Plaid and simple

By Miguel Paolo Celestial

Published in The Philippine Star, 31 October 2008

Not like for the Fall/Winter 2008 shows last June, there were more than a few
good pieces that escaped the menswear night last Friday, October 25, and were
only presented during other days on the Spring/Summer 2009 Philippine Fashion
Week schedule. It was a good thing I decided to sit through last Sunday to catch
several that got away.

The dozen designers that composed the 9:30pm offering last Friday were not
short on both fantasy and menswear basics, but as usual, there were lapses in
the choice of material for otherwise well constructed pieces and many items that
just boggled the mind how they even made it on a formal runway.

Other major impediments to the menswear collections include the use of color,
both for separate pieces and in combination. For several shows, they were way
off the zeitgeist and, even given room for interpretation, just did not feel right. Not
to mention bad styling, mismatched accessories, and the overuse of jersey for
shirts. But beyond all these, the best menswear pieces were considerably the
simplest.

Bang Pineda came up with a wearable vest and a hoodie, both sleeveless, with
the latter having a diagonal zipper. Though the rest of his pieces were good only
for theatre productions or hip-hop shows, especially his long-sleeved hoodie that
was cut bolero-short, or his “cargo” sweat shorts that had half-zipper-half-
drawstring crotches.

Edwin Tan, for his part, incorporated the look of a Hawaiian lei of flowers into
shirts by stitching a wreath of fabric like a bib. The blue and white version could
have worked if it were monochromatic or had blue detailing, perhaps on the cuffs.
He also had black sequinned shirts that, though more suitable for a Fall/Winter
collection, hold promise for those seeking something different to wear during
holiday parties.

Frederick Policarpio had well-constructed suits with shawl collars and slightly
peaked shoulders in his nod to previous, but still relevant trends, while Jerome
Lorico presented interesting mask-design prints on shirts and scarves, which
could have sustained bolder and cleaner lines.

Two designers deserved an A for effort: Manelle Chamian, for reviving the
erstwhile denim aesthetic of François Marithé Girbaud, when the brand was still
good; and Ralph Ng for his jackets inspired by the Japanese deconstructionists.
If only Chamian pushed the designs further with more innovation and character,
and Ng used better material.
Now if Frederick Policarpio had the best suit, then Odelon Simpao had the best
shirt, coming in a blue-and-yellow plaid pattern with diagonal detailing, and also
the best accessory: a small plaid bowtie. Best show, hands down, was M
Barretto’s, which worked around the main colors of Simpao’s shirt.

Barretto’s show was the most consistent. Besides expounding on his color
theme, he also presented a wide array of well-made basics: from plain and floral
shirts to jackets and summer shorts. He also presented his take on the
workingman’s coveralls, in blue stripes and pattern detailing at the collar and
cuffs, and in plaid, cut board shorts-high and in short sleeves. A close cousin is
his sleeveless overalls, with an overlapping zipper, a drawstring hem also at the
shins, and a hood.

Among the menswear surprises that were shown off Friday night were Pier Lim’s
denim and cotton jeans that looked as if they had leg warmers. Now that’s what I
call innovation.