DEC ‘22

JAN ‘23

A N N E
C U R T I S
in the
Age of Influence
MANILA • MONTE CARLO • PALM BEACH • SHANGHAI • TOKYO

jewelmer.com
CONTENTS

26
E D ITO R ’ S
LETTER

IN VOGUE
32
P UF F E R P LAY
by Renee De Guzman

40
TEN STYLE RESOLUTIONS
by Daryl Chang

46
TEN DAYS OF SEEING
Sittings Editor Ticia Almazan

60
CARV E D TA LE S
by Renee Ultado

P hotograph by Petra Gana

Sittings Editor
Renee De Guzman

64
LIVING THE DREAM
by Celine Yap

68 76 90
IT TAKES A DIVINING & DEFYING HELLO, DOLLY
STRONG VILLAGE THE FUTURE by Bianca Moran Parkes
by Raia Gomez by Marian Pastor Roces Photographs by
Photographs by Kieran Punay Raen Badua

C U LT U R E
70 94
TOMORROW LAND 80 FOLLOW
by Ticia Almazan HOME MOVIES THE LITAS
by Audrey Carpio by Audrey Carpio
Photographs by
72 86 Artu Nepomuceno
TERNO ON TREND MODERN FILIPINO Fashion Editor
by Carol RH Malasig by Cheryl Tiu Daryl Chang

18 VO GU E . PH
UNIT 9, LEVEL 1, GREENBELT 3, MAKATI CITY / TEL NO. +63 2 7116 2354 MOBILE NO. +63 917 7087728 MAXMARA.COM
CONTENTS

146
FESTIVE FANCY
by Joyce Oreña
Photographs by Borgy Angeles
Styling by Patrick Galang

LIVING

160
WARM & FUZZY
by Patti Sunio

164
PRESENT MOOD

COVER
LOOKS
Top: Anne Curtis. Photographer: Mark
Nicdao. Stylist: Renee de Guzman.
Makeup: Robbie Piñera. Hair: Raymond
Santiago. Nails: Extraordinail. Art
Director: Jann Pascua. Producer: Anz
Hizon; Bottom: Filipina model Taki
Shimada wears Ricky Toledo and Chito
Vijandre balintawak. Photographer:
6KDLUD/XQD6W\OLVW3DPʤXL°RQHV
Landscape Designer: Bianca Carague

FA S H I O N BEAUTY

106 136
PARAISO MERRY
by Audrey Carpio MAKING
DQG$OH[ʤXLFKR GIFTS
Photographs by Shaira Luna by Joyce Oreña
)DVKLRQ'LUHFWRU3DPʤXL°RQHV Photographs by
Sittings Editor Ticia Almazan Ed Simon and
Kieran Punay

122
AGE OF INFLUENCE 142
by Bam Abellon FINDING BEAUTY
Photographs by by Carol RH Malasig
Mark Nicdao Photographs by
Fashion Director Kieran Punay
3DPʤXL°RQHV Beauty Editor
Styling by Renee de Guzman Joyce Oreña

20 VO GU E . PH
 B E A VA L D E S
Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor JACS T. SAMPAYAN

FA S H I O N
Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES
Fashion Editor DARYL CHANG
Fashion Associate RENEE DE GUZMAN
Fashion Writer TICIA ALMAZAN

F E AT U R E S
Features Editor AUDREY CARPIO
Features Writer MARGA MAGALONG

B E AU T Y & W E L L N E S S
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA

VO G U E D I G I TA L
Digital Editor TRINA EPILEPSIA BOUTAIN
Digital Managing Editor ALYSSA LAPID
Digital Fashion Writer KARINA SWEE
Digital Features Writer CELINE MALLARI
Multimedia Artist CIA CO
Video Editor ANTON DAZO

A RT
Art Director JANN PASCUA
Junior Multimedia Artist GABBI CONSTANTINO
Final Artist RYAN JAMES ABRIGO

PRODUCT ION
Producer ANZ HIZON
Bookings Associate BIANCA ZARAGOZA

Editorial Assistant ADAM PEREYRA

CONTR IBUTOR S
Photographers ARTU NEPOMUCENO, AT MACULANGAN, BORGY ANGELES, ED SIMON, KIERAN PUNAY,
MARK NICDAO, RAEN BADUA, SHAIRA LUNA, XYZA CRUZ BACANI Stylists PATRICK GALANG, TOR MATTHEY
Writers ALEX QUICHO, BAM ABELLON, BIANCA MORAN PARKES, CAROL RH MALASIG,
CELINE YAP, CHERYL TIU, PATTI SUNIO, RAIA GOMEZ, RENEE ULTADO
Artists BIANCA CARAGUE, IVAN MEDRANO

A DV E RT I S I N G
Group Advertising Manager CINDY MONSALVE
Advertising Manager PAULINE MATA-MARQUEZ
Marketing Communication Manager RANICE FAUSTINO Multimedia Artist TRISHA ENRIQUEZ
Account Managers JAMAILA ISLETA, JAYVIE CALDERON Traffic Associate MAKIE CARITATIVO

PU BL I SH I NG
Publisher RHODA CAMPOS-ALDANESE
Brand Associate PATRICIA GO CO

MEGA GLOBA L LICENSING INC.

President SUKI SALVADOR

COO RHODA CAMPOS-ALDANESE

CEO ARCHIE G. CARRASCO

Vogue Philippines is published monthly by MEGA GLOBAL LICENSING INC. (MGLI)

801 Jollibee Centre, San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig, Philippines 1605

vogue.ph info@vogue.ph

Opinions expressed in this magazine are solely those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by MGLI.
Reproduction of photos and articles in full or in part is prohibited, unless permission is secured from the publisher.
 A G C P O W E R H O L D I N G S C O R P.
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AVP – Business Development CARMELLI DAET
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EDITOR’S LETTER

intricacy. The art direction of Jann Pascua ushers this feature to life
with incredible respect and sensitivity to each collaborator’s work.
Building this single story harnessed multiple architects from a
myriad of locations. From Rotterdam to Kabankalan, Negros Oc-
cidental, from Lablaco in Singapore to Dress X in Los Angeles, our
“PARAISO” remains one of the most deeply collaborative editorials
we have undertaken to date. The final artworks, yet another starting
point, are a distillation from Shaira Luna’s artistic creations.
In the “Age of Influence,” multifaceted media muse Anne
Curtis shares lessons on successfully navigating social media’s per-
sonality amplifying effects, effusive spirit intact. Read about her
e come together at the closing of this monumental year. 2023 cra- thoughts on reality, both the reel world and virtual one, as she chats
dles the promise of profound change, a slipstream in the wake of a about her diasporic upbringing, her multi-racial household and the
global pandemic. The alleviation of restrictions has held us all awash lingering views when surfing the tallest waves of popularity.
in personal rediscoveries and savoring newly appreciated freedoms. On page 90, there is even more to celebrate, from Dolly
We take pause and reflect that in September of this year, we de Leon’s riveting performance, honored by her achievements
made a promise in our maiden issue. We aspired to be led by for Triangle of Sadness in the Canne film festival, to the fash-
global values of inclusion, that ion emerging from indie brand
we would continuously strive for Strongvillage (page 68), which
diverse storytelling, and that our utilizes upcycled and deadstock
efforts would showcase our local fabric, to the gastronomical coup
identity and honor our kinship that is Abaca restaurant’s Filipi-
with the natural environment. We no-centric cuisine (page 86).
would endeavor to continue the When we converge in real or
narrative of craft and to always imagined landscapes, whether in
champion the Filipino creative. the techno-bucolic idylls of Web3
I believe that these first few is- or the pyroclastic dunes of lahar
sues of the 28th global edition have in Pampanga, we continue to dis-
honored these promises. We have cover and learn.
trekked, boated, traversed across Sometimes we take multiple
the Philippine’s three main islands, attempts to fashion and forge ev-
literally and figuratively. We have ery deliberate piece of the puzzle
immersed you in an exploration of into its rightful place. Other in-
the skin we are in and taken flight stances things just serendipitously
with rare birds. We have chronicled fall into place.
every step and as this year ebbs to Layers and complexities can
a close, we are reminded that every sometimes be simplified when we

Digi tal Landscap e by BIANCA CAR AG UE

month is always just the beginning. are able to take a step back, and
December and January are then another, and allow awareness
dedicated to the pursuit of piec- of the bigger picture to surface.
es of a portrait, a puzzling and We take pause for perspec-
fragmented image of our layered tive and discover how our sto-
fashion identity. With its historic ried selves are deeply immersed
debut on the cover of Vogue, we within the context of a history
celebrate the quintessential Terno, one of our most significant continuously unfolding onto itself. In the age of influence,
Philippine garments, in our tribute to the endurance of craft. perhaps a true sense of agency lies within our own hands.
Reimagine these contemporary iterations with us as hero pieces
in our odyssey into the metaverse, a virtual place known for dissolv-
ing and rebuilding identity. Freedive into a techno-bucolic realm
with prismatic landscapes constructed by Bianca Carague.
Evolution, transformation and presence, through digital craft,
are concepts in a seamless stream that flows into the ongoing dis-
course on the future of fashion. Feeding 1,000 images of Filipina
faces into an artificial intelligence (AI), digital artist Ivan Medrano
In our November 2022 story “Into the Universe,” the prices for the garments
offers three archetypes, a fascinating visual idea, layered in digital were inaccurate due to incorrect currency conversion. Our apologies.

26 VO GU E . PH
jomalone.com.ph
CONTRIBUTORS

Ivan Borgy Marian

Medrano Angeles Pastor
Ava ta r P ho to g ra p he r, Roces
D e sig n e r, FES T IV E
PA R A I S O FAN C Y Ind ependent
Cu rator
“I view celebrations & A r t Cri ti c,
“To celebrate is
to be at peace; to as our way of D IVIN ING &
enjoy the company marking events D EF YING
you’re blessed or milestones, big THE F U T URE
with and to reflect or small wins.
on everything the Though universal, “Celebration
year has given celebrations are happens in the
you. It means done differently mind. Synapses
being thankful by everyone: some are fired by
for all you’ve celebrate through memory-laden
done and looking
forward to what’s
to come. I have
Alex gatherings or
parties, but let’s
smells and the
touch of loved
a lot to celebrate
this New Year and
Quicho not forget that
celebrations can
ones. Within
this tender
I can’t wait to see be as simple as ecstasy, troubled
what next year Writer, acknowledging states are
has in store.” PARAISO our progress (in suspended.”

Bianca “The best

life or in our
relationships). I
Artu
Carague celebrations both
demand and
say this because
no matter the
Nepomuceno
disrupt elegance. execution, it’s
La n ds c ape They make a the joy that we Pho to grapher,
Des i gn er, commotion: of feel from these F OLLOW
PA RAI SO popped bottles, occasions that THE LITA S
voluptuous inspires us to do
“To celebrate is a fizz, laughter, good, to do better.” “Celebration is:
verb. It’s better to gossip, smoke, the memory of my
participate than to and iridescence. late grandfather
observe from afar. And they always playing Frank
I like to think that threaten to spill Sinatra’s Silent
celebrations are over: into drinking, Night during
one of those times eating, or saying Noche Buena; the
filled with such too much—or success of a well-
joy that everyone simply out into planned birthday
is invited. We the night, where surprise for mom;
celebrate for and togetherness a Sunday with no
we celebrate with.” becomes as messages; binge-
dazzling and watching Ted
fleeting as Lasso with
a firework.” my wife.”

28 VO GU E . PH
Homme et femme, 8 Rockwell Ngbo^kl=ahff^^m_^ff^%@k^^g[^em,
30 VO GU E . PH
 Big bold elements
celebrate the year
that was and welcomes
the year to come.
Edited By DARYL
CHANG. Photograph
by CASTRO SMITH
IN VOGUE
SHOPPING

B
1 MAX MARA gloves
2 PHILIPP PLEIN
dress 3 KHAITE jacket
4 ALEXANDER

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32 VO GU E . PH
SHOPPING

P
1 STELLA
MCCARTNEY
jacket 2 MAISON
MARGIELA skirt

U
3 MACH & MACH
heels 4 ISABEL

PRADA
MARANT jacket

F 1

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Juxtapose an easy, laid-back cool to evening wear
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34 VO GU E . PH
RUNWAY

BAD GL EY MI SCHKA
TA K E
A BOW

BA D G L EY M IS C H K A
Dressing for the season
comes in a prettily
packaged present.
Tis’ the season to be charming with
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AR E A

36 VO GU E . PH
SHOPPING

V I CTORI A BECKHAM

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GROUND
Skirts are going to
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of the moment is
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Seeking a style refresh? Look no further than these resolutions that are not
only realistic, they’re 2023 ready. Fashion Editor DARYL CHANG

40 VO GU E . PH
SHOPPING

B OT T E GA V E N E TA
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42 VO GU E . PH
SHOPPING

DO THE
TWIST
If Coperni were to be
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unmistakable detail

COP E RN I
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rtwined. COPERNI
top, trousers, sunglasses,
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BOTTE GA V E N E TA

A P P R E C I AT E
CRAFTWORK
Home-spun pieces that
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ALONSO ROJAS dress

PA R E B A C K
Trustt in the co
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44 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

T E N

DAY S

O F

S E E I N G
Celebration transcends
mode and meaning—as
demonstrated by artistic
compositions of 10 Filipino
creatives, specially selected
by Vogue. Sittings Editor
TICIA ALMAZAN

“This is a dedication to the stories of humanity, in particular the working class and
the farmers, the indigenous people, and the women who are working hard to feed us
and to protect our environment so we all can live. I want to show and celebrate their
life and struggles through my collages.” Brisa Amir, Mixed Media Collage

46 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“Celebration is a gentle
nudge that you are not just
here but you have a place
in the world. It is found
in moments. To celebrate
something means you
have something to lose.”
Colin Dancel, Photography

48 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“Celebration
is about pure,
unadulterated
joy. It’s about
recognizing a
peak moment in
your life by fully
surrendering to
the present.”
Sara Erasmo,
Photography

“For me, celebration

is an action, a verb.
With this work, I
sculpted a physical
space from which to
celebrate Filipinos’
contribution to
America’s cultural
fabric by honoring
stories from our
past, our present,
and our future.”
Cheyenne Concepcion,
Installation

50 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“Representation is mostly an artform of presenting the art as is,

and the viewer comes up with their own interpretation. If I see that
my audience loves the work genuinely or if it can be deemed as a
‘conversation piece,’ then I have something to celebrate for.”
Ali Alejandro, Mixed Media

*To bring this artwork to life, please download the app Artivive and view this page.

52 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“Photography for me will

always be a celebration
of life. A proof of your
presence. A testament
that those things
happened. I don’t care
if it’s pain, loneliness,
or grief; you’re able to
take the pictures because
you’re there. Alive.”
Geloy Concepcion,
Photography

54 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“Acknowledging the
existence of something
is a celebration in itself.
What I don’t need, I don’t
think of, and if it meets my
canvas, then it’s something
worthwhile.” Vik Tejada,
Digital Photography

“Celebration is a chance to witness

ZLOGʯRZHUVLQEORRPřWRFORVHO\
see such enigmatic beings on little
leaves, viscerally reminding us of
the perennial changing process of
nature and life in the Philippines.”
Gab Mejia, Photography

56 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

“I’ve learned that you

can celebrate alone
and in the middle of
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quieter times that allow
you to truly understand
and honor what it is
you are celebrating.”
Miko del Rosario,
Digital Art (3D)

“For me,
celebration is
gratitude. It’s
about celebrating
life and the
small miracles
we witness
everyday.”
Petra Gana,
Photography

58 VO GU E . PH
DESIGNER PROFILE

CARVER’S

Making a blank canvas out of the flat surface

of signet rings, Castro Smith weaves personal
myths and enthralls with highly detailed hand-
engraved jewelry. By RENEE ULTADO.
Sittings Editor RENEE DE GUZMAN

WHEN BROWSING THROUGH CASTRO SMITH’S SELEC-

TION OF RINGS, the viewer is confronted with skulls, snakes,
menacing green-eyed ravens with sharp knife-like beaks, and veiny
anatomical hearts overgrown with slightly dubious flowers. It’s a
universe that registers as somber. Baudelairian.
Couple this with the mythic lineage of seal engraving—his
technique of choice, tracing as far back as ancient Egypt—and
the harrowing physical charge sometimes demanded by this
craft, and you get a mental portrait of Castro’s personality. One
imagines a brooding artist: silent and mysterious, hunched over
his work desk for hours on end.
It takes one look at Castro’s smiling face and warm, welcom-
ing energy to dispel such presumptions. He is in Vicenza, Italy,
waving at me through his phone camera. Spending a few days at
Scuola d’Arte e Mestieri, he and his team are meeting Italian mas-
ter craftsmen, exchanging expertise on tool creation and gemstone
setting. “I’m hoping it will show us new ways to move the metal
and attach gemstones with the engraving,” the Filipino-British de-
signer says, before continuing: “It also makes good for the team
having new knowledge to adapt and get better every year.”
He is calm and collected, which makes sense. A Castro Smith
piece is painstakingly detailed, carved with minute precisions on
such a tiny scale. Each filament on a leaf, individual whisker on
a frenzied hare, and wrinkle on a tensed knuckle, all these clear-
ly fleshed out from the few shy millimeters of a signet ring. No
nerves, no jittery hands were involved in the making of these. To
be a craftsman is to know your body, to respect and care for it. “Of
course, tools are made to do the work for you, but at the end of the
day, it’s my eyes and my hands,” Castro shares.
This discipline and attention to detail is applied to each step
of the way, from the elaborate conceptual sketches to the careful
chemistry of blending various enamels to arrive at the specific hue
desired. It is in Castro’s bespoke process, however, that this rigor is
the most pronounced and where he shines.
This starts with sitting down with the client, getting to know
their references and motivations, inspiration and moods, what the
piece would mean for them. “I sometimes feel like a stand-in ther-
apist,” he confides. “The process is very cathartic and the conver-
sation could get quite deep.” In crafting the design, custom-made
clients are forced to look inward, to think about hopes and dreams,
yes, but also to reflect on fears, previous wounds, and losses.
Raised in the United Kingdom, Castro’s Filipina mother ran a
translation agency. As the business expanded, there was increasing
demand for less familiar languages, and he was tasked to scour the
city, looking for native speakers in these tongues. “This experience
made me realize that everything is a translation, that drawing and
design is a language,” he notes, “And even now when I meet clients,
I always ask myself, what are they really trying to say?”

