borrowed Japanese-Korean elements, like a short kimono-like cover-up and a loose sash around the waist.
The Maria Clara, one of the most distinctive Filipiniana costumes, was reimagined by 32 of the country’s top fashion designers at the Inquirer Lifestyle “Face-Off: Masters and Millennials” in a bid to contemporize it.
Staged Nov. 30 at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort & Casino, this was the 6th Face-Off, the show of comparative fashion collections held every year by Inquirer Lifestyle. This year’s was staged with Hana Shampoo and Champion Infinity and Solaire.
Also behind Face-Off 2014 were O+USA, Max Factor and Jing Monis for hair and makeup.
The designers’ varied tastes and sensibilities resulted in a wide range of interpretations, from elegant evening wear to edgy streetwear, in ways and shapes one perhaps never imagined the maria clara could be updated as.
Face-Off 2014 indeed became a design laboratory on the maria clara.
Auggie Cordero: Opulent ‘maria clara’
Lush lace and silks in a maria clara that’s close to the traditional silhouette, but modernized with borrowed Japanese-Korean elements, like a short kimono-like cover-up and a loose sash around the waist.
Ivarluski Aseron: Structured and geometric
The baro assumes an architectural, geometric form.
Rajo Laurel: Modern separates
Traditional parts of the maria clara—panuelo and baro—take the shape of an opera coat in this very contemporary take on the maria clara. Laurel uses neoprene for the coat and for his skirts, draped on the hip like the long saya of old.
Barba: ‘Panuelo’ back detail
Modern crepe sheath dress features panuelo detail on the back.
JC Buendia: ‘Maria clara’ power suit
This is Buendia’s version of power dressing. Skirt suit has a wrap top with exaggerated bell sleeves of the maria clara, designed for ribbon-cutting engagements, and even for giving a speech at the Senate.
Ito Curata: ‘Maria clara’ with train
Curata does away with the impractical layers of the maria clara costume, and modernizes it by pairing his lacy top version with a train, and matching it with pants.
Rhett Eala: Hand-painted ‘maria clara’
Eala turns the maria clara into a canvas for his hand-painting, keeping the oversized sleeves but pairing them with pencil- and cocktail-length swing skirts.
Cesar Gaupo: Cape dress
Nothing traditional about this cape-like dress with embroidered details, inspired by Juan Luna’s 1895 painting “Tampuhan.”
Oj Hofer: Cropped ‘baro’
This cropped baro of embroidered piña has a funnel collar that one can play with, paired with an “impolite” ball skirt.
MASTERS
Albert Andrada: Structured sleeves
Piña fabric is pleated to give the sleeves structure. Bodice has a sequined bamboo detail.
Jojie Lloren: Pantsuit ‘maria clara’
A maria clara version of the tuxedo look
Loretto: ‘Patadyong’ palette
Loretto exaggerates the proportions of his sleeves, and uses stripes and checks for his skirts as a nod to the traditional patadyong (skirt).
Dennis Lustico: ‘Baro’t’ shorts
Lustico wanted nothing costumey or Santacruzan about his maria clara—thus the shorts—while staying true to the theme, evident in his top with cutout details.
Efren Ocampo: Not your grandma’s skirt
While inspired by his grandmother’s striped skirts and white eyelet blusas of yore, Ocampo comes up with a slinkier skirt fit for the red carpet.
Randy Ortiz: Romantic
Ortiz’s singular brand of romanticism is highlighted in this off-shoulder number with a gauzy lace skirt.
Philip Rodriguez: Floral
Rodriguez offsets the sweetness of this floral-appliquéd look by pairing the top with high-waist pants for a truly modern look. His cropped tops can be paired with a skirt or shorts.
Mike de la Rosa: ‘Panuelo top’
De la Rosa creates the panuelo shawl—a blouse that encircles the shoulders like an expanded tube top. The skirt cut on the bias brings to the fore De la Rosa’s forte.
Cary Santiago: Fabric sculptures
Santiago employs his new signature—fabric sculptures—in diaphanous silk organza dresses that feature the maria clara’s bell sleeves
Lulu Tan Gan: Tribal embroidery
This modern take features tribal-inspired embroidery.
MILLENNIALS
Edwin Ao: Pleated ‘tapis’
Ao drapes pleated fabrics and fabric strips on his pencil skirts, his modern take on the tapis, while retaining the voluminous silhouette of the traditional top.
Jerome Salaya Ang: Leather ‘maria clara’
Ang’s maria clara streetwear is a fusion of leather and neoprene, and fabric manipulation.
Pablo Cabahug: Fabric manipulation
Cabahug does some fabric manipulation to play on the sleeves of the maria clara. He pairs it with shorts for a youthful look.
Louis Claparols: Graphic neon
Claparols’ futuristic take employs graphic neon accents.
Eric de los Santos: ‘Hablon’ and brocade
De los Santos adds a dash of richness to the local hablon by pairing it with brocade fabric.
Maureen Disini: Sleek off-the-shoulder
clara—panuelo and baro—takethe shape of anopera coat in
this very contemporary take on the maria clara.
Disini’s feminine take has off-shoulder jusi details paired with a bright-yellow ball skirt.
Jun Escario: Laser cutting
A laser-cut skirt and a top that mimics that shape of a draped panuelo shawl
Sassa Jimenez: Fresh pastels
Jimenez’s fresh and youthful take uses pastels. This one is a puff-sleeve pale-blue number and a nod to the traditional patadyong checkered fabrics—with faux train and a fishtail tulle skirt.
Francis Libiran: Art Deco embroidery
Libiran’s fully embroidered design has maria clara sleeves “on steroids.”
Yvonne Quisumbing: ‘Tapis’ on pants
Strips of fabric draped on pants is Quisumbing’s take on the tapis. She accessorizes the look with purses with handles shaped like the terno’s butterfly sleeve.
James Reyes: Jigsaw fabrics
Reyes’ fabric cutouts are pieced together one by one with metal fasteners for tops that echo the traditional baro. He accessorizes with scapular-like cross-body bags.
Joey Samson: Deconstructed volumes
Samson’s first look has an abbreviated lace skirt draped like a tapis and paired with an oversized top. He pairs the second with wide-leg pants, and wraps a tribal sash around the waist as accent.