HAUTE TEXTURE: A COLLECTION BY ERIC RAISINA AT FASHION WATCH 2011

The much raved about fashion series is back for good, amped up and better than ever! This year 2011 marks the revival of Fashion Watch as they kick-off with their first ASEAN designer in the roster.

With only Filipino designers in the past, Fashion Watch Quartet widens its influence together with the Alliance Française de Manille and the Embassy of France to the Philippines as they present the French-Malagasy Fashion Designer Eric Raisina in a unique fashion show featuring Eric Raisina’s collection “Haute Texture” on April 13, 2011 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Eric Raisina’s fashion show will be followed by a private sale.

Eric Raisina, a designer based in Cambodia showcases his special collection “Haute Texture”. His designs are composed of unique pieces and accessories which demonstrate his passion and talent for style. He specializes in design and sewing natural materials such as silk, raffia, sisal, linen and cotton. His taste for exploration compelled him to discover new cultures and diverse techniques in Africa as well as in Asia. His collections have been shown in Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States.

Winning the prize of New Young Talent at the Fashion Festival and Textile Competition Manja enabled him to study in Paris at the Ecole Duperré where he excelled in the creation of textiles. He began entering his creations in the Haute Couture shows in Paris, and graduated with a Master’s degree from the Institut français de la Mode in 1999.

Various experiences gave him the confidence to start his own workshop where he trained weavers, seamstresses and embroiderers. Research began on new textures, colors, unique weave patterns, most notably Silk Fur (for which he has a patent) and Natural Raffia lace. He was commissioned to create unique textures for the fashion houses of Yves Saint- Laurent and Christian Lacroix. The textures, in and of themselves, inspire the creation of his collection without resorting to the need for sketches.

Fashion Watch Quartet, a fashion show series initially created by Richard Tann and Inno Sotto, sprung unto the scene in 1996. Shows were held twice a year and served as avenues for promising young designers to showcase their talent and have their work displayed for all to see. Year after year, the much awaited series brought to the forefront fresh new talent and the most exciting fashion.

As it returns to the fashion scene for 2011, Fashion Watch Quartet will run from March to November, 2011. Each week will feature the collection of two designers in back-to-back format, who will have his/her creations unveiled to all through a fashion show held at the lobby area of the prestigious Shangri-La Makati Hotel. Besides its regular shows, Fashion Watch will stage special shows as SEVERAL internationally known ASEAN designers will be flown in to display their creations to the Filipino public. Fashion Watch 2011 is a project of the CFDP (Council of Fashion Designers of the Philippines).

 “Haute Texture” is a FrancoPhil event organized by Fashion Watch, the Alliance

Française de Manille and the French Embassy to the Philippines with the support of Air France-KLM, Total, Veolia Water and Makati Shangri-La hotel.

Coleen and Martin for BNY

Nobody embodies the most up-to-date trends in casual wear better than the youth themselves. It’s all about what they wear and how they wear it. It’s about attitude spunk, and self-expression.
Coleen and Martin, both blessed with good looks and great sense of style, BNY is most pleased to welcome them both, yet again, to the company as its teen image moels. Indeed, they are the perfect embodiment of what is hip, trendy, and shouts, “We are the youth of Today!”

Banana Republic Summer 2011 Collection

Banana Republic introduces its most covetable and expansive summer dress collection to date. The 2011 line-up offers a number of distinct styles, ranging from black-tie evening wear to stylish knit maxi dresses that take you from beach to chic. Each new arrival is a celebration of individuality, with fresh spins on color, texture and shape – all inspired by the otherworldly lushness and vibrancy of the world’s rainforests, lagoons and gardens.

The palette runs the gamut from statement solids punctuated with modern twists to bloom-covered offerings and ethnic prints drenched in the boldest kaleidoscope of hues. Think dainty hand-drawn florals and exuberant watercolors. Luxury also arrives via the feel and ease of the fabrics – silk, linen, cotton – each with a new lightness of being that’s being experienced at a leisurely pace. The softly structured silhouettes beckon to mind the quintessential patio cokctail party where summer was a dressed-up affair and conversations outnumbered dips in the pool.

“The collection was designed with the greatest of intentions: to fulfill every woman’s fantasy of opening a closet and discovering one dreamy dress after another – each a vision destined to dress life’s every occasion.”

-Simon Kneen, Creative Director, EVP

RAOUL brings guests on an exotic journey at its Spring Summer 2011 Runway Show

RAOUL’s presentation of its Spring Summer 2011 collection was a great escape for guests as they were transported from the hustle and bustle of the city to a place reminiscent of long summer days and the romance of travel.

RAOUL’s Creative Directors, Odile and Douglas Benjamin were largely inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni’s The Passenger, where the exotic locations were the perfect backdrop to both Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider looking effortlessly chic in the movie.

Fresh faced models with casually mussed hair and loose ponytails strutted around the U-shaped catwalk in looks that expressed their versatility and practicality, while reflecting old school glamour. Silhouettes were influenced by the 70s, but with a contemporary flair: From intricate lace that featured on playsuits and mini dresses to color blocked pieces and chic paperbag style shorts and skirts, the collection provided the ladies options for work, play and travel. The men’s collection was equally appealing, offering a unique combination of masculine styles in a light and refreshing pastel palette.

  

MediaCorp celebrities Pierre Png, Andrea de Cruz, Yvonne Lim, and Member of Parliament Michael Palmer sipped on bubbly and nibbled on a selection of delectable canapés through the evening.

RAOUL’s Creative Directors, Douglas and Odile Benjamin certainly achieved their aim of creating a collection which brings out the functionality and carefree aspect of the traveler, yet offering a touch of indulgence and glamour.