60 VO GU E . PH
From top: An
assortment of
engraving tools
Image courtesy
of Sarabande;
Castro Smith at
his workstation
Opposite: Several
engraved Castro
Smith signet rings
and pendants

VO G U E . P H 61
DESIGNER PROFILE
This meditative and arduous creation process results in a piece
that is specific and personal. Jewelry is in and of itself already quite
intimate. Trinkets that are worn close to the skin, often passed
down through generations or offered as sentimental symbols to
mark certain milestones, steeped in affective value.
Castro’s craft takes this and pushes it even further. He promis-
es material finesse and craftsmanship all while weaving your story
within, creating something more potent, something yours. It is no
wonder then that his brand counts Elton John and Anya Taylor-Joy
among his fervent bespoke clientele, together with a long list of
people desiring a personalized porte-bonheur.
It all waxes mystical, but not in a New Age, crystal-obsessed
way. (Although the deep blue on his Sapphire rings is captivating
and electric, almost whistling with potent energy.) We can talk
about alchemy, playing with fire, transforming and merging differ-
ent kinds of materials to synthesize something more precious. Or
62 VO GU E . PH
devotion, pouring one’s heart into a creation and in turn imparting
a chunk of life force onto it: “I’m happy that I can make these bits
of metal have a little more heart to them,” Castro shares.
We can also talk about cultural heritage, with his periodic vis-
its to the Philippines marked with local superstitions, pockets of
prayers, island life esoterism, and family squabbles on which aunt
put a spell on which cousin. All these he recounts in a light-hearted
manner, but it is clear how this is deeply-rooted in his philosophy
and effectively informs his passion for his craft.
It’s easy to understand Castro’s appeal and his subsequent suc-
cess. While it must certainly contribute—who wouldn’t want a
ring with a ruby-eyed tiger or a miniature galaxy of diamonds—his
work is less about the human affinity for bling and all things shiny.
It is more about telling stories, crystallizing personal anecdotes
through a craft that is slow and considered, touching in its fine
intricacies, and ultimately captivating.
AN ODE TO NATURE
The Maison’s Beautés du Monde collection sees Cartier reimagine
a world inspired by the sundry beauty found in nature
FROM THE FLOR AL MOTIFS IN THEIR
EARLY YEARS TO THE MODERN, AVANT-
GARDE DESIGNS THAT CHAR ACTERIZE
THE MAISON TODAY, Cartier has long been
a leader in fusing the beauty of nature with
impeccable craftsmanship. This admiration for
the inherent comeliness of all living things has
remained at the heart of Cartier’s approach as
seen in Jacques Cartier’s travels through the 1920s
and 1930s to Asia and the Middle East. The same
goes for Louis Cartier, a known aesthete who has
subsumed all art forms in different parts of the
globe by adapting Russian, Islamic, and Asian
concepts into his designs.
The boutique’s latest high jewelry collection
Beautés du Monde is an ode to the flora and fauna
across the world. The 25-piece ensemble in the
first chapter of the collection features Cartier’s
signature style codes through geometric and
abstract concepts corralled by a play of stones
emblematic of the French jeweler’s history and
savoir faire. A stylized approach to water lilies,
corals, snakes, iguanas, and butterfly wings, the
collection also pays homage to Mesoamerican
and Chinese themes embellished with emeralds,
onyxes, diamonds, and rubies.
Cartier’s enchanting selection features the
Water Aspis necklace, a hypnotic snake diamond-
enclaved necklace punctuated with five ceylon
sapphire cabochons; the Nouchali necklace, a
stylized water lily crafted in three dimensions
lacquered with stones; the Amodea ring, a
stunning and spectacular sculptural ring adorned
with rubies; the Apatura necklace, an abstract
interpretation of butterfly wings built around
three gleaming Australian opals (as pictured); and
the Viridia ring, a highly architectural structure
encrusted with layers of diamond topped with a
1.25-carat green diamond.
In the Philippines, Cartier is located at
Greenbelt 4, Solaire Resorts and Casino, and
Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza.
VO GU E PA RT N E R S H I P 63
JEWELRY
Jessica Chastain is the
new face of Gucci’s
Hortus Deliciarum.
Next image:
Alessandro Michele
draws inspiration
from the European
tradition of Grand
Tours for this high
jewelry collection.

64 VO GU E . PH
 LIVING THE
In GUCCI’S HORTUS DELICIARUM
COLLECTION for 2022, the fashion house’s identity in high
jewelry crystallises through a potent mix of kaleidoscopic gemstones and
a kind of brazen effervescence all too clearly recognized as a hallmark of
ALESSANDRO MICHELE’S virtuosic flair. By CELINE YAP
TO WANDER AROUND THE HALLOWED
HALLS OF VILLA ALBANI-TORLONIA IN
ROME, being surrounded by its vast collection of
art and antiquities numbering to the hundreds—a
collection that includes masterpieces even top
museums would be grateful to possess—was a
privilege that one will remember for as long as
time allows. Lauded as the cradle of neoclassicism,
this villa has survived 275 years of history under
the auspices of Fondazione Torlonia, its sprawling
grounds of towering pine woods and oak-lined
avenues leading to an exquisite parterre.
Commissioned in 1747 by Cardinal Alessandro
Albani, who had an impressive collection of classical
art, the villa’s interiors are frescoed in marble. Desiring
to stay true to French philosopher René Descartes’
maxim of never leaving any space empty, the cardinal
also had it filled to the brim with sculptures, mosaics
and stuccoes over floors, walls and ceilings as well as
every nook and cranny as far as the eye can see. Among
the names involved in its conception and design was
the German art historian, JJ Winckelmann, whose role
in the rise of neoclassicism can never be downplayed.
Villa Albani-Torlonia was more than a place
of residence, it was also a cultural venue. As
P hotogra phs co ur te sy of GUCC I
such, it embodied the highest expressions of the
antiquarian taste that defined Rome as the ultimate
destination of the European custom known as
the Grand Tour, especially for generations of art
students who came in search of inspiration from
the (then) newly discovered Greco-Roman ideals.
And this inescapable sensory overload, this miasma
of devastating beauty, was the frame of mind that
Alessandro Michele wanted to relay at Gucci’s
presentation of its new Hortus Deliciarum high
jewelry collection one bright summer morning.
Hortus Deliciarum is the third high jewelry col-
lection by Gucci in as many years and it is also the
fashion house’s most expressive one to date. Com-
posed of unique pieces designed by its creative direc-
tor and divided into five core themes, the collection
takes us on an imaginary Grand Tour of destinations,
timelines and locales. Michele’s flair for excess and a
maximalist aesthetic is writ larger in high jewelry, a
liberty he takes with childlike glee.
“What I’m doing is to explore, in the same way
as I do with clothes and all the other things. It is just
my way of working. I’m navigating a crazy world of
stones, inspiration, history... things that come from
the Georgian era, English jewelry, Italian jewelry.
Finally I’m trying to bring my passion and know-
how into this area,” he shares.
Yet by looking at his creations, it is apparent
that Michele isn’t repeating ancient history. “I’m
that kind of person who doesn’t care where an idea
came from. I w ant to play with it. Let’s try to do
something that looks like a Georgian era jewel or we
can do something with the French tremblant [style].
I was just playing in such a beautiful way and now
it’s already been three years. Working with beautiful
things is one of the most interesting things for a
fashion designer or any designer. It’s like a trip.”
VO G U E . P H 65
JEWELRY

Fittingly, the new Hortus Deliciarum collection includes chapter of Hortus Deliciarum swings by New York in the
Michele’s home city of Rome. As a matter of fact, this is 1930s, where modernism abounds and skyscrapers reach for
where it begins. He chronicles a dreamlike journey around the the clouds. Shapes move from fluid and organic to strong and
city, seeing and touching all the beautiful landmarks in their geometric, even asymmetric and constructed with structural
original splendor. His ‘vehicle’ of choice in this case would details. All that orderliness is then abruptly, yet expertly,
be the antique micro-mosaic pieces taking pride of place in deconstructed with grandiose stones.
necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches and pendants. A Lastly, Hortus Deliciarum arrives at the final chapter of
beloved Roman tradition, these handcrafted antiques date Michele’s long travel diary—a time, rather than a place: the 1970s.
between 1850 and 1870, when they were especially popular Arguably his favourite era. Here is where psychedelic colours
worn as jewelry during the Grand Tour period. and fabulous shapes intermingle with no restraint. Among the
Michele adds: “I was thinking about how beautiful the idea many highlights, a sautoir set with a jaw-dropping 172.4-carat
was that jewelry can tell a story. In the past, these specific jewels Colombian emerald steals the show. Extraordinary not just for its
were really like little movies, little storybooks. I collect micro- incredible size but also its unique cut, this hexagonal portrait-cut
mosaics from the 18th and 19th stone was like a picture painted of
centuries. I find them fascinating inclusions. Also known as jardins,
because with them it becomes the unique pattern sweeps in
not just about the gold or the from the side of the stone towards
high jewelry, but the work, the its centre, like a tidal wave about
time spent getting crazy about to crash onto the shore.
all those little pieces.” Remembering the first time
Depicting iconic sights of he set eyes on the stone, Michele
Rome, from the Colosseum smiles. “I was at home when they
and Piazza San Pietro to the sent me pictures of the stone. I’d
Pantheon and Roman Forum, never seen anything like it. It
as well as the Temple of Vesta, was very emotional for me. I was
Temple of Hercules at Cori, the imagining who might the owner
Tivoli waterfall, and the Pyra- be, what the color was in real life
mid of Cestius, the cameos are and the inclusions. I was already
framed with colored enamel dreaming of putting the stone in
and then set in gold. Elevating a sautoir. They asked me if I’m
them into the realm of high sure about it, so I said, ‘please try
jewelry are a bevy of precious to buy it’ and we got it. It’s like a
gemstones including diamonds fairy-tale. And then when I saw
in an array of different cuts and it in reality, I couldn’t believe
a full spectrum of colored gem- that nature can create something
stones such as peridots, beryls, so beautiful.”
spinels, topazes, opals, tourma- He lavished his wildest fanta-
lines, and more. sies on this exquisite stone, imag-
After Rome, Hortus Deli- ining it as something an aristo-
ciarum sojourns farther afield cratic British family might have
into exotic India. This is where acquired while going through
the collection begins to take on India, then setting it into a hip-
a kaleidoscopic beauty. Bold, rich colors evoke the lush greenery pie-chic sautoir and finally wearing it across the Atlantic in the
and powerful geometrical forms that bring to mind the coun- New World. Michele paired it with a geometric white gold and
try’s royal palaces. Gemstones in fiery tones align with strands diamond chain, and set it with red enamel griffes designed like
of woven gold, accentuated by diamonds and enamel. the claws of a mythical beast—a style that is flamboyant by
Meanwhile, pearls make an appearance for the first time in choice and not classical in the least, but 100 percent Gucci and
Gucci high jewelry, but they’re nothing like the classic strings 1,000 percent Alessandro Michele.
of pearls your grandmother would wear. “If you want to say Indeed, as a fashion designer and an ardent jewelry lover,
something new to the market, you can do it. Do something Michele ought be dubbed the new enfant terrible of high
that hasn’t been done before. Because I’ve felt that high jewelry jewelry. The one who revels in breaking down barriers just to
in recent years was about super precious stones. I like to open see if something wonderful might come out of it. “I was trying
up crazy conversations, thinking what would happen if we did to dream,” he says of his approach to high jewelry. “I am pretty
something new but also interesting. It’ll be like we’re opening obsessed with jewelry. I collect jewelry. Gemstones and things
up new doors in the same playground.” that belong to that kind of work is a space that doesn’t exist, like
His refreshing take on high jewelry allowed Michele to between the sky and the earth. Jewels are like stars to me, it’s all
see gemstones through a markedly different lens. The fourth just,” he sighs, “amazing.”

66 VO GU E . PH
5 - STA R LI F ESTYLE BOUTIQUE HOTE L ∙ IC ONIC M ANIL A BAY V IEW ∙ U NIQU E DINING V ENUES

w w w. ad mir a lhotelma nila .com

FEATURE

GROWING UP IN ANTIQUE, far from the busy streets of
Metro Manila, Russell Villafuerte’s introduction to design was
watching his mother create quilted bedding and crocheted fur-
niture covers in her spare time. One could surmise that seeing
his mother decorate their home with her own handiwork is what
motivated Villafuerte to pursue interior design. However, Villa-
fuerte’s career took an unexpected turn when he decided to au-
dition for the second season of Project Runway Philippines, not
thinking that he would actually get in.
By June 2009, just a month after earning his degree in interior
design, Villafuerte found himself among the reality TV competi-
tion’s contestants, without even
knowing how to sew. “Project
Runway became my fashion
school,” he says. “My mindset
was, ‘I want to do everything, I
want to try everything.’” I T TA K E S A
back together, reconstructing them into new, one-of-a-kind
garments. Any piece of fabric that doesn’t make it into his de-
signs is used to create Strongvillage’s line of stuffed toys.
Villafuerte is the first to admit that this is a labor intensive
and time-consuming process, which he is entirely hands on with.
“I don’t know if I’m now regretting it but I’m really serious about
zero waste,” he jokes. Strongvillage’s streetwear aesthetic and
global perspective take the form of oversized tops, quilted jackets,
trousers with striking patchworks, and gartered skirts. Giving
new life to existing materials ensures that every garment from
Strongvillage is not only an original, but a one-off. Part of Villa-
fuerte’s creative process is also
ensuring that all his designs
are size inclusive and gender
neutral so that anyone and ev-
eryone can wear them.
With Strongvillage’s unique

STRONG
Villafuerte completed the pastiche of fabrics, deconstruct-
entire season of Project Runway, ed silhouettes, and distinct de-
finishing in second place. He sign details, it’s undoubtedly one
subsequently joined the 2011 of the brands pushing Philip-

V I L L AG E
Mega Young Designers Com- pine streetwear style forward.
petition and emerged victorious. Villafuerte shares, “It took me
After his fashion career took off so long to realize that my de-
at such a high, Villafuerte felt sign DNA is really reworking
that things started to plateau. RUSSELL VILLAFUERTE clothes, quilting, and what have
He decided to go back to inte- you. I can’t believe it took me
rior design, earn his license, and believes that sustainability is about so long to realize that because I
pursue other projects. didn’t have to look far. My aes-
It wasn’t until 2019, almost
interconnectedness and the knowledge thetic has been there. It’s what I
a decade later, that he made his that what we do now affects tomorrow. grew up with.”
fashion comeback through the While creating a limited col-
Bench Design Awards. This By RAIA GOMEZ. Photographs lection is a benefit for the brand’s
time around, Villafuerte would
compete under his new name-
by KIERAN PUNAY growing customers, Villafuerte
is aware of the challenges and
sake brand called Strongvil- opportunities that his steadfast
lage, the literal English trans- commitment to upcycling and
lation of his last name. zero waste presents. He believes
With Strongvillage, the designer knew exactly what his that the future of zero waste fashion and the development of his own
brand ethos and aesthetic would be. “There are always three brand is dependent on partnerships. This was evidenced by his re-
concepts that the brand follows, which are streetwear, glob- cent collaborations with Human, which saw him successfully create
al culture, and sustainability,” he says. These three pillars are capsule collections using inventory overruns and factory textiles
Lookbo ok p hoto s c our tesy of STRONGV ILLAGE

what give Strongvillage its strong identity. In line with its
sustainable ethos is its commitment to zero waste. For Villa-
fuerte, this commitment necessitates an entirely different ap-
proach to both his design and production processes.
Unlike many brands, Villafuerte only uses old clothes and
deadstock fabrics to bring his designs to life. His meticulous
process involves collecting donated clothes and upcycling each
piece of clothing by taking it apart, seam by seam, to ensure that
not a single square centimeter of fabric goes to waste. When
cutting the old clothes into new patterns, Villafuerte ensures
that the fabric’s real estate is maximized. He then pieces them
from the brand. “I want to be a collaborator and service bigger
brands to push them into being more sustainable,” he explains.
“Instead of them just storing their overruns and old inventory,
why not give them to me? I’ll make something new out of them
and we can create a capsule collection.”
Sustainability, he believes, is a never-ending process that has
to be constantly improved. Zero waste is just the beginning. Vil-
lafuerte is undaunted by the long road ahead.
“I want to do everything, I want to try everything.” Because
one thing is certain: it will take a strong village to create a more
sustainable fashion industry.

