MANILA, Philippines - The strength of a woman is in her femininity,? says designer Patrice Ramos-Diaz.

To illustrate the fact, Ramos-Diaz is presenting extremely ?girly? pieces that she will combine with activewear from Adidas for Inquirer Lifestyle?s Fitness.Fashion fashion show.

The designer, who?s known for her modern-romantic design sensibilities, is highlighting a play on contrasts between the feminine and masculine. As such, her collection is geared toward the modern woman who?s not afraid to show her strength and still remain unabashedly femme.

Diaz used stretch tulle, jersey and silk-screened lace on pieces such as a flirty tennis outfit that can be worn as a cocktail dress. For the show, she will combine this with an Adidas cropped jacket or ballerina wrap.

It was not a difficult task for Diaz to incorporate Adidas into her designs.
?I patronize the brand so I?m familiar with its aesthetics,? she says. According to her, it was inspiring and fun to mix the brand?s items with her own pieces.

Diaz embodies the modern woman who leads an active lifestyle.
She says, ?I consider myself sporty. I?m not an athlete but I?ve always been involved in some kind of sport since grade school. In fact, I use Adidas whenever I play golf and squash.?

Left of center

Equestrian and designer Barba was inspired by French tennis legend Suzanne Lenglen when he conceptualized his collection for Fitness.Fashion.
?Lenglen, besides being a tennis star in the 1920s, was also a fashion revolutionary,? says Barba. ?When everyone else wore maxi skirts, she wore knee length ones on court. Everything I designed for the show were items that I imagined she would wear on and off the court, if she were alive today.?

The designer?s black and white collection is composed of pieces in stretch jersey, Lycra and natural materials like cotton that afford comfort and ease of movement. The collection also reflects his design style, which he describes as left of center.
?My designs are not the norm. They?re off center but not totally askew. For instance, I would design a plain cardigan with a surprising little bustle just to throw things off-kilter,? he says.

Barba could not be more pleased about being paired with Kipling for this show. He chose bright-colored bags to complement his neutral pieces.
On a more personal note, he adds, ?I love my Kipling luggage. I?ve brought it all over the world-from train to train, airplane to airplane, and bus to boat?and it has nary a tear.?

Classic with a twist

?I?m no golfer or athlete but I really appreciated the selections I saw when I visited the Nike Golf showroom,? says SM menswear designer Tonichi Nocom.
According to this design veteran, the technology behind the fabric used in each Nike garment was amazing and a testament to the brand?s strong presence and market leadership.

On a fashionable slant, Nocom was drawn to the bright colored items that he plans to incorporate into his collection.

?I chose separates in colors like aqua, coral, pink and bright yellow that I intend to match with pieces that are younger in feel, and slimmer in appearance,? he says.

The designer is most known for classic menswear that changes in silhouette and styling from season to season.

?I?m going for a modern country club look. I will be using preppy-ish items mixed with denim jackets and the like,? he adds.

The Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness. Fashion is sponsored by Samsung, HSBC, The Peninsula Manila, Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila, Bench, Nike Golf, Marks & Spencer, Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and L?Oreal.