MANILA, Philippines—Lulu Tan Gan has managed to stay true to her origin as a fashion designer while innovating and making her clothes more current.
As Tuesday afternoon’s featured designer in the Fashion Watch series at Makati Shangri-La, the “Knit Queen” presented a 33-piece collection consisting of separates and a few long dresses, including her take on the terno, which reaffirmed her mastery of the material.
Produced by Inno Sotto and Joji Dingcong, Fashion Watch, sponsored by Nokia, is staged every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at the lobby lounge.
“My design philosophy is [all about] change,” she said. “What doesn’t change is my belief that fashion has to be light, easy and travel-friendly.”
Thus, she did a great deal of resort-inspired wear in classic baby doll and drop-waist silhouettes. She also had loose and skimming tops with interesting see-through, flared sleeves she paired with either snug shorts and wide-leg trousers.
By using sophisticated touches such as rhinestone buttons and contrasting trims, collars, patterns and knit treatments, she was able to turn resort/weekend pieces to city-worthy ensembles.
Jump-off points
At the same time, Tan Gan drew inspiration from such unlikely sources as barong and Philippine tribal wear. But she’s not likely to compete with the likes of Patis Tesoro and Barge Ramos anytime soon.
Instead, Tan Gan used these home-grown icons as jump-off points for materials such as piña, lace, tulle and silk.
The barong-inspired tops, for instance, were still fashioned primarily from knits, but the traditional picture-frame yokes on the models’ chests were made of either lace or tulle with bead accent. In what was an obvious take on the kimona, Tan Gan did sheer overlays and ponchos made of nude-colored tulle, some of which were stone-beaded.
“This is ideal for younger fashionistas who don’t want to conform to stiff formal wear,” she said. “And, of course, for adults who love to experiment and lead a bohemian yet posh lifestyle.”
Indeed, as a seasoned ready-to-wear designer, Tan Gan, apart from being familiar with her market, knows how to cultivate new segments to keep the enterprise going. It has also become second nature for her to provide them a wide range of practical and figure-friendly clothes that can withstand trends.
But her pieces, despite their crossover appeal, don’t all fall under the “one-size-fits-all” variety. Unless they’re as fit and as daring as Tan Gan herself, customers can dare and push their style to the edge.
Some clothes were clearly meant for mature women, while others, like those pedal pushers and the lone halter bra, were better left for slim PYTs.
Tribal prints, which we initially mistook for Chinese characters, also found their way on several knitted yokes. Instead of using different materials, however, the designer used knitted materials in contrasting shades to make the prints stand out.
Fascination
Tan Gan’s newfound fascination with piña was also evident in many pieces, particularly the three resort bridal wear that capped the show.
Drawing from such inspirations as the terno, Maria Clara and 1920s fashion, each earth-colored wedding dress had a distinct look that married an unlikely pair: knits and piña.
“It was, indeed, a challenge to combine the two,” said Tan Gan. Again, she was able to pull it off with mixed results by reverting to a core belief she adheres to both as a designer and a dresser: fashion ought to be fun.
“Can you imagine getting dressed in high style in less than a minute?” she asked. “In lieu of zippers and buttons, I used garters and ribbons. I also avoid using the sewing machine. Knits were hand-loomed and the piña attached was all hand-sewn.”
The Maria Clara had generous amounts of piña for the pañuelo. Its bustle was an interplay of knits and piña that gave it a raw, ad-hoc quality. The same treatment was also echoed in the terno’s skirt.
Tan Gan sought fellow designer and former protégé Puey Quiñones’ styling inputs. Solenn Heusaff, Tan Gan’s assistant designer, did the gladiator shoes, while Cecile Santos of Janilyn provided the models’ neo-classic pairs.
Directed by Robby Carmona, with hair and makeup by Patrick Rosas, the ongoing series is supported by Belo Essentials, Globe Asiatique and Metrobank Femme Visa.
Copyright 2009 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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