68 VO GU E . PH
TECH and FASHION

Talking tech, impact, and heritage, co-founder MARJORIE

HERNANDEZ takes us to the surreal world of
THE DEMATERIALISED. By TICIA ALMAZAN

70 VO GU E . PH
“I’M A GEEK AT HEART,” says Marjorie
Hernandez, a declaration more than a
confession. The entrepreneur utters this
at 11 AM her local time, bare-faced and
clad in a psychedelic Marine Serre en-
semble, salamanders printed all over her
turtleneck and skirt.
She’s in Berlin, from where she usually
manages her digital companies, LUKSO
and The Dematerialised. Her keen interest
in fashion is unmistakable at first glance, but
once we speak, her expertise in architecture,
strategy, innovation, and design emerges.
She can’t stop talking about technology.
This attraction eventually manifested in
the form of two companies she co-founded,
each acting as a complement to the oth-
er. LUKSO, which she founded with her
husband Fabian Vogelsteller, is a next gen-
eration EVM blockchain. It’s a back-end
system; infrastructure that’s beautiful, but
designed to be invisible.
On the other hand, The Dematerialised
is more user-centric, as a result of Marjorie
wanting to be a more active participant in
co-creating digital culture. Identifying as a
“digital department store,” The Demateri-
alised aims to make digital fashion acces-
sible, without needing to understand the
intricacies of the metaverse.
M AT C H M A D E I N PA R I S
Marjorie has thought about digital fashion
for years, but often felt that the idea was
misconstrued. She recalls reading an arti-
cle supposedly on digital fashion, but was
disappointed when the journalist ended up
discussing e-commerce.
And so the prospect of a digital fash-
ion company remained tucked at the back
of her mind, until one serendipitous visit
to Paris in September of 2019. At a sus-
tainability conference, she met Karinna
Grant, a fashion educator and strategist,
with whom she bonded over a shared cu-
riosity and enthusiasm for fashion’s dema-
terialization. They kept in touch through
texts where they exchanged ideas, then
met physically again in London in Feb-
ruary of 2020, where they shook hands to
the creation of The Dematerialised.
At the beginning, it was just Marjorie
and Karinna, their organic chemistry pro-
pelling the company forward. Though they
didn’t work together prior nor start off as
close friends (like many business partners),
the partnership felt natural. Fondly speak-
ing, Marjorie muses, “With Karinna, I
have, potentially, one of the best relation-
ships in my life, in many ways.”
When asked to describe the compa-
ny, Marjorie offers that it’s a way to fulfill
things that don’t exist in reality. She ges-
tures to the printed top she’s wearing, say-
ing that the pattern wouldn’t exist if not for
the work of humans.
That’s exactly what the metaverse is, but
to an exponential degree—it’s a complete
fantasy. “[Digital fashion is] not limited by
the laws of physics. Designers can fully and
completely lift their creativity to a hundred
percent,” she says. Ideas are actualized.
“Designers
can fully and
completely lift
their creativity
to a hundred
percent”
Another facet of digital fashion’s
appeal is that it can be experienced by
all kinds of individuals across countless
places. Coincidentally, this rings true to
the company’s own origin story. Due to
Covid lockdowns, The Dematerialised
was built by a decentralized team, with
nobody being in the same room.
The platform officially launched in
March 2020, and two years later, they are
made up of 14 core members, from mar-
keters, developers, and creative produc-
ers, to a network of freelancers, primarily
3D artists. They have collaborated with
around 29 creators, forming partnerships
with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Rebecca
Minkoff, and Vogue Talents.
Even with the influx of opportuni-
ties ahead of them, Marjorie believes that
curation and tastemaking are vital. For
brands and artists to land on the website,
multiple meetings and reviews are con-
ducted by the team members to ensure
that visions and values align. Whether
bringing in a 3D garment or a tradition-
al-to-digital design, the team prioritizes a
brand’s ethos. The collaboration needs to
be true to both parties; it needs to be one
that is not a gimmick, that is not pretend-
ing to be something it is not.
Attentive process aside, the team
strives to remain as inclusive as possible
to designers and creatives who want to
experience digital fashion. “We do want
to make sure that we are representing ev-
eryone who wants to be part of the move-
ment,” shares Marjorie. “They should
have the opportunity to be displayed.”
D E M O C R A C Y O F H E R I TA G E
What may make digital fashion challeng-
ing to take in is its supposed disconnect-
edness to craft. Weaving, for instance, is
a part of many Philippine cultures, with
techniques having been passed down for
decades. And this can only be practiced
and best appreciated through touch, some-
thing that cannot be replicated online. In
that way, digital fashion and heritage seem
mutually exclusive.
But Marjorie begs to disagree. Digital
craftsmanship is a very real thing, she as-
serts, and is equally complex and detailed
as weaving, among other things. In fact,
she continues, given all of these digital
tools, we are now able to more easily and
efficiently keep alive any type of heritage.
Her perspective can be regarded as
a democratic approach to craft, which
broadens its scope beyond long-held leg-
acies of traditional methods. To fashion
a garment on a computer requires the
touch of hands, too.
“I think the reason why I love building
companies,” Marjorie shares, “is because
you can take something that used to be
scarce and you can make it abundant.”
That’s exactly what she and Karinna
did with The Dematerialised. They took an
artform so respected for its precision and
beauty, and made it something that any-
one could create, share, and own. They’ve
helped usher in a new dawn of creativity,
where the limit does not exist.
VO G U E . P H 71
FEATURE

72 VO GU E . PH
 TERNO
ON TREND BEN CHAN, a stalwart of Philippine retail, is
keeping Filipiniana alive and determined to make
local talent thrive. By CAROL MALASIG
f patriotism and fashion now seem likely bedfellows,
one could credit this subtle and sustained current to
the efforts of Ben Chan. He is now at the forefront
of reviving Filipiniana––particularly the terno––and
creating platforms for our very own creatives.
“I think my sense of nationalism and interest in
Filipiniana can be traced back to the influence of my
parents,” Chan, the founder and chairman of retail
and food giant Suyen Corporation, says. “It is part of
my family’s history and now, a personal advocacy.”
His parents, Lib Chan and Yin See, established
Liwayway Gawgaw, a company that produced starch
right after World War II. “This was a time of inde-
pendence and a period of strong nationalist senti-
ment,” Chan recalls. Their brand of starch was used
mainly for keeping some of the most essential Filip-
iniana pieces crisp through a process dubbed almirol.
With nationalism as his ethos, he founded
Bench, then a single-store t-shirt brand in 1987. “I
don’t know what kind of courage I had to go against
the grain that even during the hype of international
brands, we were then stamping the words ‘Born in
Manila’ on our tags and printing ‘Made in the Phil-
ippines’ on our shirts,” he says.
Through the years, he’s worked with Filipino
creatives, publishing books on pop culture, mount-
ing fashion shows headlined by local talents, and
providing much-needed support to creatives. All
these, he continues to pursue to this day.
AGAINST THE GRAIN
“I’m a very private person but I’ve accepted the fact
that my work sometimes requires me to be a public
figure,” he says. “In a way, my privacy helps me ob-
serve the world at my own pace, distill the noise,
balance opinions and listen to myself more.”
When he first began, international fast fash-
ion brands were taking up prime real estate in lo-
cal malls with Filipino brands having to compete
with global campaigns, with seemingly infinite
marketing budgets, and a consumer’s aspiration
for the imported and the branded.
When the second wave of globalization in the
Philippines happened through e-commerce, it was
a time of sink or swim for local brands. But Chan’s
company flourished, as he had built his business to
be a dynamic yet timeless brand.
“I am a businessman, but a consumer first,”
Chan admits. “I know the value of money and what
it means for someone who buys our shirts at Bench,
gets a haircut from Fix Salon, or eats at Maisen.”
Seeing things from the perspective of a customer
helps Chan stay in touch with what consumers today
actually do or want. Thankfully, he’s also in business
over something he loves to do. “I still get excited and
passionate about new things as much as I did back
in 1987. In a way, this has helped me navigate our
journey for over three decades.”
When fashion became deprioritized during the
pandemic, Bench already had an established essentials
line, featuring personal care products. Even as early as
2009, Chan would have sustainable pieces like bam-
boo fiber undergarments. “There are three key aspects
that we believe [have] kept us relevant: product, brand
experience, and science.” All these, while “never for-
getting where we came from and always celebrating
our being Filipino,” he adds.
Neighboring countries often sport batik and
weaves like the songket even for daily activities while
Filipinos avoided the terno and the barong, reserving
them for special occasions. “Through the years, our
local design community has addressed this question
VO G U E . P H 73
FEATURE
further and offered options on how to wear
the terno as everyday wear and beyond for-
mal events,” Chan tells Vogue Philippines.
From pushing it to evolve as separates
and modernizing the butterfly sleeves to
pair with shorts and even jeans, terno in-
spired pieces are now proving to be a versa-
tile sartorial option. “At Bench, we offer the
terno as a top, among other materials, in a
practical denim fabric at a price point acces-
sible to most,” Chan shares. “One can wear
the terno on a regular day without question.”
Chan is also involved in
mounting the Katutubo Pop-Up
Market, a partnership with his
long-time friend Mons Romu-
lo. The periodic shopping event
showcases local designers, brands,
weavers, and artisans to introduce
and sell their works to the public.
Katutubo welcomes established de-
signers like Pepito Albert, Randy
Ortiz, and Rhett Eala while also
giving a platform to newer brands
and artisans like Tarte Tatin, Nina
Inabel, Style Ana, and Abel PH.
“I saw in Ben his love and sin-
cerity in wanting to help promote
our culture and our country,” Ro-
mulo shares. “They say never do
business with a friend for fear you
will end up as enemies, but this
was proven wrong with our part-
nership.” Romulo adds that Chan
is always there as a mentor, ready
to give advice, yet keen on letting
her call the shots.
Noel Manapat, who has been
working with Chan for two de-
cades, echoes Romulo’s senti-
ments. The creative says balanc-
ing his dreams with prudence is one of
Chan’s best qualities as an entrepreneur
and artist. “For him, the quality of his
paper bag is just as important as the em-
broidery of a shirt. He has that kind of
personality who believes that if you will
do something, make sure to do it well.”
B U S I N ES S O F FAS H I O N
Spotting and nurturing talent is among
Chan’s passions. During Bench Fashion
Week’s latest run, he invited five design-
ers to showcase their work and collabo-
rate with his brands. Among them was
award-winning designer and TernoCon 2
mentor Lesley Mobo who shuttles between
London and Manila.
74 VO GU E . PH
Mobo admits that Chan’s work has
always been an inspiration. When Chan
asked him to collaborate on a Filipino
collection he started during the pandem-
ic, he swiftly agreed.
“It’s very rural because that’s partly
where I come from,” Lesley says. “Simi-
lar to architecture, everyone is trying to
veer away from rustic but I think that’s
so beautiful,” he adds, sharing how they
decided to throw a fiesta rather than the
usual fashion show. Mobo, who has mas-
tered the art of celebrating the rustic in
an elevated manner, found his designs on
jackets and casual wear bringing his de-
signs to the wider clientele.
“We are in the business of fashion.
Fashion is fueled by new ideas. It is for the
benefit of the industry to provide a plat-
form for emerging creatives, up-and-com-
ing designers to nurture their talents, and
build their businesses,” Chan says.
LOOKING AHEAD
Chan happily notes that even before the
pandemic, people would seek locally-
sourced and sustainably-made products.
“There was already a paradigm shift in the
mindset of the market to look for Filipi-
no-made, Filipiniana-themed pieces,” he
says. “This has also given rise to design-
ers looking more inwards and inspired by
their own regional heritage and materi-
als. Suddenly, Filipiniana was accessible,
made for all, and for all occasions.” The
shift was more than welcome. Finally,
people were seeing what Chan saw in the
80s: the greatness in loving local.
Now with over 600 stores in the Phil-
ippines, the US, Middle East, and China,
Bench has come a long way from being the
single-store t-shirt brand it once
was. “Trust your instincts. Think
harder. Take risks,” is what Chan
says when asked how his brand was
able to both stay relevant and ex-
pand internationally over the years.
An avid traveler, Ben Chan
often finds inspiration during his
trips. From a garden in Tokyo to a
key holder from a hotel or signage
from a metro, his curiosity can be
swiftly piqued. Endearing quirks
like collecting stickers from his
trips and round objects for luck
are just some of the things he en-
joys in private along with buying
books and print magazines in a
highly digitized world.
He counts Japan as one of his
favorite destinations, where fash-
ion to food presentation can be
an art form and it’s not unusual to
see a woman in a kimono walking
in Mihara Yasuhiro. “I think that
the more I travel, the more I feel
like my love for country deepens. I
know many of us feel the same way.
Taki Shi mada wears CHEETA H RIVE RA yellow bali ntawak. Ph oto grap h by SHAIR A LUNA
We get the urge to aim higher, do
better, to give more back.”
Chan continues to advocate for the
local industry through his brands and
projects, saying that it’s not always just
about the products. It’s also about pro-
viding an experience for the clientele.
“I think that projects such as TernoCon
are examples of how we can share to Fil-
ipinos what we stand for,” he adds.
Thanks to Ben Chan, donning the
terno is becoming more accessible,
along with the t-shirts he started with.
Now, it’s possible, even easy, to wear
something Filipino on any type of day,
for any activity or occasion. “To see one
person in a terno is beautiful to see,” he
says. “To see a roomful of people wear-
ing Filipiniana is unforgettable.”
 FR ESH & FESTIVE

Where real life and

beautiful design meet.

SM Aura Premier | SM Makati | SM Megamall www.crateandbarrel.com.ph

OPINION

Divining & Defying

THE FUTURE
What is the way forward for Philippine fashion? MARIAN PASTOR ROCES
paints a picture. Photographs by AT MACULANGAN

K ILLER TECHN IQU E This garment is to my mind a precise no longer exists outside the deepest uncer-
To divine the future—of fashion, of any- physical metaphor of the sustaining spirit tainty about the planet’s survival. That is

thing—it is best to discard exhausted
metaphors. Little is gained now with the
typical future-words: progress, forward,
evolution (horrors!), advance, movement,
or that worn word, trend.
I learned this bit of wisdom from a
garment. It lives in an antiques collection
storage with other immensely valuable tra-
ditional textiles. The cotton, long-sleeved
shirt is about a hundred years old and be-
longed to man. He spoke Tausug and per-
haps Arabic. Tausug speakers are the only
language group in the Philippines that ex-
perienced central authority before Las Islas
Filipinas became a nation; hence a larg-
er-than-village character.
The construction and detail exhibit
breathtaking restraint. To my mind, this
aesthetic control could only have been
discernible in other aspects of the owner’s
life. What comes to mind is the similarly
exquisite control of a martial adept. Or so
we must presume. The owner would have
been a fighter with considerable (and may-
be superb) mastery.
of haute couture. High fashion, so long as it
exists, can only be a virtuoso act; it can only
be similar to a martial artist’s consummate
power to make a killer statement.
Precision comprehension of individu-
al bodies and body movement, a sensuous
understanding of skin and bone structure,
a blade-like capacity to cut through ex-
traneous messages: the couturier and the
martial artist, or any and all virtuosi, will
be extraordinary or not at all.
The “future” can no longer be reck-
oned vis à vis “progress.” Astonishing
technologies of making, say, cloths, or
clothes, or weapons, or pianos, or digital
equipment, alter the character of reality.
Of course. But. Virtuosi will be mea-
sured—and loved—by sustaining their
own dazzling mastery, in terms of their
own making. They will neither be mea-
sured nor loved on the basis of progress.
L OS S OF THE FU TUR E
What is changing irrevocably is the no-
tion of the future itself. The future as idea
Late 19th century Tausug male upper garment, care of Anak Mindanao Foundation Inc Collection, Ex. Ramon Villegas
to say, the future is only possible to think
as conflated with a very possible future-
lessness. Certainly, in fashion, there is no
global superstar in couture whose aesthet-
ic is unfocused by foreboding.
Alexander McQueen grasped doom
and the embrace-of-annihilation aesthetic
that doom alchemizes. Jean Paul Gaulti-
er, Christian Louboutin, Gianni Versace,
Vivienne Westwood, each in their time and
in their inimitable ways, were as similarly
possessed of an apocalyptic imagination as
Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, and Lady
Gaga (to be sure, of her Meat Dress Period).
The same imagination shapes someone
as buoyant as Stella McCartney. The wom-
an who grew up in a vegan family would
have grown, as well, into the ecosystem of
reasons for refusing to support the industri-
al husbanding of animals. This intellectual
ecosystem hangs on a vivid comprehension
of how dire the Anthropocene has become.
Yohji Yamamoto’s black, androgy-
nous clothing channels the complexity
of gender and freedom where nothing

