Just last week, the 12th season of the Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival took place, showcasing the distinct talent of 23 local designers. Here, we investigate the trends that dominated the runway. Take a look.
The Best Fashion Trends Spotted at Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival 2021
Trend 1: Color Blocking
We live in a prismatic world, and these designers are making sure we don't forget it. The minimalist doctrine may be taking over wardrobes worldwide, but the truth still stands: Fashion will always be calcified by color.
Melvin Lachica's models all smiled as they catwalked, dressed in horizontal stripes in monochromatic hues. The dresses were reminiscent of birthday cakes, Dr. Seuss illustrations, and, undeniably, mod fashion.
Edgar Buyan and Camlu x Creative Definitions took up the newfangled obsession with half-and-half colored garments, and added their unique spins.
Emir Yamamoto, too, offered a tiered tent dress in a harmless color scheme–easily one of the most wearable pieces from the show.
Trend 2: Contrasting Fabrics
Texture is what gives a garment its venom. Confrontational fabrics demand a response, and abstract a piece of clothing into a sensation or mood. This enormous haystack tulle dress by Gil Macaibay III is a collage instigator: One would imagine woolly mammoths, bahay kubo roofs, and numerous walis tambo. The chunky collarbone gems are certainly unexpected. Together, they are cacophonous, but beautiful.
Cozy blankets and priestly garb mix on the creations of Alodia Cecilia, and the result is magical—a whimsical rendition of Pocahontas.
Trend 3: Cutouts
In the same way that silences are punctuators of music, cutouts and stretches of skin are elements of garmentation. Chris Diaz's collection might as well be performancewear for its bold, legible shapes, and brazen color choices.
Bessie Besana's precise scissorwork is gauzed with sheer panels, making for a deconstructed suit. Similarly, her jumpsuit is a play on narrow shapes and negative space.
Renan Pacson's pieces are familiar yet disruptive, and look as if everyday essentials were swept up in stylish winds.
Trend 4: Everything Sheer
Sheer fabric has been all the rage since about 2018, and its flame is showing no signs of dimming. If anything, it's cementing itself as a designer's darling. Frothy, gauzy fabrics like chiffon, organza, and mesh flirt with whatever material they are paired with. Depending on how a designer spins it, a sheer piece can be whimsical, offensive, saintly, uncontrollable, and more.
Marc Rancy's standout collection was swimming in sheers. We spotted dotted tulle, neon tulle, frosted organza, and glittery pigeon tulle. Each look was pure candy.
For his earthy, all-brown jungly collection, Dexter Alazas played with leopard-print sheer fabric, which produced lithe, sultry looks.
Ann Semblante dipped into the world of lingerie with yards and yards of noir mesh, embroidery, and deconstructed corsets.
All in all, PMFF 2021 absorbed contemporary trends, and revived them with renewed nuance and insight. Save for a few massive overcoats and gowns, all garments were, in fact, wearable. It's almost as if the designers are showing us the value of casting a new light on what's familiar, which, after all, is how innovation is born in the first place.
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
