IS the hemline?s length really inversely proportional to the state of the economy, as social historians say?

Even before the global anxiety over the possibility of a financial meltdown, local fashion watchers have noted a trend among women to wear gowns (or, as Vogue calls them, long dresses). Some believe this trend will last for as long as the Philippines is able to mitigate the effects of global crisis.

Veteran fashion designer Inno Sotto attributes this trend not so much to the state of the economy, but to a growing number of high-profile social events. Women these days don?t let these occasions to dress up pass them by without giving it their best.

Last week alone, Metro Manila had three high-fashion events: Tatler ball, Ballet Philippines gala and ?Beloved? benefit show. Before that, there were the Red Cross and Philippine Cancer Society balls.

Sotto and other designers have been doing gowns for a good number of Tatler regulars for seven years now. With guests numbering close to 600 (more than half of whom are women), there are more than enough clients for almost every designer. In Sotto?s case, he does around 30 to 35 gowns every year for the Tatler party.

?My lowest was 27,? he says. ?This year I did 34 gowns.?

He began seeing the ?Tatler effect? (not to be confused with the ?Bradley effect?) a few years ago, in supposedly low-profile afternoon weddings where guests would run to him months in advance to book their orders. Lately, however, demand for such gowns, albeit still considerable, has begun to taper.

?Imagine, these were afternoon weddings,? Sotto says. ?The funny part was most of these women who wanted to wear gowns were just guests. They weren?t even principal sponsors.?

And they seem to be getting younger, too. Sotto attributes this demographic to the fact that older style icons are no longer as visible as they once were. Enter the new batch of young fashionistas.

Thanks to such media as People, In Style and Etc channel, every PYT seems to want her own ?Red Carpet? moment. And they believe they can pull this off with aplomb only in a floor-length dress.

Young women, too

?Not too many could probably match the flair and confidence of more seasoned dressers like Tina Ocampo or Tingting Conjuangco. But, surprisingly, young women nowadays need very little coaching. Almost all of them know how to carry themselves well in a gown,? says Auggie Cordero.

Unless the global crisis worsens, says Cordero, the trend of wearing gowns locally is likely to continue.

Like Sotto, the equally seasoned Cordero has managed to retain a fair share of loyal clients (and win new ones) despite the competition posed by younger, more driven colleagues.

?Whenever a crisis hits America, it usually affects Europe first before Asia,? he says. ?I?m pretty much occupied with orders until January. After that, however, it?s anybody?s guess.?

To a certain extent, Cordero believes that haute couture is impervious to recession. Even in benefit dinners for the poor, rich hosts have been known to dress up either because they feel they deserve it, or they want to attract more generous donors to contribute to their causes.

?Actually, it?s not unusual for some of these women to have two gowns made for a single occasion,? says Cordero. ?They want to make sure they have a backup in case one gown doesn?t fit their desired look or jewelry.?

Fiesta mentality

Then there?s the plain, old Pinoy fiesta mentality, says Sotto. No matter how seemingly hard-up they are, Filipino women love to dress up and won?t pass up the opportunity to do so.

?It?s probably the Latin in us,? he says. ?Filipinos, especially the women, take these things seriously.?

Even a younger designer like Joji Lloren, who also did a number of gowns for the Tatler and Ballet Philippines events, has a theory for the Filipino woman?s fascination for long, fancy dresses. It starts in childhood.

?Almost every girl, from the budding socialite to the rural lass, wants to be a Cinderella,? he says. ?Getting the prince isn?t usually what a girl has in mind, but the chance to wear the fabulous gown, tiara and glass slippers.?

For them, wearing a gown is synonymous to royalty, beauty and the chance to live happily ever after, Lloren adds. On a more realistic note, it has become a status symbol and an automatic confidence-booster for women.

?I guess it?s also a form of escape for some people to wear a gown,? he says. ?It?s probably their way of shunning reality as they follow the dictates of fashion. It may also be a way of telling the world that they?re not affected by the crisis.?

Whether a woman is rich or middle class, young or old, wearing a well-made, perfectly fitted and reasonably stylish gown seems to be the great equalizer in good times and in bad. That is until you start to get down to the jewelry.