76 VO GU E . PH
remains the same—that is to say, the
planet—except in illusions of stability.
The global fashion industry leaders his-
torically yield to wisdom quickly.
Even when no one notices, wisdom suf-
fices great design. We cannot forget, for ex-
ample, that Issey Miyake was a 7-year-old in
Hiroshima when the atomic bomb explod-
ed. His survivor imagination, bodied in in-
vented cloths that touch the wearer’s forms
transformatively, committed to a defiant
beauty in the nuclear age whose inaugura-
tion he personally saw.
The startling couturiers who deploy
sharpness and viscerality in grasping what
is going on, are among the avatars of pre-
cision thinking during apocalypse; and are
among the earliest to grasp that the world
as we knew it is no longer.
So, no, the small matter of trends has no
bearing on what’s to happen. What’s to hap-
pen is happening now, in any case.
MOR E I NSIGHT
Curiously, the obscure Tausug shirt still
yields more intelligence. By being what
it’s not. Its austere elegance is provocative-
ly at variance with fashion’s main drivers
in the Philippines. Today’s decorative
profusion—in the manner of outrageous-
ly bedecked figures of saints and godhead
in procession—is a different Philippines
from that which made that shirt.
Neither aesthetic is the essential Philip-
pines. However, few in the Philippine fash-
ion industry, nor, for that matter, the general
population, recall the poetics of severe
lines of the tradition to which the exam-
ple belongs. Not even the Tausug.
There are historical reasons for the
fulsome turn, during the 20th century,
to the extravagantly embellished. At
least a few reasons are to do with, yes,
devotion to santos. And for Muslim Fili-
pinos, the glitter of Middle Eastern ma-
terial culture.
And so, the question to ask about Phil-
ippine fashion in the face of global existen-
tial threats is a quasi-religious one. Do the
designers and their Filipino clientele—so
used to surviving catastrophic politics and
weather—feed their bravura with faith in
the sparkling finery of divinities, to thus
carry our flamboyant nation through the
crises ahead?
Answer yes, and ask anthropologists
to walk you through the back alleys of
the Filipino collective mind, from church
processions to fashion runways; from al-
tars to couture spreads and spectacles
featuring transcendent figures. The links
are fairly obvious.
Answer no, and brave through the much
more complicated social thickets of class, as-
piration, politics, and society rites of passage
in the Philippines. This is tough stuff.
Answer maybe (still a legit response)
and consider other reasons for entirely
forgetting an aesthetic of nearly mystical
restraint—reasons for forgetting design as
technical control, such evident in old arti-
facts from everywhere in the Philippines.
DEF Y I NG THE ODDS
Nearly erased from cultural memory is that
command over excess that used to be the
hallmark of even the heavily beaded cloth-
ing of about a century ago, from all Philip-
pine language groups. For a long while now,
baroque adornment has been the norm for
designers for fiestas and, in fact, for a good
number of haute couture leaders.
So: maybe. Perhaps control and restraint
cannot make for a shared fashion aesthetic
in a Philippines where little social value can
be vested in control. Where control has been
exposed as illusory—we only imagine we
can determine outcomes—exaj is the trick!
Exaggeration, exuberance, oomph.
The Philippine fashion message amid
signs of cataclysmic change can only be
released from constraints; the extreme
imagination of bounty; conjurings of
limitlessness. And no, this is neither ni-
hilism nor fatefulness. It could be a defi-
ance of the odds.
While no longer expressive of a killer
instinct honed by technical control, fash-
ion design and indeed haute couture in
the Philippines may, nevertheless, also be
pivoting on the same dark foreboding as
global couture.
It is perfectly possible that Filipino
design’s sassiness—audacity to some—
could defy the very idea of the future.
VO G U E . P H 77
78 VO GU E . PH
 The inexhaustible
fuel of passion is
needed to conquer
the road ahead. Edited by
AUDREY CARPIO.
Photograph by ARTU
NEPOMUCENO
C U LT U R E
FORCES for CHANGE
HOME
The Emmy Award-winning
filmmaker RAMONA DIAZ talks to
AUDREY CARPIO about getting to the
ending and what her latest film could be.
Photographs by XYZA CRUZ BACANI
80 VO GU E . PH
amona Diaz has just started editing her
latest documentary and admits she’s not
sure yet what is going to emerge from the
nearly 70 terabytes of footage she shot in
the Philippines. “I know the beginning
and the end, but the road to get there—I
don’t know,” she tells Vogue Philippines on
a Zoom call from her home in Baltimore,
“but it’s pretty exciting.”
What she does know is that it’s not a
campaign film, even though it would seem
so as she followed the presidential candi-
date Leni Robredo around the country late
last year and into the early months of 2022.
The impetus for starting this project, which
Diaz describes as “not necessarily a sequel,
but connected theme-wise” was the star-
tling impact of A Thousand Cuts, her 2020
documentary tracking Maria Ressa and
Rappler’s troubles with the government,
bringing global attention to the journalist’s
crusade against disinformation. The film
won a slew of awards including a Peabody
and an Emmy for Outstanding Social
Issue Documentary.
Hair and Makeup by CHY LA G UERR ERO
“People were asking, how does it end?
What happens to Maria? I wanted to see
how it ended,” says Diaz. In fact, the film’s
working title is This is How it Ends. “So
it’s not exactly about Leni’s campaign, but
more of Duterte’s administration ending.”
It so happened that Robredo’s cam-
paign started to snowball at the same time
Ressa was named the first Filipino Nobel
FORCES for CHANGE
Peace Prize Laureate. Diaz found herself
embedded in Robredo’s campaign, joining
the many sorties to remote destinations. “I
loved when Leni went to the little corners
of the country, like the fishing villages of
Albay. We’d travel three, four hours to
meet with 10 people. And to her that was
okay, that was her thing. No crowd was
too small,” Diaz recalls. One incident that
struck her was during a visit to a calaman-
si farm, when Robredo sat down with the
farmers and tried to see how they could
become more profitable. “She was working
out the math with them, doing what she
thought was necessary. I was fascinated.”
Diaz knew Robredo was facing an
uphill battle, with her campaign not only
under resourced, but the groundswell
of support coming in a little too late. At
some point, the director let herself believe
that the Kakampinks stood a chance. “It
was at the first big rally where she came in
like a rock star. The tide had turned, then
Pasig happened, all the rallies got bigger.
I had to believe my eyes, right?”
Election night results came as a shock,
as it did to most Robredo supporters. Diaz
was in Naga during the count and remem-
bers that a group of women started praying
around the Peñafrancia, then took the stat-
ue and processed out onto the streets. “They
started singing ‘Bayan Ko’ and all the Leni
songs, people were crying, I was crying.”
The only one not crying was Robredo, who
remained “preternaturally calm,” holding it
together for a stunned press.
Not surprisingly, the person who pre-
dicted this outcome was Maria Ressa,
who kept telling the director that she was
living in a bubble: “Maria crunches num-
bers, she sees the data. She believed the
surveys!” Diaz says.
For both Ressa and Diaz, the Mar-
cos victory signaled a full circle in their
lives and careers in different ways. A
Princeton graduate, Maria returned to
the Philippines in 1986 on a Fulbright
Scholarship to study political theater (as
in stage production) and to rediscover her
roots in the country she left when she was
10 years old. Before she even finished her
program, Maria was recruited by ABS-
CBN, at which point she decided to stay
in the Philippines to help rebuild the in-
stitutions—like a free press—that were
destroyed during the Martial Law years.
Diaz, on the other hand, has been
82 VO GU E . PH
working in Los Angeles as a TV writer on
the detective romcom hit Remington Steele
for five years when its male star, Pierce
Brosnan, set his sights on being James
Bond, thus ending the series. “This hap-
pened to be in 1987. I needed a break from
Hollywood, so I decided to go back to the
Philippines,” she says. In Manila, Diaz
worked as a producer on Apple Pie, Patis,
ATBP, a television series on Channel 9
about the Filipino immigrant experience.
Host Joey De Leon would travel around
the world to interview notable Filipinos in
the diaspora. “It was hard, it was a very
expensive show, and I think no one really
watched it,” she says about the stint. “It
was ahead of its time.”
Working on that production, Diaz
discovered her love of the documentary
format and of letting people tell their sto-
ries. Years later she took up an MFA in
documentary at Stanford, which led to the
film Spirits Rising, her thesis project about
the matriarchal society of the Philippines
and the role women played during the
1986 EDSA Revolution. When she met
Imelda Romualdez Marcos in the pro-
cess, she immediately knew she wanted
to make the former first lady the subject
of her first full-length documentary. Mrs.
Marcos didn’t say no.
It was surreal for Diaz to spend that
much time with Imelda in the flesh. Diaz
had grown up in the Philippines during
Martial Law when “there wasn’t a day
when you didn’t hear news about what the
Marcoses were doing, or where they were
going.” When Diaz was in Manila doing
prep and research for the film, Mrs. Mar-
cos invited her to stay over in Leyte. At
the time, the filmmaker was pregnant and
needed a lot of rest. But Imelda was very
chatty and sociable, to say the least, and
kept her up late many nights.
“One morning, she knocked on my
door and she had breakfast on a tray. Of
course the maid was carrying it, but she
came in all dressed to the nines and sort
of gave me breakfast in bed. And then she
started talking, like she didn’t miss a beat
from the night before,” Diaz recounts. “I
thought, I will never forget this moment!
It was that kind of energy that she had.”
The reception to Imelda’s premiere was
largely positive, except for one high-profile
lawsuit. I ask Diaz why being sued—on top
of being heckled by Martial Law victims
in Amsterdam after one of the first screen-
ings—didn’t put her off filmmaking.
“Because I’m a crazy person,” she
laughs. She continues telling me how she
was on her way to a film festival in Sydney
when—“Oh my god! It’s all coming togeth-
er. It’s my origin story with Maria,” she ex-
claims. One of the journalists who requested
an interview with her was Ressa. “I thought,
oh wow, she wants to interview me? Then
the publicist whispered in my ear, ‘she
doesn’t like the film.’ I’m like, WHAT?”
Exhausted from touring the film fes-
tival circuit, Diaz had hope to talk about
her legal challenges and not about the
film, especially not with Maria Ressa. “I
knew she was going to get into the poli-
tics, I knew what she was going to say. It’s
not a 60 Minutes kind of film. I just didn’t
want to go up against Maria Ressa.” Diaz
declined to be interviewed.
Fourteen years later in 2018, Diaz
was in the Rappler office, pitching what
was to be A Thousand Cuts. She wondered,
would Maria remember? “I doubt she’ll
remember. She’s had many lives, I’ve had
many lives. So I was pitching and pitch-
ing, and then Maria looked at me and
said, “You know, I’ve always wondered
why you turned me down.”
Diaz paused, then decided she would
lean into it. “Maria, that was my first
film! I was overwhelmed and I heard you
didn’t like it. I just didn’t want to talk to
you and go up against you!”
Ressa just smiled. “Well, we have all
the time to talk about it now.”
FORCES for CHANGE

In the intervening years, Diaz would

make several more documentaries, all
connected to the Philippines, all of them a
yearning: The Learning (2011), about four
Filipina teachers who leave their home
and their families to work in the Baltimore
public school system; Don’t Stop Believing
(2013), about the unlikely rise of Arnel
Pineda as the new front man of legendary
rock band Journey, and Motherland (2017),
a wrenching look at the disadvantaged pa-
tients of the Fabella Memorial Hospital
NICU maternity ward.
With the privilege of being a Filipino
outsider looking in, Diaz has been estab-
lished as the filmmaker who “decodes”
the Philippines for the rest of the world.
She has taken distinctly Filipino phenom-
ena and immersed herself in the lives of
its protagonists, creating deep character
portraits that can elicit unexpected sym-
pathy, as in the case with Imelda, where
she lets Mrs. Marcos talk—and talk she
did—without explicit judgment.
Post-election, however, Diaz says
she found it very difficult to understand
the country. She took a couple months
off not thinking about the film, instead
occupying herself in the work of others
during a film mentorship program held
in Kathmandu and Calcutta, followed
by a strict vacation in Mexico where she
didn’t tune in to the news.
Back home in Baltimore, she focuses jects and I think feels very responsible women because they were so generous.
again on finding the threads of her film to them. She’s interested in subtleties of They were full of grace, even the fathers.”
and weaving them together. “This is now power and that excites me as well,” she In September, the Nobel Peace Center
about memory, what we choose to remem- says. “Ramona does not see the world in in Oslo celebrated the Freedom of Expres-
ber or forget, or not forget. I think it will black and white, and she never underesti- sion Festival, where Diaz and Ressa were
be more essayistic in form, more frag- mates the audience.” reunited on stage after a screening of A
mented, like memory.” These qualities are felt strongly in Moth- Thousand Cuts—the first in-person Q&A
Her long-time editor Leah Marino, erland, which unflinchingly brings viewers session they took part in after joining at
whom Diaz calls her “film wife,” is re- into the world’s busiest maternity ward with least 80 online panels together since the
sponsible for a large chunk of the final scenes of mothers and babies piled over one film first rolled out in 2020. Imelda was
product, often drawing out narratives that another. The film is a statement about the also screened on the same day, positing
Diaz, being too close to the material, may dire state of reproductive health in the Phil- a connection between the two films and
be unable to see. She’s currently viewing ippines, but it is also a very humane film that tracking a through line to the upcoming
the footage and “hearing the whispers” of speaks from the womb, bringing to focus one. Weeks later in New York City, Diaz
what the film will be. “This is often the individual stories that show the strength, accepted her Emmy while Ressa was hon-
hardest part of the process—taking all of hope, humor, and love of these mothers. ored at the Albie Awards of the Clooney
it in and starting to distill it,” Marino says. And to get them to share such intimate Foundation for Justice. It was a remark-
The two have ridden the highs and moments of their lives on camera must have able day celebrating Filipino storytellers,
lows of filmmaking together for over taken a different kind of persuasion. truthtellers, and their indomitable spirit.
20 years, first meeting when Ramona’s “The mothers were the hardest to “People ask me why I keep going back
daughter Sabine was still a toddler. Now make understand that their lives were im- to the Philippines. I’m like, why not? Of
working on their sixth film together, Ma- portant, that they had a story to tell. To course I’d go back,” Diaz says. “There’s
rino knows what makes a Ramona Diaz them, it was just ordinary everyday strug- something about the country that always,
film. “She has a lot of respect for her sub- gle. It was incredible to be amongst those always draws me back.”

84 VO GU E . PH
FOOD

MODERN
FILIPINO

Abacá in San Francisco is the latest Filipino

restaurant to make waves. By CHERYL TIU

86 VO GU E . PH
n a Friday evening, the dining room at Abacá Fili-
pino Restaurant is bustling. Music from the resident
DJ at the Kimpton Alton Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf’s
lobby—the retro-chic, rock-and-roll boutique hotel
where the restaurant is located—pulsates through the
semi-open space. “If you don’t have a reservation, it
would be difficult [to get a table,]” the front desk offers
when I ask if it is this busy on any other given day.
Husband and wife tandem Francis and Dian
Ang zip through the bright, airy dining room which
features prominent skylights and hanging plants.
The former, while mostly in the kitchen, comes
out to explain the main courses to different tables.
Meanwhile, the latter, who handles front of house,
ensures that every guest feels at home. Apart from
transitions from one party to another, there is no
empty table in sight throughout the evening.
This should not come as a surprise. The New York
Times recently released their America’s Best Restau-
rants 2022 list and Abacá was the sole Filipino restau-
rant (and one out of only two restaurants in San Fran-
cisco) to make the collection. Add to that accolades
fwrom Esquire, Eater, San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes,
and a James Beard nomination for “Best New Restau-
rant” for 2021. Things are flying high for Francis,
who cut his teeth at Michelin-starred Gary Danko
and Fifth Floor (now Dirty Habit), and Dian, who
worked front of house (also) at Fifth Floor, Alexan-
der’s Steakhouse and La Mar Cebicheria Peruana.
They first introduced the Bay Area to Filipino
food through their Pinoy Heritage pop-up, which was
founded after Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines in
2013, as a fundraiser. Its success prompted the cou-
ple to turn it into their full-time jobs, popping up at
various locations throughout the state. In 2021, they
realized their dream of opening a brick and mortar.
CONTEMPORARY FILIPINO-
CALIFORNIAN CUISINE
“San Francisco Bay Area has such a good Filipino
food scene,” Francis tells Vogue. “However, what was
missing was a more modernized version of the dishes
we grew up with.”
Once they started doing pop-ups, they went a lit-
tle deeper into trying to understand the cuisine, the
traditional techniques, and familiar flavors. “Despite
growing up in Manila, I realized that with the Philip-
pines spanning more than 7,000 islands, Filipino food
is a very complex, hyper-regional cuisine,” he shares.
“It varies so much from north to south. Each region’s
hallmark dishes are influenced by what is available,
their cultural influences, and history.”
VO G U E . P H 87
FOOD
Francis adds that they started to travel and learn
year after year, months at a time. “We utilize some of
this knowledge to create our own takes on some of
these classic, regional dishes.”
The result of this is what he describes as “contem-
porary Filipino-Californian restaurant,” owing to his
and Dian’s roots of growing up in the Philippines and
living in the US. “Our inspiration comes from the
flavors of traditional and regional dishes of the Phil-
ippines as well as the bounty of California. We shop
at the farmer’s market two to three times a week and
incorporate many local and seasonal ingredients to
our menu. We like to think of our food as a regional
Filipino food, California region.”
A starter of hamachi tinapa, inspired by Fran-
cis’ trip to Samar, is cold-smoked and dressed with
coconut milk, ginger, patis, calamansi, red onion
and sinamak vinegar. The selection of BBQ sticks
include the familiar longganisa pork sausage and
chicken inasal, but the addition of an expertly done
vegan-friendly BBQ skewer by way of hodo soy
yuba skin (wherein the tofu skin is deep-fried and
drizzled with adobo glaze) has made the meatless
dish the preference of many.
Ngohiong, not often seen on menus in the US,
is a tribute to Dian’s home province of Cebu. Their
vegetable ngohiong lumpia is stuffed with bamboo
shoots, wood-eared mushrooms and served with
88 VO GU E . PH
fermented chili sauce. (It contains five spice, which
differentiates it from regular lumpia.)
Abacá’s seafood pancit, served with shrimp mus-
sels, smoked bay scallops and XO bagoong, is anoth-
er amalgamation of both Filipino and US cultures.
“When we traveled to Tuguegarao, we learned about
the handmade pancit for the batil patong,” Francis
says. “Since then, we knew we had to make our own
noodles. Our version right now is our homage to [our]
Fisherman’s Wharf [location] with the seafood.”
A signature which servers recommend to guests
is their “Aristocrat” Guinea Hen Fowl, a tribute to
one of Francis’ favorite Filipino restaurants in Manila.
“We smoke and grill marinated guinea fowl and have
our version of the infamous java peanut sauce.”
C O C K TA I L S W I T H U B E ,
S A M PA G U I TA , A N D M A I S
On the beverage front, Abacá offers a number of Fili-
pino-inspired cocktails like Ube-Colada, Sampaguita
Fizz, and Sinaumang Mais, as well as wines and beers
from boutique producers they’ve had longstanding re-
lationships with, a sake selection and non-alcoholics.
General manager and beverage director Jus-
tin Goo, who worked previously at Gary Danko
(where he met Francis) and Alexander’s Steak-
house (where he met Dian) collaborated with Kev-
in Deitrich of Pacific Cocktail Haven in creating
the cocktail program.
“We get a lot of inspiration from the Philip-
pines, whether it’s a place like the Baguio, the only
place in the Philippines that grows strawberries
and where one of our servers is from; the national
flower [sampaguita], and wanting to bring those
flavors out; or the food like the Sinaunang Mais
that is play on the combination of corn and coco-
nut in binatog. The bar team is very talented, and I
just want to help get their ideas to the glass.”
Next to me, a couple was celebrating their an-
niversary. They curiously looked over at my table
and asked me what I had ordered. Both not un-
familiar with Filipino food, they rattled off sisig,
BBQ skewers and gising-gising as their choices, but
admitted that their exposure to Filipino culture in
the US was limited to their colleagues at work. At
the end of the meal, one of them remarked, “Phil-
ippines, I see you.” Both then proceeded to say that
they would now be incorporating the Philippines as
part of their itinerary on an upcoming trip to Asia.
It’s restaurants like Abacá that open doors to Fili-
pino culture and the Philippines, adding to our repre-
sentation on a global scale.
“The most rewarding part of this journey so far
is working with our team, Abacá pamilya—seeing
them grow, learn, and really care about our mission of
spreading our food and culture,” shares Francis. “They
embody true Filipino warmth and hospitality.” It is
also the story of the name: abacá, one of the strongest
fibers, is reflective of the team.

