Balenciaga Museum

It was meant to be. For months, we had a set itinerary for our Mediterrenean cruise. And then, a few weeks before our departure, a foodie friend begged, "Don't you want to go to SanSe?" a.k.a. San Sebastian, a.k.a culinary capital of the world. Then, our stylist friend went online and said, "Then we can take a trip to the Balenciaga Museum." Among all designers, living and dead, Cristobal Balenciaga is my ultimate fave. Finally setting foot in Getaria, his hometown, and the museum dedicated to him, was akin to a religious experience for me.

We took the escalators up the hill to the museum.

At first you see a monolithic black facade, but as you get nearer, an older building becomes visible.

The concept of uniting the old Palacio Aldmar, home of the Marques and Marquesa de Alba Torres, grandparents of Queen Fabiola of Belgium and the original patrons of Balenciaga, was of Cuban architect Julian Argilagos', but the formal design of the building, as well as the interior design, was done by a young dynamic firm from Barcelona, AV62arquitectos.

They added cutout floral designs in the black metal interiors, "which add both lightness and depth" (from the museum website).

The space inside manages to be majestic and imposing yet also has its intimate moments.

A ramp leads to a viewing room with a video on the life and work of Balenciaga.

Seeing fashion historians, writers and fellow designers wax rhapsodic over the man simply known as The Master, made me tear up.

The dresses, coats and gowns are simply displayed. Some pieces are shown with the cut patterns with animation to demonstrate how they were sewn together.

Harold Koda of the Costume Institute of Art said, "by the end of his career, Balenciaga had distilled his work to its simplest form."

Coco Chanel called him the only true couturier of his times, because he was the only one who could draw, cut and sew a garment from start to finish.

Christian Dior said, "He was the master of us all."

Seeing the seams and pleats, and draping and tailoring of Balenciaga's masterpieces made me admire him even more. I didn't think it was possible, but I guess that is what true greatness is. It is infinite.

We all love Balenciaga!

Fashion Gives Back

It was a simple idea. And there is divinity and magic in simplicity . The massive strength of typhoon Yolanda paralyzed much of the Visayas region. But it didn't paralyze the capacity of good within each person. My good good friend didn't want to throw a splashy event so he thought that calling all fashion people to get together in a mass would be a more appropriate response. So on November 17, the 33rd Sunday in ordinary time (though these are such extraordinary times for our people), designers, models, directors, and friends gathered at the Mary Mother of Hope Chapel on the fifth floor of Landmark Makati to pray for those who perished and those who survived. As Fr. Jun Sescon, chaplain of the chapel so aptly put it: the greatest beauty is charity.

Fashion gives back!

Prayers and love from the fashion world to Yolanda victims. And survivors. 

But honestly, isn't it better to call our fallen brethren, Yolanda VICTORS? For we will overcome!

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Eucharistic ministers of Mary Our Lady of Hope return the Blessed Sacrament to the main tabernacle. Big thanks and big love to Ayala Land and Landmark for opening their hearts and doors to the fashion world!

Metro Magazine's Kat Angco with yours truly

Fashion cares! Thank you to all who participated with us!

Henri Calayag and Robby Carmona

Ariel Lozada and Patrick Rosas

Jackie Aquino and Patrice Ramos-Diaz

JC Buendia, Randy Ortiz and Albert Andrada

Jo Ann Bitagcol, Joey Samson and KP

Suyen Chi, Tweety de Leon-Gonzalez and Ria Bolivar

Patrice Ramos-Diaz and Sonia Agbayani

Joey Samson and Jojie Loren

Mau de Leon of Mercator and Rey Lanada

Tonichi Nocom and Raymond Villanueva

Jessica and Sky Yang

Jerome Tan, Mark Lopez, Jairus Ferrer

Randy See with his mom

Raphael Robes and Joseph Marco

Izza and Yackie Agana

Marina Benipayo and son

Edwin Tan, Pepsi Herrera and friends

Jun Jun Ablaza

Tessa Prieto-Valdes with Mr. Chinatown's Sky Yang, Jerome Tan & Randy See; Mark Lopez, Jairus Ferrer, Alec Robes.

Run Bill, Run!

Last November 3, the world’s biggest and dare I say “funnest” marathon (based on tales I’ve read and videos I’ve seen) returned and a good turnout, as expected, made history once again. The ING New York Marathon came back with the delegations of Timex Philippines in full force. Running couple, Anthony and Maricel Pangilinan were one of the finishers of this year’s sporting event.

Just like them, Bill Rancic, the first, if not cutest, winner of The Apprentice was tapped to join the marathon for a good cause. As the celebrity ambassador of his wife, Giuliana Rancic’s charity “Fab-U-Wish”, Bill took the special mission of being the last to race at the marathon. The goal? Pass and shake as many hands as he can. Each person he passes by, Timex vowed to donate $1 to his wife’s breast and ovarian cancer awareness advocacy. At the end of the race, Bill finished with an unofficial time of 4:57—an impressive feat that later on resulted into a $30,000 donation to the cause of Giuliana. Isn’t that just sweet?

Entrepreneur and TV personality Bill Rancic sets his Timex GPS watch on the starting line of the ING New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 3, 2013, in the Staten Island borough of New York. Rancic, who was the very last person to start the race, finished with an unofficial time of 4:57. Timex will be donating $30,000 to Fab-U-Wish, a charity founded by his wife Giuliana Rancic that supports women affected by breast and ovarian cancer. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Timex/AP Images)

Entrepreneur and TV personality Bill Rancic is the very last person over the starting line of the ING New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 3, 2013, in the Staten Island borough of New York. Timex will be donating $30,000 to Fab-U-Wish, a charity founded by his wife Giuliana Rancic that supports women affected by breast and ovarian cancer. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Timex/AP Images)

Entrepreneur and TV personality Bill Rancic finishes the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3, 2013, in New York's Central Park. Rancic, who was the very last person to start the race, finished with an unofficial time of 4:57. Timex will be donating $30,000 to Fab-U-Wish, a charity founded by his wife Giuliana Rancic that supports women affected by breast and ovarian cancer. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Timex/AP Images)

Entrepreneur and TV personality Bill Rancic embraces his wife, Giuliana Rancic, after finishing the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3, 2013, in New York's Central Park. Rancic, who was the very last person to start the race, finished with an unofficial time of 4:57. Timex will be donating $30,000 to Fab-U-Wish, a charity founded by his wife Giuliana Rancic that supports women affected by breast and ovarian cancer. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Timex/AP Images)