Tropical Punch
flops have become a way of life. There are a very few who do not carry the tell-tale thong tan lines that run from toe gap to arch. This is especially true in the summer months, when closed shoes and high heels just become too cumbersome and oppressive for everyday traversing. So it should come as a surprise to no one that a flip flop brand, namely the Brazilian brand Ipanema, collaborated with five of Manila’s designers for the Resort Wear show during the recently concluded Philippine Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2012.
The five designers, none of whom were strangers to PFW, each were charged with gleaning inspiration from the flip flops that Gisele Bundchen has popularized. With each selecting a different slipper style, the collection swung from bright, bold colors to muted neutrals and from micro to maxi lengths, creating something akin to style schizophrenia when viewed as a whole. Yet from piece to piece, from designer to designer, the vision of fashion apt for lounging and relaxing was clear.
Fashion week staple Anthony Nocom delivered more of what he is known for, men in casual, roomy blazers and trousers with rolled up hems or shorts while scarves replaced shirts, all wrapped up in a palette that evoked sand. When shirts were exhibited, they were done appropriately in light fabrics like linen and thin jersey. Inspired by the classic black and white tribal prints of Ipanema Classica Urbana Masc, Nocom translated the slipper through color and the idea of the classic.
Catherine Cavilte channeled a more polished look for Spring-Summer, opting for flowing fabrics in animal print and embellished gowns in silk satin. Cavilte took her cue from the Ipanema Appliques Ad II and Ipanema Classica Envolvente and, like, Nocom, stuck to an earthy palette for her gowns. The only pops of bring color to be had in Cavilte’s offering were the dapper suits in shades of aqua that the men sported.
Dave Ocampo served femininity two ways in his colorful collection. From ‘70s disco to flowy florals, his designs sought to highlight the shape of summer’s women. From bright pops of color paired with retro circles to a more classic purple on black orchid-like pattern, Ocampo dedicated his runway to the fairer sex, everyone from the dancing queen, to the resort matron, the Hawaiian luau girl all rolled into one.
Lyle Ibanez took a daintier route to resortwear, with sparkles and chiffon in pastel colors. Sheer and shiny was definitely a theme, as both men and women were garbed in patterned blue chiffon and Thai silk. Departing from the neutral tones that were set earlier in the show, Ibanez embraced the rich colors of blue, orange, and yellow. The Ipanema Ritmos II Ad was the peg, with its sling back and geometric shapes, and floral appliqués.
Last to show was , whose use of shocking colors most successfully brought summer to mind. In the colors of the sunrise, models paraded in dresses of different lengths, cinched in with wide obi belts of contrasting colors. Inspired as well by the floral embellishments of the Ipanema Ritmos Ad, Ramirez took his inspiration and tied it quite nicely to the look and feel of the season. - Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin.
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