OF THE
UPTOWN BONIFACIO IS TEEMING WITH
NEW FLAVORFUL DISCOVERIES
Food lovers would agree with the sentiment, “you eat with your eyes first”.
In this day and age, food establishments constantly elevate their dishes to new
heights, pushing not only their flavor profiles but also their art of presentation.
Some of the best picturesque restaurants that have been the talk of the town
for marrying superior tastes and visual elements are located in
Fort Bonifacio’s premier lifestyle destination Uptown Bonifacio.
LAS FLORES
GF, UPTOWN RITZ
When Alfredo Rodriguez, now the
Executive Chef of Las Flores Group,
came to the Philippines eight years ago,
he found a good connection between Spain
and the Philippines’ cultures and cuisines.
Inspired by this, the food selections at Las
Flores have that authentic Spanish taste
with a Filipino appeal.
PERROCHIKO
GF, UPTOWN PARADE
Perrochiko brings something new to the
table by serving classic Spanish cuisine
and Catalan-style paellas with the finest
ingredients. Appetizing even to the
beginner’s palate, their glazed Atlantic
salmon with cauliflower purée and toasted
peanuts is a terrific starter.
From top: Oyster Rockefeller from Ambrosia
Manila; Uptown Mall at night; a Latin-American
platter from Alegria Manila; Perrochiko’s elegant
spaces; Las Flores Group Executive Chef Alfredo
Rodriguez; and Kiss Kiss Cocktail from Salt & Ice.
SALT & ICE
GF, UPTOWN PARADE
Salt & Ice champions locally
sourced products and passion for craft
cocktails. The restobar prides itself with
drawing inspiration from different cuisines
worldwide in creating their menu, offering
a journey through their bar bites, mains,
and killer desserts.
ALEGRIA MANILA
GF, UPTOWN PARADE
A sophisticated dining concept, Alegria
Manila impresses in the fine dining territory
with their Filipino-Latin American Tasting
Menu. Prepared in an open fire kitchen,
their dishes blend the finest ingredients
from Mexico with local flavors.
AMBROSIA MANILA
2F, UPTOWN PARADE
Ambrosia Manila’s flavor portfolio is as
mouth-watering as it gets. Their Oyster
Rockefeller, dinner entrees, and cocktails
selections make for a stunning feast, while
guests immerse in music and nightlife
offered by the upscale bar.
FEATURE
As Oscar season kicks off, the TRIANGLE OF SADNESS breakout star speaks
with BIANCA MORAN PARKES about her journeywoman career, how she
keeps sane, and the director-actor dynamic. Photographs by RAEN BADUA
DOLLY DE LEON ISN’T A HOUSE-
HOLD NAME. Yet.
Ever since Triangle of Sadness triumphed
at the Cannes Film Festival, with director
Ruben Östlund winning his second Palme
d’Or, only one name has been on the lips
of Hollywood’s Oscar whisperers, talent
agents, and actors. Featured among an in-
ternational ensemble headlined by Woody
Harrelson, de Leon’s breakout role as Ab-
igail has placed her in the race to become
the Philippines’ first actor to ever receive
an Oscar nomination in its 93-year history.
Her path to the brink of Oscar star-
dom hasn’t come easily or quickly. For
over 30 years, she’s maintained a career
in the Philippines, acting in commercials,
stage plays, soap operas, and local films,
honing her craft while never achieving the
success she so obviously warranted. But as
is the case with this most fickle industry,
one role can change everything.
De Leon took a self-proclaimed “bad
auditioner” and showed up to the Triangle
of Sadness audition with nothing to lose.
The grit and determination that she’d
built over decades were tailor-made for
the role of Abigail, a no-nonsense OFW
(Overseas Filipino Worker) who puts the
rich in their place. She was destined for
this role, one that represents minorities
and underdogs all over the world. Not
only does Dolly recognize her opportunity
90 VO GU E . PH
as an actor but also her place as an ambas-
sador for the country and people she loves
so much. Manila will always be home.
It’s an unseasonably windy day in Los
Angeles when I meet with Dolly at the
aptly named London Hotel. We move
from the hotel rooftop to the balcony for
today’s shoot. She confidently owns the
camera, all while making the crew laugh
and feel at home. The brisk chill in the
Angeleno air doesn’t dampen the spring
in her step. Playful, honest, wise, and sin-
cere, Dolly exudes warmth. And amid the
organized chaos, she makes it a point to
greet me with open arms as soon as I walk
in. I feel like I’m with family. There’s a hu-
manity that she brings to the day.
BIANCA MORAN PARKES: Walk
us through what your experience on the
international stage has been like so far.
DOLLY DE LEON: Everything’s just
starting to sink in recently, but it’s really
been strange because I’m not used to people
giving me any kind of attention (laughs) but
it’s been fun too. I think that the best part of
this whole thing is meeting people, meeting
like-minded people who love filmmaking,
who love acting. And that, to me, it’s always
very refreshing to learn from other people
and to hear people from different cultures
and ethnicities talk, talk about their passion
and their jobs. So lately it’s been a lot of fun.
The cast in the film is also really diverse.
So many different perspectives. What
was it like premiering Triangle of Sadness
at the Cannes Film Festival?
It was like an out-of-body experience real-
ly. I didn’t feel like my head was on right
because for the first time, I attended a red
carpet. So it was my first red carpet event
in France, in Cannes, knowing that the au-
dience has a very particular taste and these
are cinephiles who really love film. So it
was intimidating—flash photography ev-
erywhere. And then I was going to watch
the film for the first time. I had never seen
the film before Cannes—you know, Linda
Blair in The Exorcist? When her head goes
around? That’s how I felt it. Like my head
was just going around my shoulders.
How did you become an actor?
My first experience with acting was when
I was in the fourth grade. We were made
to act in a scene where we were siblings
and our other classmate was our mom. We
were supposed to grieve over her death,
so we were acting it out. And when I was
doing the scene, and I don’t know why,
maybe because when you’re a child, your
imagination really runs away with you—I
was really feeling it and it felt so real to me
that I was really feeling the emotion. I was
hooked after that. I was just [like], “what is
this feeling?” That to be able to just be free
FEATURE

BA+SH coat,
MAISON
ALAÏA black
turtleneck,
THEORY
pants,
BOTTEGA
VENETA
loafers. Previous
page: PETER
DO coat,
shirt, trousers,
ALEXANDER
0&ʤ8((1
sneakers.

to express what you feel inside and not hav-
ing to worry about what other people think
because it’s my truth, of course, at that time
I didn’t know about characters.
So to me it was my truth. And after
that, I started doing commercials in the
Philippines, and it got serious when I took
arts in college. Something I thought that I
could actually make a living out of. But
I did encounter Ariel Ureta, a celebrity in
the Philippines, who was the boyfriend of
my cousin who would come to the house
and visit us. And then he told me that
Niño Muhlach, a very famous child actor
at the time, would need a female play-
mate. So he asked me if I wanted to be
an actress, and because I was so shy, and
I still am actually, I didn’t want to. So I
can’t say that’s one of my biggest regrets
because I probably would’ve been a totally
different person. But it’s just funny think-
ing that I could have started really young,
professionally––but no, I just chose to
have fun with it. And that’s my first love,
that’s my passion––doing theater and
sinking my teeth into acting and really
discovering the truth of it, and how to go
about it, how to discover characters.
What was production like, specifically
working on a beach? What is your favor-
ite memory from production?
Working in production in Greece, I would
say was probably the best time I had in
my entire life. It was so much fun because
I love the beach. It’s my favorite place on
earth, so I was in heaven. And they took
care of us very well.
I was terrified every day coming onto
set because I knew that what we were doing
was very special and it was very important.
And I know Ruben puts a lot of passion
into everything he does. His film process is

92 VO GU E . PH
very, I wouldn’t say stringent, but he abides
by certain rules that are unspoken. But you
kind of get the gist of it. He gives everyone
the opportunity to explore, but at the same
time, he watches us very carefully to make
sure we’re always on the right path and not
veering away from the truth. I think I really
grew as a person and as an actor.
It also reached a point where I got so
homesick because I really felt like we were
on an island, stuck on an island shooting, far
away from my family speaking English the
whole time for two months, for six weeks
straight. And that really does something to
my brain, when I’m not speaking Filipino,
which is my native tongue. So I would talk
to my kids constantly just to keep me sane
and to keep speaking the language. And it
reached the point where I was listening to
OPM. OPM is Original Pilipino Music and
it makes me so happy to listen to OPM.
It was like you were all castaways from
different parts of the world.
Yes. But we would also lean on each other
for support. So it was a very safe space to
be at with them.
What was it like working with Ruben?
I think Ruben is a, well I can’t speak for
all actors, but definitely he’s an actor’s di-
rector, as far as my experience with him is
concerned. He really gave all of us plenty of
room to explore and his favorite word was
investigate, “Let’s investigate the scene.”
So we’re always finding other ways to do
the scene, finding maybe better ways to
do everything. He really challenged me
as an actor, pushing me to my limit to see
how far I can go or how much I can do. But
at the same time, guiding us and making
sure that we’re still on the path of truth.
And I felt safe with him all the time
because I knew that he was always looking
out, not just for his baby or his product, but
his people. He’s a very human-centric kind
of director, he looks out for us as well. So
it was really rewarding to work with him.
And I’m not the type of actor who would
look at the monitor after every take because
I feel that that gets in the way of delivering
an organic performance, but with him… at
the end of the day I would, I’d see it, and
I’d say, “are you choosing that take? I like
the other one better.” And we’d talk about
why, and he’d say, “yeah, but this may be
better.” So sometimes you reach a compro-
mise, and to me that’s valuable in a work-
ing relationship to give the actor freedom
to really explore and discover things about
themselves, but at the same time being loy-
al to the material, which is the script.
That’s cool.
Yes. In so many ways. That’s why when we
won the Palme d’Or, I felt like we were all
winners because we were all part of that
whole process. So it felt like the award was
not just his, but it was ours.
In looking at photos of Cannes, you could
sense that. How did you, the cast, and the
crew approach your character’s captain
role in the film on and off camera? Did
you interact with the cast and crew in a
captain-like capacity?
No, I did not act with a captain-like capaci-
ty. Nothing against method actors, but I am
not a method actor. I really believe that part
of the creative process is building relation-
ships with your co-workers. And I’m not just
talking about the actors, but the crew, espe-
cially the crew. They’re really the most tired
because they don’t get to have down times,
they don’t get to rest because while the scene
is running, they’re setting up for the next
shot. I really believe that the working envi-
ronment is very essential to coming up with
really exceptional work because it translates
on screen and a lot of people have told me
that our cast has really good chemistry.
And I think that’s because behind the
scenes we’re really authentic. We really love
each other and we’re all supportive of each
other. Even when I say that line, which ev-
eryone laughs at in all the screenings, “On
the yacht, toilet manager” and “Here, cap-
tain,” people laugh at that all the time. But
I am actually like the exact opposite of Ab-
igail when it comes to how I talk to people
or deal with people, but I can be fierce like
her too if I have to be.
What drew you to the character of Abi-
gail, and the themes of class differences
and people’s true worth in the film?
What really drew me to Abigail is the
fact that she is an OFW. I’ve been ex-
posed to that world at a very young age. In
the ‘80s, it was Saudi Arabia where people
worked. It was usually the men who left
home to work abroad so that they could
send money or be better breadwinners out
of the country to their family. Then later on,
the women also started leaving. And to me
that really spoke volumes of how precious
Abigail is. She’s a woman, first of all, a Fil-
ipina or maybe let’s say if she’s not Filipino,
she’s a minority, not very well educated but
has her own intelligence, and she’s also a
migrant. So all those elements, if you put
them together, is like a recipe for someone
who is just hungry for love and attention
and power and self-worth and respect. So
that’s really what drew me to Abigail.
And what made it even more special
was how Ruben wrote her from “nothing
to something.” And to me it’s very import-
ant for the role that we play to have an arc
or a journey. Abigail had that very special
arc and Ruben wrote her so beautifully,
and that’s really what drew me to her. The
whole script actually. The film is filled with
twists and turns—“when is it going to end?”
There’s always a turning point in the film.
And what I love about Ruben is he doesn’t
care about any of that. To him, it’s not about
the twists. It’s not about a transformation
that happens. It’s about what the characters
go through before that transformation.
Ruben must’ve had a Filipino actor in
mind as they sent the casting director to
the Philippines. Did you teach him about
Philippine culture? Did he know any-
thing about OFWs?
He didn’t know it the way we know it.
He knew that we were all over the globe
working, but he didn’t know the aspects
of it, like leaving your family behind. He
thought that their families are with them
living in that country, but no, their fami-
lies are still in Manila and they’re alone in
that country living with strangers. He also
didn’t know that the reason why they leave
is because they need to find better oppor-
tunities abroad. And in Abigail’s case, she
was not a breadwinner. She was just looking
out for herself. So that was another aspect
that we also discussed. I had to talk to him
about why Abigail makes certain choices in
the film, why she chooses to go left rather
than right. And all of that has to do with
her background as a Filipino worker abroad.
So those were the little things that we dis-
cussed, Ruben and I, but we didn’t really go
in depth because I’m a firm believer that the
actor has to keep certain secrets away from
the filmmaker, from the director because
that makes for a more interesting dynamic.
And the director is caught off guard and is
surprised by a performance for months and
they don’t know why. And that’s the secret
that an actor keeps.
VO G U E . P H 9 3
FEATURE

FOLLOW THE

No egos, no competition, no leaving others in the dust.

The Litas Manila offers the safe space needed by women
of the moto community. By AUDREY CARPIO.
Photographs by ARTU NEPOMUCENO.
Fashion Editor DARYL CHANG

94 VO GU E . PH
VO G U E . P H 95
FEATURE

96 VO GU E . PH
Rasch Miranda rides a Triumph Street Scrambler 900. “Being on the road with Litas makes
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VO G U E . P H 97
FEATURE
Carol Karthe
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VO G U E . P H 99
FEATURE
A FEW MISCONCEPTIONS WHEN IT
COMES TO THE GIRL GANG WITH BIG,
BADASS BIKES KNOWN AS THE LITAS
MANILA EXIST. First of all, they’re not a gang.
They’re no Hell’s Angels in heels, nor are they
Daughters of Anarchy. In fact they’re quick to
distinguish themselves from the hypermasculine
subculture of motorcycle clubs.
The Litas are inclusive and diverse, welcom-
ing any woman-identifying person who loves
to ride. They ask no membership fees, only that
you join their monthly meetups or rides. Litas
come from all walks of life, and The Litas Ma-
nila, whose numbers are now at 20, are also
CEOs, mothers, artists, rockers. Their day jobs
are as wildly varying as the types of steel horses
they ride, but they were all born with a rebel-
lious streak that makes them uncomfortable
with convention and lusty for the freedom that
two-wheeled travel brings.
The Litas, an international network of female
riders in 27 countries, was originally founded in
2014 in Salt Lake City by Jessica Hagett, a biker
who was just looking for other girls to ride with.
Soon, women in cities across the USA, then the
world, started to open local branches. In 2017
Gaki Azurin, the YouTube vlogger known as
GakiMoto, had the idea of starting a girl group,
and roped in Erika Fernandez and Carol Karthe
to be the other two co-founders required to start
a Manila branch of The Litas.
“The Litas have established a safe riding
group culture. I’ve never felt safer riding on
the road,” says Erika, who works for her fam-
ily company and counts knives, shooting, and
freediving as her other interests. Primarily a
dirt bike rider, Erika says she is not as skilled as
many of the other road riders in the group. “One
of the things they take very seriously is riding
capability and skill. Being on the road with The
Litas, I feel so well taken care of.”
One of the rules of their group rides is that
no one is left behind: “We ride at the speed of the
rider with the lowest skill level.”
In terms of riding experience, Karthe has
clocked the most years and mileage world-
wide. She got her first big bike three decades
ago and has toured Chengdu to Tibet one
year, the South Island of New Zealand anoth-
er, and has ridden from Manila to Cotabato.
“I’m more of that kind of rider,” she says. “I
love camping, and I’m a sailor; my lifestyle is
all about roughing it.” Carol, a former swim
coach, has pivoted to interior design, but re-
100 VO GU E . PH
mains constantly on the move. Shortly after
the Vogue shoot, she left for an extended trip
to South America to ride horses and play polo.
Rasch Miranda is one of the newer mem-
bers, recruited in 2020. She’s been riding for
nine years, starting in college where she would
use a small motorbike to commute to school.
The PMAP model enjoys trail riding around
Antipolo. “I like nature, going to falls and riv-
ers,” she says. “Swimming in the falls after a
ride, it’s so refreshing.”
When Rasch started working for the Brit-
ish motorcycle manufacturer Triumph, she fell
in love with big bikes. Coming from Naga and
not having a big bike of her own, she admits to
being shy about joining The Litas, who typical-
ly ride bikes 400cc or larger. Cal Soesanto, one
of the first members of TLM, points out that
there are rare cases where members don’t have
big bikes. “But Rasch has the experience. It’s
like when you know how to use the tool, but
you just don’t have it yet.”
As part of the group’s commitment to the
network, TLM holds longer “lomi rides” to
Batangas or Rizal, converging at a roadside
eatery to slurp down PHP70 kickass lomi. For
the girls who can’t join these rides for whatev-
er reason, whether they lack the skill or their
bikes don’t make the cut (for Erika, her asthma
has been preventing her from going long dis-
tance), there are regular breakfast meetups in
Metro Manila, with quick rides to places like
Café Breton in Magallanes.
Beyond the community and kinship they
build among themselves, the group also ex-
tends their support to various causes. “One of
my favorite rides was for the LGBT Pride Ride
this year,” says Erika. “The turnout was amaz-
ing, we had over a hundred riders to support
the cause.” Rasch and Carol enjoy dappering
up for the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride,
the annual moto-parade of classic and vintage
bikes that raises awareness and funds for pros-
tate cancer research and men’s mental health.
The Litas Manila founders are planning to
hold more events of their own in the coming
year, to keep inspiring and encouraging wom-
en to find their own adventure on the road.
“The idea is for women to share the love
for the open road,” says Erika. “The spirit of
The Litas is celebrating womanhood—and big
bikes.” Adds Carol, “I hope for The Litas to
be an irreplaceable spark plug, igniting our en-
gines of sisterhood.”
VO G U E . P H 101
104 VO GU E . PH
 From the real
to the phygital,
today’s vast
landscape goes
beyond the
imagination.
Edited By PAM
QUIÑONES.
Photograph by
MARK NICDAO
F A S H ION
 The future of fashion is deeply-rooted in the heritage of
everydaywear as the BALINTAWAK is celebrated for the
upcoming TERNOCON, rendered digitally by DressX and
Lablaco and are modeled by IVAN MEDRANO’s avatars
against BIANCA CARAGUE’s landscapes. Fashion Director
PAM QUIÑONES. Sittings Editor TICIA ALMAZAN

