The local fashion and entertainment industries are brimming with love for Danilo Franco, who passed away yesterday, January 31. The iconic designer, dubbed as the country's Dean of Fashion Illustrators, was 65.
IMAGE YouTube
"Thanks for designing that gown I received my [Laurence Olivier Award] in," Lea Salonga wrote in a mournful Facebook post. "I shall always be grateful."
The Company member Moy Ortiz, also shared an emotional message: "Today I lost my good friend and creative partner, Danilo Franco. For 27 years, he created wearable art for and with The Company. I am terribly heartbroken with a headache that just and still won't go away...Indeed, no one is promised tomorrow."
Apart from designing creations for celebrities and personalities, Danilo was also the former art director of the now-defunct Philippine Daily Express and a respected instructor at the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA) Design Institute in Makati. Even until the last few days of his life, Danilo actively shared his creativity with the nation and the world as he joined other members of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP) in providing dresses for the benefit fashion show featuring candidates of the recently concluded Miss Universe contest.
IMAGE INSTAGRAM/sierabearchell
He designed the gown for Miss Universe-Canada 2016 Siera Bearchell, describing it at an interview with PhilStar.com as "white tulle embroidered with an all-over sequin pattern and trimmed with rows of rhinestones on the halter top tied at the nape and finished with beaded tassels. The mermaid silhouette is achieved by a profusion of origami-folded circle bottom in white organdy."
IMAGE starforallseasons.com
Danilo created Vilma Santos' debutante party dress in 1971, as well—a modest white gown dotted with hand-painted pink roses.
IMAGE Courtesy of SoFA
The designer poses with a then-teenaged Sunshine Cruz, for whom he created a series of frothy debutante gowns to wear in a September 1995 fashion editorial.
IMAGE Courtesy of SoFA
IMAGE INSTAGRAM/danilofrancoart
Just last August, Danilo exhibited his breathtaking fashion illustration work at a retrospective held at SoFA.
IMAGE FACEBOOK/Bengt Enrique
Bengt Enrique, one of the local fashion design industry's youngest successes, also grieved the passing of his mentor, captioning the above image: "Took this photo of DF years ago. Can't say much more coz I'm still shocked and shaken. [Danilo] will always be part of my life, and I am forever grateful that I had the chance to be mentored by this amazing and talented person."
IMAGE Courtesy of SoFA
More love poured out from his SoFA students, as well. "Sir, you promised me you'll wait for my graduation collection. Diba? And you said only I can get you your daily coffee? Sir Dan, I love you, alam mo yan. Sir, you left too soon," wrote Dominique Dy.
IMAGE Courtesy of SoFA
"I have the heaviest heart because I never stopped being your student, sir. Rest in peace."
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