The last day of Philippine Fashion Week's Spring/Summer 2012 shows marked two significant things for me. The first was the debut of my
Bosquejo accessories on the runway (for the shows of
Mike Lavarez and Drei Soriano). The second was the death throes of my Canon G10, which was purchased three years ago, right about the time that I decided to commit myself to blogging. Good thing I was able to take some pictures from menswear night.
Here are photos I took from my seat of Drei Soriano's predominantly neutral-colored collection, which strikes a sharp contrast against his sleek and
leather-clad set for Holiday 2011.
Instead of shiny, we get texture. Instead of blacks and blues and purples, we get beiges, grays, and oranges. But that doesn't mean that the pieces are baggy and relaxed. Pants are slightly tapered while shorts have been carrot-cut. Boleros, either single-sleeved or sleeveless, provide season-appropriate layering (over sleeveless shirts, of course!).
The necklace on the left is "Benedict V" (to be released) from the Sacre collection, and on the right is "Kali", from the new Demons series of the Hardware collection. What is worn by the model above right is a variation.
Here you can see the mildly pleated texture of the bolero. I particularly like the pleating of the collar of the jacket at the back, which reminds one of paper. The jacket is partially stained to give the impression of a digital print, though the staining could have been more defined.
As usual for Drei, the cut of the jacket is sharp; same for the shorts. The trousers on the right is likewise textured. We will see below how the deep V-neck collar of the accompanying shirt is pleated.
The necklace on the left is called "Amon", also named after a demon. The Sacre necklace on the right is "Benedict III".
As a side story, it is quite interesting how my new accessories unexpectedly fit Drei's new collection. It must be remembered that razor pieces from my Furies and Moons series were likewise apt for his Holiday 2011 collection, giving birth to his first lookbook.
So Drei's pieces come in neutrals, hence the "desert" in my title, but what about "circus"? This next piece shows why. As is, it gives the vibe of a costume, something not unlikely to be found in the wardrobe of travelling acrobats, be it drained of color. The main reason behind this is the sheer and feminine fabric used for the pleating (Drei tells me it is used for gowns). But don't get me wrong, I am perfectly fine with the piece; I would wear it, though maybe in a drier climate. I think that if both the fabrics were traded for something more rigid, the top would be more wearable. After all, the necessary elements are there: the texture and the interesting collar and zippered (a recurring Soriano motif) placket.
Also notice that the jacket at the back is also pleated at the back.
Looking at the outfit on the left, I am reconsidering changing the pleated fabric; with the zipper and shirt material, and the shirt's pairing with the trousers, the fabric combination actually appears interesting. Though shirt sleeves though could use a better fit. The tights on the right are understandably for show purposes, though they support my circus theme, AND I am now thinking the pattern should be tried out for normal pants/jeans.
The "Calypso" and "Io" necklaces from the Moons series, as worn by the models above.
Notice the (give and take) one-inch cuff of the shorts on the left.
"Benedict III" necklace from the Sacre collection.
Notice that the pleating of the gray shirt on the right extends to the back. The front pattern is repeated.
I also love the bleach patterns on the vest and shirt on the left, the double collar of the vest (sleeveless jacket) and the pleated waist and hem of the trousers. This entire ensemble I would buy and wear. The dress pleating on the gray shirt above is also utilized for the beige and orange sleevless shirt and shorts on the right. While I love the lines on the shirt, they do not seem to work on the shorts (maybe a different pattern? no orange fabric on the hem?).
The necklace on the left model above is a variation on the "Sebastian" necklace from the Sacre collection. The piece on the right model above is a variation on "Bullets and Roses".
I'm sure by now you've noticed the strappy sandals. They're actually last-minute, fabric clad Haviannas. Amazing, what cramming can result with.
The bleaching applied to a sleeveless jumpsuit with shorts. A suit with stained fabric. I think the staining should be more obvious so that it can be seen from afar.
The necklace on the left model above is a variation on "Amon". On the right model above is "Iocaste" from the Moons series.
All in all, I think Drei's collection is the most cohesive among the menswear shows. (Yes Chris Jasler may have made a more obvious impact, but many of his pieces just seem confused. More on him soon.)
Happy Saturday!