106 VOG U E. PH
VO G U E . P H 107
 BON
HANSEN
REYES
balintawak

108 VOG U E. PH
DENNIS LUSTICO balintawak, DINNES OBUSAN balintawak

VO G U E . P H 109
 TERNO COUNTRY
By AUDREY CARPIO
t the Puente Colgante in Quiapo the pilgrims boarded garlanded
boats and sailed upriver to the music of rondalla. The menfolk were
in camisachino and neckerchief; the women in balintawak. At
Cainta or Taytay, where the voyage ended at noon, waited horses,
wagons, carriages, and hammocks, of the afternoon trek uphill.”
The above passage, attributed to Nick Joaquin, describes the
annual pilgrimage to Antipolo taken in the muggy month of
May. Women—and some men—completed the last leg of the
journey on a shaded hammock, hoisted by porters and carried
in leisure to the top of the hill to visit the shrine of Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage. Urbane ladies took advantage of these
out-of-town jaunts to don their countryside outfits known as the
balintawak, so much so that the three-piece dress has become
associated with the scenic rural town.
A laid-back version of the terno that became popular in the 1920s
and 30s, the balintawak harks back to the supposedly simpler life of
the country. A series of hand-tinted photographs from the 1930s
showing Manila women styled with agricultural props suggests
that this countryside fashion was more of a look than a lifestyle,
a studio recreation of Fernando Amorsolo’s romanticized vision
of rural life. “They enthusiastically held up Japanese fans, baskets,
clay pots, fishing tools and farming implements against painted
backdrops depicting quaint rural scenery. The postcard photos were
then distributed to friends and family with heartfelt dedications,”
describes TernoCon artistic director Gino Gonzales in his essay
“The Philippine Dress: 500 Years of Straddling Polarities.”
Gonzales notes that this pining for the province came in
response to the rapid urbanization and Americanization that the
Philippine capital was experiencing in that era. Fittingly, this
year’s TernoCon, the third iteration of the intensive months-long
terno design workshop and competition presented by the Cultural
Center of the Philippines and retail giant Bench, is all about the
balintawak. The pandemic has seen the exodus of many fortunate
110 VOG U E. PH
city dwellers to their seaside abodes or vacation farms. Those
who remained locked down in their apartments took to slow-
living pastoral pursuits like growing plants and baking bread. The
balintawak, with its looser, softer forms and more festive patterns
is the post-pandemic Filipino dress that speaks to our present balik
bukid (or return to countryside) sensibilities.
Aside from the butterfly sleeves, there are other essential
elements of the balintawak—the alampay, a multifunctional
piece of cloth that is strewn over one shoulder, replacing the stiff,
modesty-covering pañuelo, and the tapis, a matching piece of
fabric that is wrapped or girded around the waist over the saya,
replacing the more elaborate sobrefalda. (“Depending on the year,
the balintawak may not necessarily be a three-piece ensemble,”
Gonzales says. “At its height, it had four pieces: camisa, alampay,
tapis, and saya.”)
The TernoCon designers, which include mentors, contestants,
and previous winners, are free to interpret the alampay and tapis as
they wish, but the sleeves are held to a stricter standard, being the
last vestige of the ever-evolving terno.
The traje de mestiza, the terno’s precursor, came into fashion
in the 19th century. It was a style that was neither completely
indigenous nor completely foreign, both influenced by Western
trends yet modified to suit the local context. “Its development
cannot be simplified as pure adaptation, or a direct and exclusive
imposition from Spain; rather, there was an interweaving of native
and foreign traditions,” writes Stephanie Coo in her book Clothing
the Colony. “The dress was European-inspired in construction,
style, and silhouette, but native in material and ornamentation.”
In the 1920s, the couturier Pacita Longos—a favorite of
Philippine high society at the time—began to pleat the upper part
of the billowy sleeves of the traje, creating a flatter and more raised
shape. With the invention of the butterfly sleeve, the terno as we
know it began to take shape.
 BON
HANSEN
REYES
balintawak

VO G U E . P H 111
ABDUL
GAFFAR
balintawak
RICKY TOLEDO and CHITO VIJANDRE balintawak

VO G U E . P H 113
 I NSPI R I NG T H E N E XT GEN ER AT ION
Of the four mentors, Dennis Lustico is known for his feminine
silhouettes and has been a Paris Fashion Week fixé since 2016. He
crafted a knee-length pink dress with the wispiest of butterfly sleeves
and a suggestion of a tapis in sheer tulle. “From the lectures we had
during our lock-ins with Gino, we learned that the balintawak is
breezy, light, fragrant, floating and airy,” he says. “I didn’t want it
to look heavy, either by fabrication or aesthetics. It had to be light.”
Under Lustico’s mentorship is Cheetah Rivera, who earlier
made the international street style rounds when Heart Evangelista
was photographed at Paris Haute Couture Week wearing a blue
mini terno with 3D appliques that Cheetah designed. Rivera’s
TernoCon entry captures the mood of Amorsolo’s paintings
with floral motifs hand-embroidered on a terno top. “In Abra,
I studied natural dyeing processes using organic materials like
woods and plants,” she says. Using lagundi leaves, the top was
imbued with its yellow hue.
Abdul Gaffar, a designer from Iligan who won the Chief
Mentor’s Medal in 2020 for his white neoprene terno collection,
hewed to the more traditional spirit of the balintawak for this
TernoCon with a floral dress in a light chalice cotton. “My
favorite detail about this piece is the lines created using the jute
ropes, and also the sheer fabric, making the whole ensemble look
light, easy, and comfortable to wear despite the amount of pieces
layered on top of each other,” he says. “I think it represents well
how the balintawak or terno was being done before and how it
can still be used and done today.”
Another previous winner, Dinnes Obusan, won bronze
in the last TernoCon for dresses sewn out of individual loops
of neoprene and velvet, a laborious process that came to be
his signature technique. His pared-down balintawak design
highlights the tapis and how it was used as a cover-up—an
image made famous by Amorsolo’s sensual renderings of
Filipina women bathing in the river. Obusan used printed
chiffon to create a single unit resembling a malong knotted
at the shoulder, with two layers of yellow chiffon and lace
peeking underneath. He explains that he chose the fabric for its
lightness: “Magaan tingnan, tapos naisip ko bagay siya sa design
na presko lang tingnan. Yung look na bagong ligo,” he adds.
Bon Hansen Reyes, a finalist from Rizal, is a menswear
designer who has found a female fanbase among those who
prefer androgynous styles and loose shapes. His gray bibbed
balintawak veers away from the traditional femininity of the
terno, using wool and tailoring techniques to create precise lines
and folds. “The construction was quite difficult because it’s like I
was solving a puzzle to assemble the pattern. Everything should
be sharp,” he says. Though not a TernoCon entry, Bon’s black
wool dress is distinctive for having his design DNA, which he
describes as “not fitted, but boxy.”
Mentoring Reyes is Joey Samson, the designer who pioneered
the menswear look for both men and women in the aughts. His
two very different balintawak outfits demonstrate his range as
114 VOG U E. PH
a designer. The tuxedo-terno hybrid, done in sheer fabric and
lace, is punctuated by a playful cluster of printed ties, bowties,
and cravats that take the place of the alampay. His second dress
exudes a nostalgic charm with a 1950s serpentine silhouette and
swirly skirt layered with organza, tulle, and raw edge cotton,
making it super swishy when set in motion.
Interestingly, it was Lustico who steered Samson toward
menswear when the latter was a new member of the Young
Designers Guild. Now, Lustico says that Reyes reminds him of
Samson when he was starting out, someone who broke the rules.
“It’s been very fulfilling to be able to share the knowledge we
have, and the experiences we went through, with these young
designers,” Samson says. “It’s fulfilling to say, in a way, that we
can inspire other people.”
Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre, the design duo behind
Firma and AC+632, are jointly mentoring the last third of
the finalists. “Inno (Sotto, Chief Mentor) and Gino assigned
the maximalists to us, the crafty ones who like beading and
embroidery,” Toledo says. “They all happen to be out-of-towners,
from Zamboanga, Cebu, Mindoro, and Davao. I’m in awe of the
talent they have,” adds Vijandre.
The pair was already already working on their ten pieces for
the TernoCon show, using upcycled materials foraged from their
pandemic spring cleaning, when they got the balintawak memo.
To make it to the press preview, they had to quickly tweak two
ternos constructed with Madeira tablecloths and embroidered
fabric from China. Sondheim’s “A Weekend in the Country”
was playing on Spotify, giving them the Edwardian inspo for the
outfits they presented with ornate, intricate, and even irreverent
details. “Of course, a little of the baroque and belle epoch comes
in. You can see there’s maybe a lot going on, which we had to edit
eventually,” Ricky laughs. “We don’t really do casual.”
TernoCon 2020’s three mentors—Lesley Mobo, Ivar
Aseron, and Philip Rodriguez—will be part of the judging
panel on January 28, 2023, continuing the chain of mentorship
and guidance that will keep the terno alive and in use well into
the future. “I think it’s worked, the terno is more visible now,”
Ricky and Chito agree, mentioning 2018 mentor JC Buendia
who they say made it more casual and relatable. “It helped put
the terno in the mainstream again and inspired the second
TernoCon to push through.”
Could we be witnessing a new golden age of the terno, one
where the butterfly sleeves are found on garments both formal
and informal, structured and deconstructed, traditional and avant
garde, real and virtual? It’s not necessary to turn the terno into
everydaywear—the need is simply to make everyday Filipinos
aware of how much of our country’s history can be told in the
story of two sleeves. The terno, even a hundred years later, still
offers a canvas on which Filipino designers and artists can chart
a national identity, using craft, collaboration, and creativity to
transport us into possible worlds and new futures.
BON
HANSEN
REYES
balintawak

VO G U E . P H 115
 JOEY
SAMSON
Pacita
balintawak

116 VOG U E. PH
 BETWEEN the
REAL and
the VIRTUAL
By ALEX QUICHO
DOES THE METAVERSE EXIST YET? ACCORDING TO
SOME TECH EXECS, IT DOESN’T.
In a 2022 interview with The Verge, Meta CEO Mark Zucker-
berg said he anticipated it would take at least five more years before
“things would start to click and people would start to understand
what we were putting together.”
Banking on becoming the center of “the Metaverse”—a term
that originates from the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash
and denotes an immersive alternate reality accessible via tech—the
company is investing heavily in virtual reality hardware, such as the
Oculus headsets, and VR software development, such as the social
platform Horizon Worlds. In 2022, it announced partnerships with
Adobe and Microsoft to integrate commercial tools (including the
dreaded Teams) into virtual reality.
Meta’s overarching vision is to replace the bulk of “real life” with
appealing virtual analogues: Why commute to work when you can
collaborate in cyberspace? Why bother getting ready for a party
when you can roll up to one from your Oculus headset? Still, it can
be difficult to imagine having the desire to sit in a VR meeting, gaz-
ing for hours at your colleagues’ avatars without a complimentary
croissant in sight, or hang out in a blocky VR living room when your
friends are just down the road.
The implications for highly visual or technical fields are clear,
and surgeons and architects may rejoice at the possibilities of train-
ing or designing in three living dimensions. But Meta’s complete
vision excludes around 37 percent of the world’s population without
internet access, let alone the significant processing power needed
to access VR, and ignores the nature of work and play outside of
white-collar enclaves.
Finally, it chafes against what so many have discovered after
the world’s partial, post-lockdown reopening. The sparkle of a re-
cently rained-on garden; the hush of an air-conditioned cinema
seconds before the movie starts; the bliss of dancing together in a
nightclub or the communion over a home-cooked meal: these are
whole, sensory experiences that a virtual environment may never
come close to replicating.
Millions of people already flock to online worlds for fun—
and these, combined with social media, augmented reality expe-
riences, and the aforementioned VR innovations, can be seen as
a patchworked Metaverse stitching itself together in real-time,
outside of Meta’s jurisdiction.
Massive multiplayer games like Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft
contain myriad experiences for every kind of gamer, from blood-
thirsty fighters to meditative builders or absolute beginners. There,
digital socializing is a far cry from posting photos and exchanging
messages. Users bond over melée battles or patiently recreating Dis-
neyland block-by-block. In other words, virtual worlds are beloved
precisely because they are unrealistic. The appeal lies not in replacing
the world we live in, but in the avid and absorbing fantasies that ex-
pand our limited reality.
And the idea is hardly new: Second Life, a massive multiplayer
game often cited as a precursor to the Metaverse, has been online for
close to two decades. The platform is populated with the ethereal
fairies, exaggerated pin-up models, and many-headed dragons that
many people, it turns out, dream of becoming.
The idea of using virtual worlds to escape “real life” may seem
toxic or frightening to the uninitiated. The mental image of a gam-
er hunched over their PC beside piles of empty ramen containers,
friends, and family long forgotten, is hard to shake. Yet video games
have been proven to improve reflexes and cognition, while studies
have shown how some virtual experiences can increase empathy,
soothe anxiety, or even reduce pain.
Bianca Carague hosts her therapeutic environment, Bump
Galaxy, on a Minecraft server, using aesthetic elements such as
shimmering seas, floating islands, and sublime temples to host
creative therapy sessions or encourage mindful individual ex-
ploration. These settings offer a safe reprieve from the tension
and bustle of real life, far away from the dizzying frenzy of many
multiplayer games. They bring the serenity of an idealized natural
environment to users who may well be hundreds of miles from
unspoiled forest or shoreline, channeling the medium’s hyperre-
ality to evoke feelings of wonder and joy.
VO G U E . P H 117
 Opposite: JOEY SAMSON Ibarra tuxedo terno

118 VOG U E. PH
VO G U E . P H 119
 RICKY
TOLEDO
and CHITO
VIJANDRE
balintawak

120 VOG U E. PH
 Instead of presenting a
monolithic ideal of a ‘TRUE’
FILIPINA, the avatar represents the
multifaceted nature of living
in an ARCHIPELAGO
defined by extreme DIVERSITY
Unlike legacy social media, which depends on pruning
the image of your life into an idealized “personal brand,” the
Metaverse offers, in theory, nearly unlimited potential for creat-
ing your self-image. For some, this opens up the age-old question
of who we are beneath our external representation, which parts of
our personality will still shine through when our avatar is reduced
to a glowing sphere or expanded into an angel with a thousand
eyes. The next generation of “online selves,” with all their poten-
tial freedoms, encourage us to closely examine our own identities
and the social or cultural contexts that compose them.
Using artificial intelligence, artist Ivan Medrano generates an
avatar from over 1,000 likenesses of Filipina women that appears
to be the “archetypal” Filipina at first glance. But her ghostli-
ness—the uncanniness that resides in the blur between individual
faces and an aggregated image—reveals how every archetype is
unstable. Instead of presenting a monolithic ideal of a “true” Fili-
pina, the avatar represents the multifaceted nature of living in an
archipelago defined by extreme diversity.
Interspersed with the three archetypes are images of our model
Taki set in Carague’s imagined landscape.
Digital fashion has been most successful when satiating our col-
lective hunger for the unreal, giving people the ability to dress their
game avatars—or even pre-taken photographs of their ‘real’ selves,
in the case of services like DressX—in outlandish garments. From
iridescent ballgowns to cyber-gothic exoskeletons, the impossible
becomes accessible at a much lower price point than haute couture.
Meanwhile, the lucrative space of in-game purchasing has
sparked collaborations between the likes of Fortnite and Balenciaga,
or Louis Vuitton and League of Legends. Standalone digital fashion
houses espouse the eco-friendliness of their offerings, enabling people
to express their sartorial side without feeding into wasteful trend cy-
cles. But more than merely reducing overconsumption, these projects
captivate by pushing the boundaries of what is materially possible.
With the creation of digital terno, TernoCon enlivens tradi-
tional dressing with otherworldly forms rendered by DressX and
Lablaco. Time-honored and ultra-modern, these garments express
how our ancestry is inextricably entwined with our future and
carve out a place for “craft” among the slick aesthetics that so often
denote digital fashion.
Many proselytizers of virtual reality boast that these digital
worlds will dissolve the differences that sort our world into harm-
ful hierarchies. That idea is uselessly utopian; virtual worlds, like any
other social platforms, still breed discrimination and harassment, and
not everyone sees their real-life identity as a skin they’re dying to shed.
It may well be better to think about how the emerging Metaverse
creates friction between the real and virtual, encouraging us to re-
think much of what we take for granted about our world. As the
story demonstrates here, the “non-place” of virtuality won’t do away
with identity, culture or history. Rather, virtual reality presents a
chance to strengthen these ties through expansive experimentation,
recombining the foundations of Filipino identity inside intimately
unreal realms.
VO G U E . P H 121
122 VO GU E . PH
 When it comes to influence in realms both real and virtual,
ANNE CURTIS is second to none. BAM V. ABELLON talks

“half,” and how blurred lines bring out connections. Photographs

by MARK NICDAO. Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES. QUI ONES.
Styling by RENEE DE GUZMAN

VO G U E . P H 123
 BEING ROOTED ELSEWHERE, in a place away
from one’s motherland, can rouse restlessness, un-
ease, and sometimes, a sense of wonder. Imbibing a
new culture and unfamiliar traditions distinct from
your previous childhood experiences could incite
questions about fitting in. Will I be accepted? Will
I be understood?
But for Anne Curtis, moving to another coun-
try brought her home.
While the actress was born in her father's
homeland of Wangaratta, Australia, Anne's par-
ents made sure she understood her Filipino heri-
tage as well. On a visit to the country, when she
was five, she recalls being one of the muses in the
Santacruzan, a parade held on the last day of Flores
de Mayo, one of the most celebrated local festivals.
Then at 12, the Curtis family moved permanently
to the Philippines. Apart from the language barri-
er, she has never felt different.
“I got to experience the Filipino childhood,”
she tells Vogue Philippines. While she didn’t speak
the language then, she had blissful memories of
playing jackstones, luksong baka, and patintero with
her neighbors in busy Mandaluyong. Right before
she turned 13, the actress worked on her first mov-
ie, where the producers dubbed over her dialogue
because she couldn’t speak fluently.
“I’ve always felt ‘half,’” Anne says. “Growing
up in two worlds helped me identify who I real-
ly am. It's not about choosing one, but it’s about
embracing both worlds and loving them both.
But, I think, after living here for so long, I’d say
my home is the Philippines.”
A few minutes into the conversation, she finds
the space to ponder on an enduring topic of Filipino
identity. As her acting career progressed and people
became moderately inquisitive about her lineage,
she started voicing out her opinions, when people
asked, “Filipina ka ba talaga?”
“You have Filipino blood inside of you. Even if
you can't speak Filipino, what if you identify as a
Filipino? It’s a shaky subject,” she says.
In 2017, Anne married French-Filipino con-
tent creator Erwan Heussaff and entwined more
cross-cultural legacies into her life and that of
their two-year old daughter, Dahlia. “I want my
124 VO GU E . PH
daughter to have the same experience that I had,”
she says. “I want her to know she has two homes.
I want her to know her heritage, her roots, and to
experience the different cultures. But you know, at
the end of the day, we're all human beings. We're
all living our lives. It all boils down to everyone
just having respect for one another.”
SOCIAL NETWORK
There is one territory where the lines separating
distance and localities are blurred: social media.
And in that unbounded landscape, Anne Cur-
tis reigns supreme. With 18.5 million followers,
she is the most influential female celebrity in the
Philippines on Instagram, with 14.8 million fol-
lowers on Twitter to boot.
The sequence of moments that led to this is
not unlike her story of moving away and coming
home. It started with one thing, then burgeoned
into an entity larger than herself.
First, she was on the social networking site
Friendster, then Myspace, another social net-
working site founded a year before Facebook.
Then Twitter came along.
“It was live, instant sharing of random
thoughts,” she recalls. In 2009, Anne joined the
daily noontime variety show It’s Showtime as co-
host, which propelled her into public conscious-
ness. Years later, she started her Instagram ac-
count, and quickly, she witnessed the exponential
rise of her followers. Her influence skyrocketed.
“All of a sudden, around five years ago, social
media just blew up,” she says. “The interaction
with my followers changed. And you realize the
power your platform holds. I stay true to my roots
by not having a curated feed, but of course, work
has now come via the platform.” When she got a
bob cut in late 2022, for instance, her fans would
tag her on photos of them getting the same hair-
style. Social media is, after all, a tool, and every-
one selects how to wield this. Anne does so with
her electric, inimitable charm. Alongside posts
of mommy duties and glam shots, the UNICEF
National Goodwill Ambassador also uses her
media accounts to spread awareness of relevant
social issues in the country.
 PRADA tank top,
BAGASÁO banana
cargo trousers. Previous:
KELVIN MORALES
Phalaenopsis modern barong,
STRONGVILLAGE
patchwork elephant trousers

