L.A. Fashion Week Spring 2010: Passion Revealed
The talents of three designers originally from the Philippines were on display at the former St. Vibiana’s Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles on Oct. 16 in an event called Passion Revealed.
Of the three, only Alexis Monsanto lives in Los Angeles. Furne Oneacute; and his Amato Haute Couture have been based out of Dubai for around 10 years, and Philip Rodriguez still resides in the Philippines.
Rodriguez, who has created attire for former Filipino presidents Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, presented long evening gowns with intricate beading as well as cocktail dresses edged with huge ruffles. From time to time, he incorporated the look of Spanish shawls into his evening wear and even gave a nod to Spanish bullfighters with a short, embroidered jacket paired with long, flowing pants. He ended his presentation with a touch of the Philippines with a Filipiniana dress with oversized poofed sleeves.
Monsanto’s selections were more subdued. He has been a staple on the Los Angeles fashion scene for years and is known for his tailoring and precision-cut silhouettes. He presented a broad array of looks that took a woman from the beach to the opera. His collection included short sets, leggings paired with tunic tops or ruffled blouses, beach cover-ups, glitzy jackets, dresses layered with ruffles or shaped with pleated material, and elegant evening gowns.
The evening ended with a touch of fantasy with Oneacute;’s over-the-top evening gowns, which had a certain Marie Antoinette–meets–Zsa Zsa Gabor feel to them. The Dubai-based designer had fun with white wigs that had the consistency of cotton candy topped with whimsical cutouts shaped like guitars, sailboats and bicycles. Everything Oneacute; showed was doused in sequins and crystals with oodles of fluffy skirts and corseted tops.—Deborah Belgum
