Celebrity fashion designer Mark Bumgarner brings his red carpet sensibilities to ready-to-wear

Celebrity fashion designer Mark Bumgarner, well-known and well-loved for his show-stopping creations, is bringing his red carpet sensibilities to local retail brand Plains and Prints.

Mark launched his first big RTW collection at the Manila Private House Club in Bonifacio Global City on Tuesday evening, a day after dressing up the likes of Heart Evangelista who carried his creations at the State of the Nation Address.

As expected, the event was attended by the biggest stars including Dr. Vicki Belo, Joey Mead King, beauty queen and Kapuso star Laura Lehmmann and other influencers.

LOOK: Celebrity renowned fashion designer Mark Bumgarner brings his fashion sensibilities over to RTW in a collaboration with local fashion brand Plains and Prints @gmanews pic.twitter.com/qpGzWSFXlL

— Jannie (@jannieannb) July 24, 2018

Mark said that while the project was unexpected, he didn't have to think twice about saying yes. He shared the same fashion vision with the retail brand, he said.

"It wasn't that hard kasi when we had the initial meeting it's the same, it has to be timeless,  at the same time it has to be fashion-forward more than it be something you would just wear once, and we have that same goal," Mark told the press at the event.

The prints of the new collection featured Filipino symbols, taking inspiration "from the Anahaw because it is our national leaf and is endemic to our islands. We also chose the Waling-Waling prints because it's considered as the 'Queen of Philippine Flowers' and one of the most prized orchids in the world," Mark shared.

For the plains side of the collection he said "the target is to have daily wear that  can be worn from day to night, and I think we accomplished that."

The only challenge he had with the seven-month process of completing the whole collection is the reinterpretation of his glamorous couture into more wearable ensembles.

"The challenge for me was to tone down my 'di ba from the gowns, I usually just do gowns, couture, the challenge was to make it wearable, and also to kind of blend in with plains and prints which was not that much of a struggle din," Mark said.

All his designs are definitely off the hook but even Mark himself has his own favorites, "The floral dress the floor-length floral dress definitely, the crop wide like pants with a slit in both sides and the corsetted top with the draping down the side those are my top three favorites," he shared.

He said this collaboration gave him an opportunity to share his fashion masterpieces to more Filipino women across the country, giving them a chance to wear his timeless and elegant designs.  — LA, GMA News

The Mark Bumgarner X Plains and Prints collection will be available in Plains and Prints stores nationwide starting August 3, 2018.