New and veteran designers amp up men’s wear

Philippine Fashion Week is not just for well-heeled ladies, as more and more designers focus on men’s wear. Those with the passion for fashion filled the halls of the SMX Convention Center to watch the Premier D Collection show on Sunday. The six-designer runway event, composed of up-and-coming visionaries and their veteran colleagues, showcased the trends for the coming year.

Veteran men’s wear designer Anthony Nocom opened the Spring-Summer 2010 show with classic polo shirts and khakis, his color palette dominated by whites, browns, and blacks. Nocom’s collection was apt for the no-frills kind of man, adhering to simple yet elegant silhouettes.

Departing from Nocom’s muted colors, Jun Jun Cambe wowed the audience with his robust hues and animal prints. Deep reds, greens, and blues enriched his interesting designs for men and women alike. The experienced designer used silhouettes and prints usually reserved for women’s wear and turned them into tailored outfits that men can sport without looking tacky.

Also adding a touch of femininity to his collection was young artist Marc Tana, partnering his cropped pants with wide belts and bib shirts. Sequins adorned the puff-sleeved shirts male models wore down the runway, an example of how designs normally seen in women’s wear can easily transition into its male counterpart.

Nursing student turned fashion designer Odelon Simpao stuck to the basic shirt-and-pants combination for men and mini dresses for women. His designs were a little too simple, save for the outfits’ candy colors. Simpao’s collection seemed repetitive, albeit in different color patterns.

Simon Ariel Vasquez, on the other hand, showcased a black and white set infused with graphic prints. Both male and female models also sashayed down the runway in what seemed to be Vasquez’ modern interpretation of the barong, giving the traditional weave interesting new shapes.

Young designer Ziggy Savella came out with a collection evidently designed for the no-nonsense dresser, with its subdued colors and loose-fitting pieces. Different permutations of the blue jeans dominated his collection, as well as sack-styled pants and skirts.

Comfort prevailed throughout the designers’ different collections, staying true to the idea with fuss-free pieces while still looking sharp and stylish. Women’s wear-inspired clothes are also starting to dominate menswear collections, after past seasons showed the opposite.

The shows for the Spring-Summer 2010 collections are concurrently held at the SMX Convention Center and SM Mall of Asia, both in Pasay City, from October 21 to 28. - GMANews.TV