Eyeing young design talents and providing them an avenue to shine in retail has been one of the pursuits of Sheree Gotuaco, the woman behind such brands as Ensembles, Freeway and Solo.
On the fifth installment of the Young Designers Series for Ensembles, Gotuaco has handpicked Chris Diaz to create the Holiday 2012 collection.
Known for romantic looks, Diaz fancies soft fabrics and lace. His love of lace stems from his youth spent working in a factory that manufactured lace for European and Japanese couture houses.
Diaz isn’t exactly new to retail; he has been designing a line for the Greenbelt 5 boutique Myth.
For Ensembles, he translates pricey styles into something more affordable for the working woman.
Diaz’s 17-piece Ensembles collection has dresses, tops and skirts, blazers, all using soft fabrics and laces. He also does color-blocking in some pieces to accentuate the female form.
Wearability has always been the cornerstone of Gotuaco’s collaboration with young designers. She has said that the designs must look good, but must also appeal to the regular customer. Nothing too crazy or avant-garde.
Ensembles has collaborated with James Reyes, Debbie Co, Louis Claparols, and Yvette and Choc Religioso.
