BASIC MATTER - SHORTS, LOAFERS, SOLIDS AND PLAIDS

I love seeing guys – yes, straight guys paying such attention to his style no matter how eccentric (and that doesn’t make them gay for being fashionable).

FRONT ROW SEATS AND THE SMELL OF STINKY PAINT AT FASHION WEEK

( Filipino designer Ralph Ng - Philippine Fashion Week 2008)

The idea of attending Philippine Fashion Week was somewhat daunting. I may be cheeky, but that does not include being stuck up. I love looking at runway shows for creativity and inspiration, and if preppy ole’ me can take away one trick or treat from a show, then I consider my observation a success.

The fashion community was in full force including my favorite fashion editor Joyce Fernandez of Imagine Magazine and Manila Bulletins’ fashion Duo Daryl and Andre Chang, the girls from MEGA as well as a handful of Philippine media personalities, fashionistas and fashion victims ( yes, they were all over!).

( Frederick Peralta Gala night at Philippine Fashion Week)

Models sashayed down the cheaply constructed water based latex painted runway in hopes of invigorating a couple of underwhelming collections with some fashion interest, but the only interest found was in our hopes that something innovative and different would come down the runway.

The first night of Philippine Fashion Week ended with a bang. Ralph Ng’s show was not only impeccably styled ( Good Job Paolo Castro and Jujin Samonte) with silver neck pieces to go with the urban chic ensembles, it’s was really well casted. The models looked like they belonged together on the runway. It’s not that I think everyone should look alike but many designers had a wide array of looks which sort of adds a stutter to a show that would normally flow. And the flawlessly structured tops, separates, ruffled tulle skirts and slouchy pants got a rousing round of applause.

FASHION REVOLUTION - DON PROTASIO

( Revolutionary designer Don Protasio at Philippine Fashion Week wearing a neckpiece by Tina Daniac)

( Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2009 - Ready to wear )

Cambodia-based Ilonggo designer Don Protasio treats his design process as an experiment in an art form. Deconstructed understatement and evolution that come along with it – personalized by a lot of handmade materials and accessories that he imagines. A mix of architecture and traditional couture techniques combined with sharp cutting to obtain a very personal style built-up of contrasting volumes and proportions– truly revolutionary.

WEEKEND ATTENTION DISORDER ( ON BEING IDLE)

This photo just made my day ( photo: Altamira NYC)

I asked myself regarding my two weekends of pure boredom which I suspected might have some sketchy points. During those two weeks, I was trying so hard to stay connected in the moment, so that as much of the experience as possible would imprint on my mind for recall in the years ahead. My connection to details around me notably decreased, as I focused more and more inwardly, noting less and less of the activity and atmosphere around me.

In my mind I'm working on various postpartum ( I was never pregnant and will never be haha) posts, though none of them have hit the keyboard. My days alone for the past few weekends seem to unwind in light speed, eaten up by every-two-hours bathroom break sessions with my stock of style magazines ( yes I have a dresser full of GQ, Details, Cargo, Esquire, Nylon, Wallpaper, I.D etc), unending lack of activity due to multiple wardrobe changes throughout the day, and a compulsion to have my room as clean as possible at all times. At first, this compulsion was motivated by the constant and sometimes unexpected stream of inactivity in the past two weeks. But, now that I’m back on track, I still feel compelled to spend every moment endlessly tidying. This is not how I want to spend this priceless time alone which expires today.

This gives me a strange pleasure, and makes me feel more responsible somehow. I wake up each Saturday with a long list of cleaning and organizing projects, and develop an unkind headache if I try to ignore the next item on the list. I feel certain this attention to my microcosm is also propelled by the fact that I have been bored an unusually over productive. I have started to become a bit claustrophobic, and I'm pretty sure the constant housecleaning is some reaction to that. The longer I'm pinned in these walls, the more dust and general muck I see, and panic that the existence of such things will get me reported to the yaya patrols.

Schedule for the week of October 20 – 26

· I’ll be covering fashion week thanks to Lester
· My friends funeral on Thursday – I’ll miss you man!
· More new business for the agency
· Bag search – I’m in need of a new tote
· Recycle!
· Visit to Viktors – thank god they’re now in greenbelt 5!

DON PROTASIO CAPSULE COLLECTION

Cambodia based -Ilonggo designer Don Protasio draws his inspiration from an era when people believed in a world of dynamic interactive and integrated environment converging toward a divine ideal world. A future that is bright.

Catch his capsule collection at Philippine Fashion Week
1 PM October 26, 2008
SMX Convention Center, Manila
Philippines

(Photos from Don Protasio's archive)

GET HAPPY AT GLOBAL PINOY

Photos and accessories by Happy Guingona David for Get Happy and Lucy in the Sky

Global Pinoy Bazaar goes to Ayala Alabang on October 18-19, 2008 (Saturday-Sunday) at the Cuenca Community Center near St. James the Great church. I am supporting my cousin – that’ll be Booth 52 ( Get Happy and Lucy in the Sky by Happy Guingona David)

THE WAIT IS OVER

The wait is over. Fred Perry Manila is now under construction at the new Greenbelt 5 wing. Just in time for Christmas. Yeba!

BASIC MATTER

Style is a question of charm, not nationality. It is not true that French men have more allure or style than men of other nationality. It’s just that they dress with more personality. They don’t follow dress codes and sometimes they mix things in a way they shouldn’t.