126 VO GU E . PH
VO G U E . P H 127
BON
HANSEN
REYES
balintawak
 Growing up in TWO
WORLDS helped me identify
who I REALLY AM. It's not
about choosing one, but it's about
EMBRACING both worlds
and LOVING THEM BOTH
BEN E ATH THE V EN EER
OF LIKES AND FOLLOWS
The gestalt of instant connections and personal
interactions may have brought celebrities down to
earth’s grounds—it makes them “more human,”
as Anne describes it. She remembers those ear-
ly years in her career when she could only inter-
act with her fans through meet and greet, and
through the more traditional fan mail. “That's
what's great, again, about having this platform.
Now, they can see ‘the real you’ even more. It’s a
stronger connection.”
The bond made itself more evident when she
took a recent two-year hiatus from work to focus
on her motherhood. Quiet moments punctuated
the privilege of being able to slow down and spend
time with family and friends. It also allowed her
to balance staying connected with her followers
while basking in the sweet silence of a private life.
“Another cool thing about instant commu-
nication is that you can find out what your fans
like,” she says. “I asked them what they wanted
to see from me when I come back so I can see
what it is they missed.” Smiling, she admits she
stopped at Instagram—but Tiktok, she can live
without. “I like watching other people’s videos.
But the dancing? I don’t know. I tried it. It was
fun. But not for me.”
On the other side of the emotion spectrum,
the hiatus brought to the fore feelings of insecu-
rity. Beneath the followers and numbers, Anne is
a constantly unfolding person.
“I lost the confidence that I had before, in
terms of everything,” she admits. “When I came
back this year, it's a whole different world. When I
joined It’s Showtime again, I felt I didn't have that
bantering wit anymore.”
Without hesitation, she reveals plans on taking
acting classes again before she starts working on a
film: “Being where I am doesn't give me that golden
ticket to say, ‘Yeah, got this. I can do anything.’ All the
more I feel like I have to be better at my craft, to prove
to everyone who’s following me and to inspire them
that you're always going to be a work in progress.”
Thousands of miles away from the land where
she was born, Anne Curtis has developed an influ-
ence unmatched by anyone in her generation. Influ-
ence is a continuing commentary, and therein lies
its power. Embracing her plurality, as a cause for
celebration, she seems to obliterate restrictions of
geography and genealogy.
Through the digital space, Anne blazes a vir-
tual trail, a clear path that shows that we are all
linked by the stories we share, the meaningful
conversations we have, even with strangers, and
by our discoveries. In the end, perhaps what she
offers is the possibility that we can all live under
the sacredness of genuine human connections.
VO G U E . P H 129
134 VO GU E . PH
 Self-care is a
celebration
that starts
with you. Edited
by JOYCE
OREÑA.
Photograph
by BORGY
ANGELES
BE A UT Y
SHOPPING

Merry
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Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA. Photographs
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one gift? Several gifts, including ones that give back. Share the spirit of the
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makeup shades, holiday-exclusive lippies, luxurious skincare sets, mood
setting fragrances, room scents, and candles. This season, commit to
thoughtful presents—from keepsake kits that benefit advocacies to brands
that make efforts to create their products sustainably and ethically.

136 VO GU E . PH
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138 VO GU E . PH
 KISS ME
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softness of the lips through a minimally invasive
procedure with instant results. FDA-approved fill-
ers use Restylane Kysse Dermal Fillers by Galder-
ma designed with XpresHan technology that aids in
regulating the degree of hyaluronic acid crosslinking
flexibility. The tweakment is tailored to your personal
preference to give you results that are as fuller and
more natural-looking as possible in just 15 minutes.
With a mission to help you achieve your de-
sired look and feel confident about yourself, Ai-
vee Luscious Lips is also a rejuvenation procedure
that helps men and women who are experiencing
a loss of volume in their lips due to thinning skin,
dehydration or chapping. It helps restore plump-
ness and address skin concerns like fine lines and
wrinkles that surround the mouth. The treatment
is safe and effective and lasts up to a year with
minimal downtime.
For a tailored experience, visit TheAiveeClinic.com
or follow @theaiveeclinic on Facebook and Instagram.
VO GU E PA RT N E R S H I P 139
SHOPPING

9 6

1 CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ limited edition winter triangle la crème (PHP34,000) 2 CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ limited
edition the summer triangle eye color quad (PHP4,200) 3 DRUNK ELEPHANT B-Hydra intensive hydration serum from the
trunk 6.0 holiday set (PHP27,000) 4 HERMÈS limited edition rouge grenat matte lipstick (PHP4,200) 5 CIRE TRUDON
tadine candle (PHP5,998) 6 LANEIGE perfect renew youth regenerator from perfect renew youth set 2 (PHP 3,100) 7 LAURA
MERCIER crème brûlée hand cream from party of three set (PHP4,200) 8 L’OFFICINE UNIVERSELLE BULY alabaster
stone (PHP1,689) 9 JO MALONE LONDON midnight musk & amber festive collection cologne (PHP9,300)

140 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE

142 VO GU E . PH

KEN PAVÉS’ love letter to the Philippines and the mother
that taught him to see beauty. By CAROL RH MALASIG.
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA. Photograph by KIERAN PUNAY
SPEND A FEW MOMENTS WITH
KEN PAVÉS AND YOU CAN’T LEAVE
WITHOUT FEELING GOOD ABOUT
YOURSELF. One of his many talents is
immediately finding beauty in someone.
Then, amplifying it.
Understanding the power that ap-
pearances held over people came to Pavés
early on. He grew up observing his Fili-
pina mother, Helen, while she was get-
ting ready.
Fondly called “Cookie,” it is through
her spirit that Ken began to define the
meaning of beauty.
He would sit and watch, suggesting
to add a little bit of product here and
there, then complimenting her. “She was
already a superhero to me because she
could do anything. But when she looked
in the mirror and found herself, when I
tell her she’s beautiful, her posture would
change,” he recounts.
Growing up in Michigan, Pavés
remembers hearing painful comments
about how his mother, with her deep
skin color, was a rarity in their place.
“It’s about the tone and how it was said.
I know it made her feel bad, but she just
carried on,” he says.
Pavés loved his mother’s skin tone. In
his eyes, she was the most beautiful wom-
an in the world. Cookie’s confidence was
also infectious. The young Ken imagined
other people that felt the same discrim-
ination and this understanding galva-
FINDING
nized him to want to change that. “My
mom looking different and me thinking
that was beautiful, made me want to
celebrate what was different about ev-
erybody,” he says. “Your superpower is
what’s different—the more extreme, the
more powerful that it is.”
IN SERVICE
“I grew up insecure,” Pavés admits to
Vogue. He just finished a photo shoot
and was still wearing a modern bar-
ong with an embroidered carabao. “I’m
short, not the most masculine-looking
guy,” he says. “I was always confused for
a girl while growing up, which I didn’t
mind, but it made me very shy.”
Pavés admits, however, that confi-
dence is always a work in progress. For
Pavés, it helps ground him. It pushes
him to do better. “I came from a small
town where haircuts are five and eight
dollars,” he says. “When I got my first
job in a big hair salon, I was told I was
from the wrong side of town and I was
called East Side Rat Boy.”
“I don’t think I know everything,
nor do I think I’m the best hairdresser
in the world,” he says. “When I sit down
to get somebody ready, I feel like I have
even more to prove and to show that I’m
worthy of being here.”
In his opinion, as a stylist, his job is
always to deliver what the client wants.
He defies the rules of face shapes that
have often governed the way people get
hair cuts. “I’ve always said they’re so bar-
baric and antiquated,” he opines. “I’ve
worked with Victoria Beckham and Ce-
line Dion both from short hair to long
hair, Jennifer Lopez with blonde hair—
I’ve done everything. It’s my job to make
it work for you. Every tone and length
will work for you if it’s made for you.
How hugely violating is it to tell someone
they can’t have bangs because they don’t
have the right face shape? That’s so offen-
sive to me,” Pavés says.
Ultimately, it is about how people feel
when they sit on his chair. “My drive is
to make you feel your best with what you
already have.” His clients are testament
to that philosophy. From regular appear-
ances in The Oprah Winfrey Show, he now
counts the likes of Victoria Beckham and
Eva Longoria as friends and clients. He
has his own hair care line and has trav-
eled the world for a TV show that dis-
cussed beauty in different cultures.
He feels great pride being in the ser-
vice industry where his role is to empower.
“Everybody in the world serves some-
body,” he says. “The biggest superstar on
stage is serving the audience, presidents of
every country serve the people. Just like a
server in a restaurant, I serve the person
who sits in my chair. We all serve each
other and the moment we realize that, the
better. We can all become a little bit more
humble and kinder to people.”
VO G U E . P H 143
FEATURE
GIVING BACK
After the death of a nephew due to several
birth defects, including a cleft lip and pal-
ate, Pavés became active in charities like
Operation Smile and Bright Faces. Sitting
on the board of the latter, he asked for the
Philippines to be his territory, once raising
$50,000 in one night for the cause. “What’s
next in my career is to completely walk my
talk and to thread together my passion and
love of hair, art, and beauty with my absolute
drive for philanthropy,” he says
Pavés recalls how his family received
grace from strangers and medical profes-
sionals when needed. Similar care is what
he hopes to bring to people, particularly
Filipinos. He is currently in talks with a
hospital in Zambales, his grandfather’s
hometown, to provide cleft lip and pal-
ate surgeries. This holiday season, Ken
partnered with Beauty Scout and curated
a keepsake box filled with brands he has
fallen in love with including a celebrity
beauty line that will finally reach our
shores. “I’m bringing Victoria Beck-
ham to the Philippines, first through
philanthropy,” he shares. Proceeds for
the beauty bag will go to fighting human
trafficking and breast cancer, providing
education for young women, and opera-
tions for cleft lips and palates.
This is on top of all his many projects,
as he remains busy with his styling. “I went
straight from the Philippines and landed in
LA and went straight to a shoot with Eva
Longoria the next day, I shot with Barbie
Ferreira for a magazine cover and YSL
144 VO GU E . PH
Beauty. The next day, I flew to Miami to
work with Victoria Beckham. I flew back to
LA for product and campaign shoots with
Eva Longoria and Barbie again and then
to Paris to work with Victoria Beckham
where she showed her S/S 2023 collection
to rave reviews. I then flew to New York
with Victoria for a week of press and just
returned from London from shooting Vic-
toria Beckham Beauty videos and images
with her,” Pavés shares. “Luckily, people
are still interested in working with me, but
what’s next for me is to [come] full circle,
really embark on this journey in the Phil-
ippines with my heritage, my career, and
what I think is my purpose.”
Early this year, Pavés lost his beloved
mother, Cookie, to Amyotrophic later-
al sclerosis (ALS), a disease that left her
paralyzed toward the end of her life. He
counts his most fulfilling accomplishment
was being able to take care of her, espe-
cially in her final years. Tearing up, his
only regret was not being able to bring her
to the Philippines.
On his recent visit in August, he went
on a five-hour trip to Zambales to share
Clockwise, from top:
Ken’s mom Helen in her
mid/late teens in Detroit;
Ken’s grandfather Simeon
Fababier Felarca from
San Marcelino, Zambales
VKRUWO\DǟHUJUDGXDWLQJ
high school at the National
University in Manila; Helen
and Gary Pavés, at Detroit,
Michigan in 1964; Ken with
0DWHREHIRUHKLVVXUJHU\LQ
&DEDQDWXDQLQ-XQH
3KRWRVFRXUWHV\RI.HQ3DY¨V
his mom’s ashes with the place their fam-
ily comes from. Stepping into the river in
San Marcelino, Pavés closed his eyes and
let some of her ashes go—a part of Cook-
ie is finally home.
“I honestly don’t think that I would
be as successful in my career if my moth-
er wasn’t Filipino. If she didn’t look dif-
ferent,” he says. “She gave me a different
lens to see beauty. If my mom didn’t
look different, if people didn’t say things
to my mom, I might not look at beauty
the way I do. I may not be able to do
African American or Latina hair. I may
not be able to do anyone that sits in front
of me and make them feel like the best
version of themself if I didn’t have that
lens to see through.”
Pavés proudly wears his love for
Cookie and his heritage on his sleeve.
This is something he has always done and
will continue to do so. By the end of the
interview, he apologizes that his story isn’t
as glitzy as others may expect for someone
in the beauty industry. Despite being sur-
rounded by all the glamour, he says: “My
heart is just what my heart is.”
 Come as you are and enjoy the season with your unique beauty.
By MARIANE PEREZ. Photographs by BORGY ANGELES.
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA. Styling by PATRICK GALANG

146 VO GU E . PH
VO G U E . P H 147
148 VO GU E . PH
 DENNIS
LUSTICO beaded
emerald dress and
petal top.Opposite:
MICHAEL
LEYVA lilac dress.
Previous spread:
CHEETAH
RIVERA draped
Opera coat

VO G U E . P H 149
150 VO GU E . PH
 RANDOLF
sheer print top.
Opposite:
CHEETAH
RIVERA
all looks

VO G U E . P H 151
 “There’s a fearlessness to the
looks, and an illicit allure even,
perfect for women who are
unafraid to take charge”
SEQUINS ON THE RUNWAYS, EFFERVES-
CENT COLOR ON THE RED CARPET, AND
GLITTERY MAKEUP EVERYWHERE—the
sartorially inclined are clearly enjoying a long-awaited
renaissance. There’s an excited buzz in the air, as the
world thrives with a revitalized sense of creativity and
a greater appreciation for the value of community.
As people come together to toast to family and
friends, there’s no better time to raise a glass to
your own uniqueness than now. With revelry in
the air, gleam in made to measure local designs
complemented with hair and makeup looks that
accentuate your assets while allowing your natural
beauty to take center stage.
While self-love may not necessarily be found
in a bottle, a palette, or anything you can buy, it
could be in gentle words whispered to self, or in
time spent enjoying little indulgences. This season,
come as you are, albeit bedecked and bedazzled,
and revel in the spotlight.
The eyes have it, so make an entrance with bold
statements. Nothing gets the party started more
than high-octane shine, a look that will give you
an instant glow-up. At its most iconic, the trend
emerges as waves of iridescence, replacing the tradi-
tional smokey eye with all-over metallic shimmer or
dabs of glitter on unexpected placements. Makeup
artist Robbie Piñera elevated this cut crease look
with a 24-karat treatment as he framed golden lids
with dark tones of shadow.
For a sultry statement eyeliner, go for a classic cat
eye, or opt for a modern take with a variety of shapes,
angles, and lines anywhere in the eye area. “There are
no rules as to where the line should start or finish and
sharpen the edges for more drama,” says Piñera.
With a glittery revamp of Y2K fashion, make-
up kits transformed into veritable jewelry boxes,
filled with gems of every cut and color. For another
look, Robbie artfully placed holographic sparkles to
frame the eyes in elegant fashion.
152 VO GU E . PH
Nothing is more riveting than moody makeup
that oozes grit, grunge, and attitude this season.
Piñera gives the look a rich, mysterious spin ren-
dering bold smoky eyes in dark plum pulling the
shadow outward and upward to create this season’s
shape or glossing over lips that’s almost as dark as
night. Take note of the color purple, which will
carry on as next season’s palette of choice.
There’s a fearlessness to the looks, and an illicit
allure even, perfect for women who are unafraid to
take charge. Pastel and glitter which will transition
from holiday to spring. “Choose a matte pastel color
like cerulean blue, neon fuchsia, or canary yellow on
the upper lids then play it up with contrasting glitter
bombs to highlight the under eyes,” describes Robbie.
While makeup looks were out to make a state-
ment, the hair of the season welcomed its real char-
acteristic and a pared back approach, oscillating
from sleek minimalist ’dos for those with straight
hair to organically-styled natural waves and amping
up the volume for curled locks.
In lieu of manufactured glamour, Toni&Guy’s
creative director Cherry Reyes notes that there is a
movement towards “embracing the natural texture of
hair, adding volume and definition by maintaining
the shape and allowing the curls to bounce.”
Tresses that are styled loosely into top knots ex-
ude instant chic and are “versatile and fresh,” accord-
ing to Reyes. She’s also a fan of soft waves, with locks
cascading effortlessly in face-framing layers.
For hair this season, it’s not only about how
it’s styled, but also about how it’s parted that’s key.
The Gen Z tribe is quite insistent upon their Tik-
tok-borne center part, while Millennials are still keen
on their beloved side parting, albeit a bit modernized
with locks parted really deep down one side.
For a bit of edge, there’s nothing more sublime
than slicked back, wet look hair. Sexy with both a
tailored pantsuit as well as a slinky LBD, it will make
a confident statement at your next get-together.
 DENNIS
LUSTICO
all looks

