Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Today’s Terno comes alive with Hana and Champion

Fashion designing really has gone a long way in the Philippines. They say it is a great era for local designers right now. After this year’s Philippine Fashion & Design Competition (PFDC), I totally agree! Thanks to Champion Infinity Detergent and Shokubutsu Hana Shampoo, the gala night was a blast!

Every two years, the Fashion & Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP) hold the much-revered PFDC to showcase the country’s brightest young designers. This year, 13 finalists were chosen to interpret the country’s national costume in modern times to create Today’s Terno.





And wow. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to wear our national costume the way they did if I didn’t see them with my own eyes!

I specifically liked Tony Evan’s designs. His work with layering and transparency are just superb. And surprise, surprise! He won the grand prize! And I mean grand. This includes seed money for his clothing line and an all expense paid scholarship for a world-renowned fashion school in London. Wish I have his talent, and his grand prize!

The FDCP also created exclusive pieces for two of the night’s sponsors, courtesy of FDCP President JC Buendia and Joey Samson.

JC Buendia wowed the audience with his Infinite Terno for Champion Infinity Detergent. It was a great visualization of the infinite woman, the one who defies limits and boundaries. Mr. Buendia’s masterpiece allows women to do anything, and be anything. I was really impressed!

Meantime, Joey Samson created the Beauty of Nature Terno for Shokubutsu Hana Shampoo. It’s a comfortable flowy piece that allowed the natural beauty of the model to shine through. Seeing this creation alone was rejuvenating. Loved it!

Aside from Tony Evan, a couple of designers also received special awards for their notable designs. Gabbie Sarenas won the Infinite Terno Award for her creations that defied boundaries by merging fashion with comfort. While Vince Tolentino won the Beauty of Nature Terno Award for the overall beauty of his designs and his creative use of natural fabrics to make pieces that will endure overtime.

PFDC grand prize winner Tony Evan with his take on Today's Terno.

Champion Brand Manager Caloy Bacani with Gabbie Sarenas who took home Infinite Terno Award for her creations that embody the infinite woman.

Peerless Cosumer Marketing Manager Norman Mier with Vince Tolentino who won Beauty of Nature Terno Award for his creations that endure overtime.

Thank you so much, FDCP, Champion, Hana and the rest of the sponsors who made this year’s PFDC possible! After that night, I can already see a super bright future for our young designers and the modernized version of our country’s national costume. So excited for Hana and Champion’s next projects that will surely showcase more Filipino talents!

James Ong & Wynn Wynn Ong with FDCP President JC Buendia

Franco Laurel & FDCP President JC Buendia

Bea Recto & former Senator Nikki Coseteng

Peerless Lion Marketing Director Pen Roque

Fashion designer Randy Ortiz

Fashion designer Lulu Tan-Gan

Hairstylist Henri Calayag

World-renowned industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue

Former Miss Universe Margie Moran

Architect Gil Coscolluela

Tonichi Nocom, Jackie Aquino, Thelma San Juan & Pen Roque

JC Buendia, Pen Roque, Jackie Aquino, Randy See & Raphael Robes

Irene Marcos-Araneta

Jojie Loren

Chito Vijandre

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Goddesses Abound in the Hana Hair Show

Last February 4, I found a temporary escape in the city at the HANA Hair Show at the Makati Shrangi-La Hotel. It was the launch of the Japanese hair care product here in the Philippines and I would say I couldn’t have spent my night better.

It was a really lovely affair, what with all the models parading the runway with minimal make-up and hairstyling, highlighting their natural beauty. It was not a surprise though, since the famous “Crown Princess” Celeste Tuviera took charge of their hairstyle, while their clothes were courtesy of JC Buendia, Randy Ortiz and Joey Samson.

HANA is pushing for a new trend this year with #nofilterbeauty, which is totally against the principle of most people nowadays. Filter, the kind found in photo-editing apps, is a very essential tool in this digital age.

But to HANA distributors here in the Philippines (Peerless Lion), true beauty does not need any filter, or crash solutions. HANA believes real beauty is nourished the natural way. And it showed with the models’ hair. The whole show was like a scene straight from a magical kingdom. I swear I felt like seeing real-life goddesses the entire time. It was mesmerizing!

What I loved more about this night was that I was surrounded by a number of my friends and a lot of wonderful people in the industry. Lucy Torres was there! My favorite actor Enchong Dee was also present, even though he had to run from an earlier appointment. Good thing it was worth it!

I’m really excited with how HANA could possibly change the hair care game with its campaign, #nofilterbeauty! I’m totally in!

Welcome! HANA Hair and body care made with 100% natural ingredients to nurture beauty the natural way!

Peerless Lion President Simeon Tiu (middle) with ABS-CBN Publishing Team: Mark Yambot, Patrick Ty, Charmagne Garcia-Laconico, Ria Gamboa, August Benitez & Philip Cu-Unjieng

Team Metro: Mark Yambot, Ria Gamboa, Monica Herrera, Geolette Esguerra, Patrick Ty, Charmagne Garcia-Laconico, Katrina Angco, Vanessa Pinlac, Audrey Binay, Randy Manucom, Eldzs Mejia, Gael Sastre & August Benitez

ABS-CBN Cable and Print Group Sales Head Tootsie Angara

Team MEGA: (Front) Kris Andres, Wena Manalastas, Mike Carandang, Angelo de Cartagena, Peewee Isidro, Cher Tiu, Moi Busto, Lotte Villarosa, Yuki Tansengco, Dan Mejia, Kenneth Rivera &  Ryan Calmante, (Back) James Cruz, Archie Carrasco & Alison Harvard

MEGA Magazine Executive Editor Peewee Isidro & MEGA Magazine Editor-in-Chief Sari Yap

Full support: Alan Vianzon, Mike Carandang, Mian Alentajan & Ronald Pineda

America’s Next Top Model Runner-up Allison Harvard

Team Preview: Tara Santos, Daryl Chang, Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, Pauline Suaco-Juan, Isha Andaya-Valles

Peerless Lion VP for Sales & Marketing Jasper Tiu with wife Shera Tiu

Team Peerless: Marketing Manager Caloy Bacani & Consumer Marketing Manager Norman Mier

Peerless Lion Marketing Director Pen Roque

Architect Chut Cuerva

BFF Angelette Calero, my sister Bibai Puyat and me

Marissa Buenaventura Tambunting, Sidney Yap & Marina Benipayo

Patty Betita, Issa Agana, Marina Benipayo & Gem Padilla

Raphael Robes, Sky Yang, Miko Raval & Randy See

Lucy Torres-Gomez and Enchong Dee

Phoemela Baranda

Maricar de Mesa

Issa Litton

Nikita McElroy

Vince Ferraren

Cloie Syquia

Kai Lim

Ex-PBB Housemates and couple Wendy Tabusalla and Carlo Romero

John James Uy and Rafael Rosell

Miguel Rodriguez, Sambie Rodriguez & Benjamin Manahan

Enchong Dee with Hana Hair Show Creative Director for Hair Celeste Tuviera

Three Muses: Jessica Yang for Mega, Olivia Medina for Metro and Ana Sideco for Preview

Feature Designers: Randy Ortiz, Joey Samson and JC Buendia

Beauty Editor Kim Reyes-Palanca collaborates with fashion designer JC Buendia for MEGA style

Host of the night Trishan Cuaso

Fashion designer Joey Samson teams up with Fashion Editor Daryl Chang for PREVIEW style


Fashion designer Randy Ortiz joins forces with Beauty Editor Charmagne Laconico for METRO style