As for me, I like my clothes simple, laid-back but not disheveled, comfortable and soft without being washed-out or overly distressed. Versatile-you can wear them day or night. ( 1st and 3rd photo from http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/)

Here are photos of my visual mood board of blue, gray white, purple and all things basic:

I deserve a great pair of driving shoes this Christmas or probably next month. Purple driving shoes from Tods ( Photo credit: Thesartorialist.blogspot.com)Basic collared shirts from Fred Perry ( Ralph Lauren, Lacoste and Le Tigre too)
Perfect classic do in shades of gray, blue and white – bag envy! (Photo credit: thesartorialist.blogspot.com)

CASHMERE OVERLOAD

I absolutely love it when the weather turns cool enough that we need to wear a light sweater to warm it up just a bit. There's nothing more luxurious than the softness and warmth of cashmere. I am such a suckers for things that are beautiful, versatile-you can wear them day or night. As usual, I am trying to wear them too early. Here's the truth, men look sexy in knitwear. Whether it's a paper-thin cashmere sweater or a textured wool pullover, there is something about seeing the masculine form swathed in cozy yarn that is irresistible.

So far I got myself a couple from Tyler, Banana Republic, J Crew, Ralph Lauren, Seventy and DKNY.

(top photo: www.thesundaysbest.org )

STYLE SALVAGE PROJECT -MOLESKINE SKETCH

I came across ‘Style Salvage’ and they've got this challenge and I thought it might be cool to revive my old moleskine with some style doodles. Here's my take on the project:

http://stylesalvage.blogspot.com/

ELEY KISHIMOTO AT DOTDOTDOT

There's always been something playful about Eley Kishimoto - floral sundress with matching stockings or a navy shirtdress with a pin tucked waist, pieces that suggested innocence.

Eley Kishimoto in the Philippines is exclusively distributed by Trio Marketing Ventures ( Paul Smith, DotDotDot, Ben Sherman etc.)

MORITA OIL AND ACRYLIC ON CANVAS SERIES 8X12

In ‘morita’, an extended series of my acrylic and oil paintings on canvas, nonobjective female abstraction and representational color play merge and intersect. New perceptions and associations derive from combining these two formidable visual forces. The idioms often form an unexpectedly satisfying equilibrium. In other instances, polarity creates tension between the diverse approaches.

( Morita series 8X12. I should start painting on a bigger canvas again)

The series ‘morita’ was initiated in August 2007 and I continue its development. It is a fertile and compelling challenge to use distinct traditions in new ways. Juxtaposition and convergence generate results that are visually and conceptually powerful, lyrical, subtle, restrained or flamboyant. As disparate forms converge, exciting and surprising results emerge.

Although ‘morita’ has not yet been exhibited, I look forward to showing selected examples of the fifteen painting series in the near future.

Here’s a sampling - the spacing is all wrong, but it will look something like this on exhibit.

The whole thing will display at about a wall.

Note: 3 out of the 6 series aint done yet

HIGH-LOW MIX FASHION HEROIN

Dressing in head-to-toe monochrome can be really stylish and sophisticated as long as looks good on you. These days, having your own distinct personal style is the new trend in fashion.

With a pinch of creativity, DIY and vintage shopping is the best alternative to saving yourself from unwanted cash flow.

Crisp, fresh and modern – it’s like fashion heroin, you’ll do anything to wear it daily.

Photo credit: Timmy Sy Ang of Dean and Trent (http://greigematter.blogspot.com)

GROWING-UP PREPPY DOWN SOUTH

I was brought up by mom and dad wearing preppy clothes and I always went back to them. Preppy is the easiest way to dress. When in doubt, wear a crisp white or pastel dress shirt, a v-neck sweater and a pair of dark salvage jeans or pull out your favorite pique shirt ( think Lacoste, le Tigre) – it’s foolproof . Mom even dressed me up with classic collezione (That old boutique in Bacobo St. near UN Avenue) and madras shorts to a party when I was 6, topsider look huh? I prefer east coast style, but in Manila weather, you almost want to wear khaki cargo shorts and a t-shirt just because it’s way damn humid.

(Photo credit - www.sheknowsbest.com)

DESIGNER I'M LOVING - MICH DULCE

In the past years, Mich Dulce has built a flourishing fashion business in Manila – no small task in a country brimming with design talent but without the money or manufacturing facilities to help nurture it. Although Dulce’s fashion certainly isn’t for the meek-ostrich-feather bodies, sculptured avant garde have all been featured in her recent collections – her business has grown steadily each season. Her creations range from sculpted, couture-inspired designs her signature collection to the utterly accessible concoctions she makes for the Filipino fast-fashion retailer look new. Dulce has proven that homegrown designers can remain in Manila and still be commercially successful.

photo credit: everywhereweshoot.com

Saturday stress and the 4th

For the past two weeks, I found myself unconsciously narrating to no one, all day long.

I decided to give the walking remedy a try, so I leashed up myself (who technically gained more than 20 lbs) and off the village park in Salcedo, a few minutes from my humble pad. It was a beautiful, cool, perfectly sunny day. I headed back to Plant and window shopped for three hours. I would love to say they were a relaxing three hours, but they were fought with pain the entire way, pain that emanated from my legs with each step I took. I practiced my Bradley breathing techniques: long, slow breaths that filled my entire body, breathing back out into the trees, the woods, the sky and the shops. Deep breaths, the distraction of the sale stickers and keeping me out of line---all these helped to ebb the pain out and away from my body. It was a searing leg pain, felt with each step, almost as though there were some little human head lodged down in there......and then suddenly (insert quirky sensation that leads to a labor epiphany )I spend each day now wondering if this will be the day that forever changes everything. I can't help but take mental notes of all the details so I have them stashed. I'm living in the worst sort of flux I can imagine, I offset the anxiety by meditating on the condition of the day and prayer, the way the world looks, the things I do, the way I feel, logging it all for myself, in what I hope will be a blessing.

INK DOODLE 8X10

One of the ink versions I am currently working on for my exhibit using a technique I am currently trying to develop. I will be posting more oil and acrylic doodles soon.