VO G U E . P H 153
 A SOUTHERN

With a long-standing history and a well-grounded location for growing

cacao, strengthening the cacao industry is a mission that Solaire Resort
Entertainment City sees as a worthwhile undertaking

154 VOG U E PARTNE R SH I P

 “Auro Chocolate’s work with
Filipino farmers and focus on
sustainability together with their
international recognition are
what drove us to partner with
them on this project”
LONG BEFORE THE PHILIPPINES BECAME
A THRIVING SPOT FOR CHOCOLATE, the
voyage of the Spanish galleons to and from Acapul-
co and Manila in the 1700s introduced the Filipino
colony to cacao. Its storied tale in the country bur-
geoned when the arrival of the Criollo seeds from
Mexico came into the picture with the Philippines
essentially becoming the first country in Asia to
grow the angiospermous tree.
More than 300 years after this blossoming intro-
duction, the country’s cacao industry shows promise
of becoming one of the leading sources of the in-de-
mand tree crop. To strengthen the industry further,
Solaire Resort Entertainment City partnered with
internationally-awarded Auro Chocolate to help
small-scale farmers through a farm sponsorship pro-
gram to further develop a sustainable community,
especially in the southern region of the country in
provinces like North Cotabato and Davao.
“Auro Chocolate’s work with Filipino farmers
and focus on sustainability together with their in-
ternational recognition are what drove us to partner
with them on this project,” says Michael Dinges,
Solaire’s vice president for Culinary, the proponent
of the partnership.
SUMPTUOUS BEGINNINGS
The Solaire and Auro Chocolate partnership was ini-
tiated at the beginning of 2020 through Auro Farm
partner, Arman Agravante of Agravante Farms. On
his humble farm in Antipas, North Cotabato, the sec-
ond-generation cacao farmer has enjoyed the merits
of cultivating the sought-after tree crop. “I met with
Auro Chocolate seven years ago when I was looking
for cacao varieties and training programs. I formally
joined their farm partnership program two years ago,
and it’s been a great help. I would have never thought
my cacao would reach markets that Solaire and Auro
have access to. It’s exciting and a source of pride for
me,” shares Agravante.
Proud of his achievements since changing the
course of his career, Agravante says that the biggest
contribution he has gained from this initiative was
acquiring more resources to manage and grow his
farm. “I’m also able to provide more for my family.
Maybe in five to 10 years, you won’t just see a kubo
here. Maybe, the next time you visit, this is a farm
resort already.”
Through strengthening their farm sponsorship
program, Solaire and Auro Chocolates remain hope-
ful that their shared mission will elevate local culti-
vators through training programs and become sup-
pliers to various enterprises as well.
“By championing our partners and their causes,
we are not only helping them and their business to
grow, but we’re also allowing ourselves and our guests
to be part of a transformative process that can hope-
fully be an example to others of how supporting local
farmers can change the landscape of the Philippines’
agriculture industry, and how farming will look like
in the future. It’s exciting, but very humbling at the
same time,” says Dinges.
Solaire Resort Entertainment City is located at 1
ASEAN Avenue, Entertainment City, Parañaque City.
VO GU E PA RT N E R S H I P 155
156 VO GU E . PH
 A space is an
opportunity
to tell a fantastic
tale—what’s yours?
Edited by AUDREY
CARPIO
LIVING
SHOPPING

2
6

We find ourselves at the culmination of such a transitional year, and it’s

cause for celebration. This season, our holiday gift guide toasts to that—the
warmth and cheer of coming home, the feasts that fill the heart, and the
thoughtful traditions that keep us together. By PATTI SUNIO
160 VO GU E . PH
 It’s NATURE giving your hair and skin
the nourishment they deserve.
Dermtropics is MADE from responsibly-sourced
choice ingredients and processed free from
heat, bleach, or deodorizer.

RAW beauty is SUSTAINABLE beauty.

SOAP-FREE HAND & BODY WASH • MOISTURIZING HAND & BODY LOTION
LOW-FOAMING SHAMPOO • NOURISHING CONDITIONER
SHOPPING

12

10

11

1 CURIO artisanal parol by Caro Wilson (PHP3,900) 2 W/17 HOME gouache dinnerware collection by Andres Vázquez-Prada
3 KENNETH COBONPUE rocking stools (PHP48,500) 4 TUMANDOK banana bark and capiz shell leaf bowl, photo courtesy of Fame+
5 KCURATED.PH ‘bulul’ (Ifugao rice gods) lantern 6 KULTURA napkin rings by Casa Juan (PHP250) 7 NATURE’S LEGACY
tapas bowls (PHP1,260) 8 KENNETH COBONPUE mirror in hand-dyed rattan woven on steel (PHP43,400)
9 INDUSTRIA EDITION metal Christmas tree 10 CSM PHILIPPINES FDQGOHKROGHUSODQWHULQʮQHERQHFKLQDSKRWRFRXUWHV\RI
Fame+ 11 B&B ITALIA Noonu by Antonio Citterio lounge set in red and orange hues 12 INDUSTRIA EDITION metal Christmas tree

162 VO GU E . PH
 Heart Evangelista in Rayban, from Vision Express

Book UK’s most

comprehensive visionexpress.ph
eye exam now! 0917-1-VISION (847746)
FEATURE

PRESENT

There’s no time like the holidays

to REAP THE REWARDS
of the year that was. This giving
season, five personalities give
VOGUE a peek into their
HOLIDAY WISH LISTS.

164 VO GU E . PH
 1 1 OLIVIA
D’ABOVILLEʮHOGV
RIFRORU92 ATHENA
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CRATE & BARREL
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2
3 WHISENHUNT
FINE JEWELRY
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4 CARTIER YLQWDJH
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CRATE & BARREL
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CALDERONE X
CRATE & BARREL
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3

VA N I A
ROMOFF 8

Vania Romoff’s selection is a

balance between sartorial must-
haves and luxe home objects. For
the family’s shared enjoyment are
a shearling accent chair, oak wood
5 floor lamp, and a set of blush 7

pink candle holders.

VO G U E . P H 165
FEATURE
1 ROLAND TD-50X
series v-drums
2 NINOFRANCO
Marilag skirt 3 shoes
from Marikina
4 FENDER Malibu
player guitar 5 gambas
6 ROHRER &
KLINGNER writing
ink set 7 SEE BY
CHLOÉ Saddie
canvas-trimmed
leather shoulder bag
1

CHAI 6

FONACIER
For actress Chai Fonacier, who recently
made her international debut with
3
Nocebo, old and new hobbies are essential
holiday investments. Her playthings of
choice? An acoustic guitar, electronic
drums, and a glass pen set complete with
bottles of ink.

166 VO GU E . PH
 1 DAVID GRUBBS
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8 JOHN COLTRANE
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S TA N L E Y
RUIZ
Stanley Ruiz’s list is one for the road with
4
selections catering to a leisurely work-life balance.
What he fancies this holiday season? Pieces that
range from a Caballero motorcycle to books, vinyl
players and records, and a designer’s staples: a
mechanical pencil and an espresso machine.

6
5

VO G U E . P H 1 6 7
FEATURE
1 BIANCHI/ś(URLFD
2 HERMÈS <DFNśQś'\H
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4 VICTORINOXFODVVLF
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VITO
P U YAT
From Vito Puyat’s curation,
one can glean an enriching
recreational lifestyle. The
research analyst’s end-of-year
indulgences come in the forms
of a bicycle, a personal growth
book, and an oil pastel
and sketchbook set. 6

168 VO GU E . PH
FEATURE
1

1 BODE custom
senior cord side tab
jacket 2 A private
tour of RICHARD
AVEDON’s archives
3 BALENCIAGA
cargo pants from
SS2002 4 MIZNON
URDVWHGFDXOLʯRZHU
5 PATRICIA
85ʤ8,2/$bend sofa
6 DGXSOLFDWHRIP\ʮUVW
BALENCIAGA boots
WKDW,JRWIURP-HƨUH\V
2
7 PATEK PHILIPPE
vintage Calatrava 8
OMAR APOLLO
concert tickets

4 BJ
PA S C UA L
From a private tour of Richard Avedon’s
archives to Balenciaga cargo trousers from
2002, BJ Pascual’s wish list must-haves 7

spark the eye for all things vintage, made-to-

fit clothing, gastronomical cravings, and of
course, tickets to an Omar Apollo concert.
6

170 VO GU E . PH
IN THIS ISSUE

I T TAK ES A
S TRO N G VI LL AG E
Photographs by KIERAN PUNAY

PAGE 68 TEAM CREDITS: Art

Director: Jann Pascua. Producer:
Adam Pereyra. Multimedia Artist:
Gabbi Constantino. Additional
photographs: StrongVillage

H ELLO, DO LLY
Photographs by RAEN BADUA
Features Editor AUDREY CARPIO

PAGE 90 TEAM CREDITS: Stylist:

Tor Matthey. Hair & Makeup: Carolina
Yasukawa. Producer: Anz Hizon. Talent
PR: Claire Timmons, Bianca Parkes,
Adam Kersh. Photographer’s Assistant:
Miles Caliboso. Shot on location at The
London West Hollywood at
Beverly Hills

FO LLOW TH E LITAS
Photographs by
ARTU NEPOMUCENO
Fashion Editor DARYL CHANG
PAGE 94 TEAM CREDITS:
Makeup: Gery Penaso, Japeth
Purog of Estée Lauder. Hair:
Melen Guiritan, Noel Sesbreno of
Jing Monis Salon. Producer: Anz
Hizon. Production Assistant: Bianca
Zaragoza. Photographer’s Assistants:
Aaron Carlos, Choi Narciso. Stylist’s
Assistant: Ticia Almazan. Shot on
location at Porac, Pampanga. Special
thanks to Porac Tourism and Poch
Jorolan of Outereater Events
PAGE 95 Carol wears ANTONINA
tunic, Rasch wears MAISON
MARTIN MARGIELA dress
PAGE 97 MAISON MARTIN
MARGIELA dress PAGE 99
BENCH tank top, button-down,
cargo pants PAGE 101 Carol wears
PENSHOPPE t-shirt, jacket, Rasch
wears BENCH tank top, cargo pants,
Erika wears BENCH tank top, jacket
PAR AI S O
Photographs by SHAIRA LUNA
Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES
Sittings Editor TICIA ALMAZAN
PAGE 106 TEAM CREDITS:
Model: Taki Shimada. Avatar
Designer: Ivan Medrano. Landscape
Designer: Bianca Carague. Digital
Fashion: DressX, Lablaco. Producer:
Anz Hizon. Production Assistant:
Adam Pereyra. Special thanks to Gino
Gonzales of TernoCon
AG E O F I N FLU EN CE
Photographs by MARK NICDAO
Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES
PAGE 122 TEAM CREDITS:
Stylist: Renee De Guzman. Makeup:
Robbie Piñera. Hair: Raymond
Santiago. Nails: Extraordinail. Art
Director: Jann Pascua. Producer: Anz
Hizon. Production Assistant: Adam
Pereyra. Photographer’s Assistant:
Phillip Nicdao, Arsan Holifeña, Alex
Capongcol, Crisaldo Soco, Villie
James Bautista. Stylist’s Assistant:
Steven Coralde. Special thanks to
Justine Arcega-Bumanlag, Garden
Barn Inc. and Umbra
M ER RY MAK I N G G I F T S
Photographs by ED SIMON &
KIERAN PUNAY
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA
PAGE 136 TEAM CREDITS: Art
Director: Jann Pascua. Producer: Bianca
Zaragoza. Multimedia Artist: Gabbi
Constantino. Production Assistant:
Adam Pereyra
FI N D I N G B E AUT Y
Photographs by KIERAN PUNAY
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA
PAGE 142 TEAM CREDITS:
Producer: Anz Hizon. Shot on
location at Hotel Okura Manila
FES TIVE FAN CY
Photographs by BORGY ANGELES
Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA
PAGE 146 TEAM CREDITS:
Stylist: Patrick Galang. Makeup:
Robbie Piñera. Hair: Noel Muncada
and TONI&GUY team. Nails:
Extraordinail. Models: Janine Tugonon,
Graciela del Fierra, and Sherlaine Yap.
Art Director: Jann Pascua. Production
Design: Jo Claravall. Producer: Bianca
Zaragoza. Multimedia Artist: Gabbi
Constantino. Stylist’s Assistant: Adam
Pereyra. Shot on location at Casa
Buenas. Special thanks to CASA
LUXIA and Newport World Resorts

172 VO GU E . PH
 Manila’s Dining Scene
Teams Up for the
Singleton
Social
Alongside the award winning whisky brand,
The Singleton, Manila’s elite chefs come together
to discover new ways to enjoy single malts.
VISITORS AND HOMEGROWN LOCALS OF MANILA ARE
READY FOR BOLDER, FRESHER DINING EXPERIENCES.
We’ve seen this through the influx of new restaurants debuting with
imaginative concepts: Salcedo Village’s Kobe Jones launched with
a menu honoring traditional European and Japanese cuisine with a
contemporary flair, and Chef Christina Sunae debuted Sunae Asian
Cantina with Filipino classics integrated with Latin American
twists. Amidst the interesting boom of Manila’s F&B industry, one
can’t help but ask—what’s next?
Award-winning single malt Scotch whisky brand, The Singleton,
had that question in mind when they collaborated with Manila’s elite
chefs to curate new taste experiences with their very own whisky. Chefs
of restaurants like Ikomai Tochi, Nikkei, Xi by Cafe Guilt, Kobe Jones,
and Sunae Asian Cantina to name a few, teamed up with the whisky
brand and launched The Singleton Social. Through this, everyone is
given the opportunity to discover and taste Scotch whisky in different
ways while exploring the city’s vibrant dining scene.
Unlike most single malts, The Singleton is meant to be enjoyed and
celebrated any way you like—there’s no single way to have it. Food en-
trepreneur and renowned mixologist, Erwan Heussaff, echoes this. He
tells Vogue how The Singleton’s whisky can open endless possibil-
ities in exquisite dining experiences shared with good friends and
great moments: “A lot of people don’t necessarily pair whisky with
food, but whisky has a certain tartness to it, a certain power to it
both on the palette and the smell.”
Each partner restaurant of The Singleton Social offers a unique
drinks menu featuring three ways they can enjoy whisky. For those
who want to capture the smooth and lusciously rich flavors of The
Singleton of Dufftown 12 Years Old, they can order it neat or on
the rocks. Those wanting a light, fruity drink can order the brand’s
signature Plus Two cocktail: The Singleton Orchard. The Plus Two
formula mixes The Singleton with a still mixer and a sparkling mixer
for a fruity and effervescent cocktail experience. Additionally, guests
can also look forward to a third offering: a specially created The Sin-
gleton Plus Two cocktail serve, unique to the restaurant partner.
Interestingly, it seems like The Singleton is bent on helping any-
one and everyone discover new ways to appreciate single malts, food,
and most importantly, good times. “The Singleton Social celebrates
dinner get-togethers and special occasions with those closest to you,”
says Merell Beltran, Marketing Manager for Culture and Advocacy
at Diageo Philippines. “We talk about The Singleton as a whisky
without a rulebook—there are so many ways to enjoy it.”
Drink responsibly. Visit the DrinkIQ.com site to learn more about
alcohol facts. Singleton Social Participants: Bondi & Bourke. Ikomai &
Tochi. Kobe Jones. Mijo Comfort Food. Nikkei (Rada, Newport & Rock-
well). Pardon My French. Salt & Ice Bar. Senryo. Sunae. The European
Diner. Xi by Cafe Guilt. Terracotta. Mango Tree. Manduca Taberna.
VO GU E PA RT N E R S H I P 173
IN THIS ISSUE

A
ABACÁ @restaurantabaca esteelauder.com, @esteelauderph @maisonmargiela
ABDUL GAFFAR @abdulgaffarportfolio EXTRAORDINAIL extraordinail.com, MICHAEL LEYVA @michaelleyva_
ALEJANDRO ALONSO ROJAS @extraordinail N
shop.alejandraalonsorojas.com F NEWPORT WORLD RESORTS
ANTONINA @ninaamoncio FARAH ABU @farah_abu @newportworldresorts
AQUAZURRA aquazzura.com G O
B GARDEN BARN @gardenbarninc OXGN oxgnfashion.com
BAGASÁO @bagasaostudios GUCCI gucci.com, @gucci P
BENCH @benchtm H PENSHOPPE @penshoppe
BIANCA CARAGUE @biancacarague HERMÈS Greenbelt 3, @hermes PRADA Greenbelt 4, @prada
BON HANSEN REYES @hhnnssnn I R
C IVAN MEDRANO @ivvnvvi RANDOLF @randolfclothing
CASA LUXIA casaluxia.com, @casaluxia J RICKY TOLEDO & CHITO VIJANDRE
CASA BUENAS Newport City, JOEY SAMSON @joeysamsonstudio @rickytchitov
@casa_buenas JO MALONE LONDON Greenbelt 5, S
CASTRO SMITH castrosmith.com, @jomalonelondon SHISEIDO Look At Me at SM Aura,
@castrosmith L shiseido.com, @shiseido
CHEETAH RIVERA @cheetahriverastudio LABLACO labla.co, @lablaco T
CIRE TRUDON Univers, Greenbelt 3, LANEIGE Look At Me at SM Aura, THE DEMATERIALISED
@univers.ph laneige.com, @laneigeph @thedematerialised
CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ LAURA MERCIER Look At Me at SM Aura, TONI&GUY SM Aura,
Greenbelt 5, @cledepeaubeaute lauramercier.com, @lauramercier @toniandguyph
D L’OFFICINE UNIVERSELLE BULY Greenbelt U
DENNIS LUSTICO @dennis_lustico 3, @officine_universelle_buly_ph UMBRA @umbraph
DRESSX @dressx M V
DRUNK ELEPHANT Look At Me SM Aura, M.A.C COSMETICS MAC locations VERSACE mytheresa.com
lookatme.com.ph nationwide, maccosmetics.com.ph VICTORIA BECKHAM BEAUTY
E MACO CUSTODIO @macocustodio beautyscout.ph,
ESTÉE LAUDER Greenbelt 5, MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA @victoriabeckhambeauty

174 VO GU E . PH
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—BE N CHA N
Filipiniana is unforgettable”
LAST WORD

“To see a roomful of people wearing

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