Philippine Fashion Week wraps up in style with menswear and male models

The menswear shows that closed Philippine Fashion Week at the SMX Convention Center shows last Sunday were some of the most anticipated collections for Spring/Summer 2013—not least because the attendees of the full-house event were all excited to see the male models strut their stuff on the runway.

The staging for the 12 designers’ runway shows set the tone: dimmed lights, a black ramp, and three big studio lights located at the center of the runway.

And the collections did not disappoint, successfully showcasing what the modern Filipino man can look forward to in stores soon.

Among the collections, those of Anthony Nocom, Dodjie Batu, Jinggo Inoncillo, Odelon Simpao, Ulysses King, and Zxander Tan really stood out with their power styling and master tailoring.

Anthony Nocom: from street style to corporate duds

Nocom’s collection was very easy on the eyes and utterly wearable: big pullovers, tailored blazers, really short shorts, barong Tagalogs, formal pants, beach polos, military jackets, camo shirts, and gladiator shoes mostly in nude, green, and gray hues.

His runway show took everyone on a roller coaster ride, because the show started with a very casual street wear look and transitioned into a more formal style with a corporate vibe and slicked-back hairstyles.

Dodjie Batu: masculinity with a floral motif

Wearing floral prints can be risky for men, because choosing the wrong pattern can look really tacky. Luckily, Batu’s 10-piece, flower-dominated collection actually makes floral a good choice for men.

Using simple, understated styling for his collection, Batu let the clothes do the talking: flannel button-downs, above-the-knee shorts, gray, brown, and green pants, colorful belts and a slim brown leather bag.

Jinggo Inoncillo knows how to make women chase the guy

When the beat of Quix*O*Tic’s “Anonymous Face,” started to reverberate through the room, you couldn’t help but feel the “chase” in Inoncillo’s runway show—his guy is mysterious and dangerous, and girls love that.

“I’m that guy your parents warned you about.” That’s how I envision Inoncillo’s spring/summer collection, especially since Filipino top model Brent Javier opened the show.

The 10-piece collection included loud prints, a rose blazer, spiked baseball hats, button-downs with abstract prints, colorful pants, sleeveless polos, and animal-print trousers.




Odelon Simpao’s star-studded ‘abstract illusion’

Simpao’s 11-piece collection, which he called “Abstract Illusion,” was a star-studded affair that included model/actor Daniel Matsunaga (who opened the show), singer Christian Bautista (who closed the show), and some of the top male models in the Philippine fashion industry.

His collection was a mixture of crafted Italian cut suits, slim-fitting pants, and tailored jackets using digital prints, color blocking, and abstract designs that kind of reminded me of Christian Bale’s 1998 movie “Velvet Goldmine.”

The styling evoked British glam punk, as did the vivid gold, blue, and purple pants paired with abstract blazers and button-downs.

The designer combined violet and electric blue colors with touches of pink and yellow accents in Gazar, duchess silk, Swiss and Italian cotton, and cotton twill fabrics.

Ulysses King shows us how to sweat in style

I’m never the dry-fit garment fan and I rarely go to the gym, but after seeing Ulysses King’s sportswear collection, I think I’ll be spending some time in the gym sporting all of them.

His 10-piece collection consists of detailed sleeveless tops, sweatshirts, sweatpants, jackets, a shiny silver track suit, fingerless gloves, shorts, and cool gym bags in green, white, silver, and blue green.

King’s collection is simple yet embodies a cool and rough man spending his day doing sports in a sports outfit with fine graphic designs and nicely cut sweatpants.

Even King’s take on gym bags is impeccable: white leather duffel bags that are just as nice as his olive green sling bag, which will probably become the new “It” gym bag.

Zxander Tan’s take on The Wizard of Oz

Inspired by the beloved characters the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow, Zxander Tan dared every man to be more comfortable in their own skin.

Tan’s collection consists of colored shorts, oversized wool jackets, tailored blazers, and animal-print vest and pants in hues of blue, green, red, and black that exuded coolness and roughness that rounded out the fast beat house music on his runway show.

Known for his over-the-top styling, Tan’s collections are not complete without his accessories, which this time included cool masks, boots with feather details, lots of chains, and top hats. — BM, GMA News

Photos from Philippine Fashion Week