of (monique lhuillier, oliver tolentino)

    they struck BIG First in the international catwalk stage becoz they are primarily exposed to the kind of stiff competition they are up against,and the harsh reality of critics' review they gone through from fashion editors, stylists, and well bred/veteran fashion forecasters

    the problem we have in the philippines, are always "tsamba" attitude, the last minute work (cramming), the politeness of our society who settles for "pwede na" and the palakasan system, the local designers arent being grilled of their work, because they already have connections/network who will support their work no matter if its bad, copied or unbelievable impossible to wear, they have labelled / crowned themselves as designers yet all they can do is cut and sew, thats all.

    in the 2006 movie "the devil wears prada" just imagine "Miranda Priestly" rumored to be the fictional character of Anna Wintour of Vogue Magazine, analyzed the works of our local designers? do you think she will allowed them to be on the cover of a magazine or perhaps be recognized as a designer?

    as long as nobody wants to play a bad guy, or a critic, or a judge, therefore dont expect the local philippine fashion scene be at par with new york, milan, tokyo,

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    1. Bottom line. This country has yet to achieve its own fashion 'soul'. There are still a lot of issues that were not mentioned in the letter and in this comment that our fashion industry needs to tackle or manage (like, government support). We still don't have our own fashion identity as we merely rely or follow trends happening in the west (but we are an eastern/asian country!). Japan/Tokyo has already made a mark in the fashion industry. South Korea is slowly making its presence. So, see its not really impossible for an Asian country like the PHL to have its own identity. The points raised in the letter and in some comments here only validates the point that this industry needs a total make-over.

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  20. Minsan din kasi hindi lang yung style ng clothes or accessories ang dahilan sa fashion shows. Dito rin na showcase yung newest textile technology. In short, hindi yung style ng damit mismo kundi yung telang or material ma ginamit. Dito pwede ma-showcase ang pinoy ingenuity. Kaya kahit peplum pa uli yan pero kung gumamit naman ng material na bago sa paningin ng tao, lets say gawa sa abaca pero hindi yung ordiraryo abaca na pang placemat. yung abaca na mixed with other fabric kaya mas malambot at di makati sa balat.

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  21. Re Statement #3. Meron nmn mga designers that presents wearable clothes on the runway. But it's also nice to have "indulgent" fashion shows every once in a while. Case in point: Victoria's Secret. Coz sometimes these fashion shows are afterall "shows." Parang gimmick rin lng yan.

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  22. Haha naalala ko lang yung shoes made by Joco. Nagsidapaan ang mga models.

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  23. korek!it's not really about the money. It's about having the resources and connections to run a show even if the collections are tacky.

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  24. i love the mullet skirt!!!!!!!!!!!does that mean i'm outdated?i don't think so

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  25. Eh pati nga yung sumulat nito kinopya lang din phrase ni tim gunn! Ay sows!

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  26. So true anon comments.

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  27. Tama ka anon 3:34... Pati si anon 12:05 Korek din

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  28. My thoughts....Millions of people are hungry, who gives a f@##$% about peplums sh&**.

    sincerely,
    constipated woman

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    Replies
    1. Agree ateng! Asikasohin muna nila ang mga drainage natin, pakainin ang mga gutom at pag aralin ang mga studyante bago natin ma aachieve ang mga na achieve ng Tokyo. Yung mga pilipino masyadong busy kahahanap ng makakain at sobrang liit lang ng population natin cares about the "datedness" of a peplum skirt. Kaya nga third world country tayo diba?

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