Every year, people raise awareness for breast cancer and empower the women who are afflicted by it. But for the latest edition of Fashion Can Serve, the I Can Serve Foundation wanted to emphasize that having a companion during the journey to health is just as important.
The slogan “Why We Fight” spoke of love and support from families, friends, and the community. This year, Fashion Can Serve showcased the designs of six local designers: Ito Curata, Mia Arcenas, Rosenthal Tee, JC Buendia, Vania Romoff, and Cary Santiago. Just like the previous shows, each of them had muses who are either breast cancer survivor or walking in behalf of someone. The show was intimate and lighthearted with lots of cheers from the audience. To see the highlights of each capsule collection, just scroll down.
Ito Curata
Ito melded solid colors and printed elements for his gowns. He also incorporated bead work and ribbon details to add a statement to each piece. He didn’t shy away from traditional designs as well as Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran-Floirendo walked the runway in a Filipiniana-style off-shoulder gown. Her granddaughter Cosima also walked the runway.
Mia Arcenas
Dominantly in the rose gold and blush pink color scheme, Mia’s collection had an old Hollywood meets flapper era vibe to it. Models were seen in wrap dresses with metallic belts, turtleneck dresses, and maxi dresses with plunging necklines—each accessorized with gold pearls. This classy motif continued with the pieces that muses Solenn Heussaff and Sabrina Panlilio wore.
Rosenthal Tee
It was all about ball gowns and slit dresses with lace details for this collection. She made use of ruffles, sheer fabric, and feathers on the bodice and skirts. Her muses Jasmine Curtis and Katarina Rodriguez both wore Rosenthal’s rendition of a flouncy evening gown.
Vania Romoff
Vania kept her pieces simplistic and feminine, with no over-the-top frills distracting from each silhouette. She only used elegant floral prints and lace give interest to each piece. The dresses worn by the models and muses Caren Torres-Rama and Mitzi Borromeo were flowy, which followed their movements gracefully.
JC Buendia
Think: Audrey Hepburn dresses and sleek pantsuits—that’s what JC’s collection was reminiscent of. The models’ outfits were all black and white, combining feminine and masculine elements. You can also spot floral embroideries on some of them. Meanwhile, the dresses worn by Gloria Diaz and Libet Virata stood out as they’re made with semi-shiny fabric and decorated with bold flowers.
Cary Santiago
Cary created his version of the naked dress with a combination of sheer white fabrics and a skin tone inner piece. The white fabric had detailed lace patterns paired with chunky jewelry. Maureen Wroblewitz‘s dress had a confetti-like skirt while Pia Wurtzbach stood out in an ivory strapless gown.
Photos by Deneb Villanueva
Art by Lara Intong
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