FASHION’S glam women recently gathered at Rustan’s Department Store’s newest style mecca, the chic Gallerie, dahlings. Rustan’s newest luxury and glamour space is all set to captivate the fashionable set.

Our town’s social namedroppables got together for a très exclusive fashion show featuring 60 of the latest styles and trends from renowned international brands.

Leading the pack were Rustan’s Commercial Corporation’s unbeatable president, Zenaida Tantoco, no less, and her son, executive vice president Anton Huang, with his fashion-plate wife Nina Herrera and Rustan’s creative director Inno Sotto, natch. The rest of the Tantoco clan, naturellement, were also on hand.

It was a Parisian salon-style fashion show, palanggas, with a collection that exuded class and elegance, ranging from elegant evening gowns and cocktail wear to relaxed summer dresses. Catching my eagle eye was the Emilio Pucci collection, dahlings, while the sexy silhouettes by A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz and Nicole Miller were runway favorites.

One woman sitting beside me looked at the price tag of a cocktail outfit she liked and commented, “Oh my, with that price I can fly round-trip to Europe on business class.” And when an eye-catching long gown was purchased in front of her, she said, “Wow, that one is good for business-class airfare to New York!”

Did she buy anything from the collection? “Yes, I did,” she said. I didn’t bother to ask her how much she paid for what she had purchased. Oh, well.

Okay, namedropping time, palanggas: The collections were by Helmut Lang, Diane Von Furstenberg, Vivienne Tam, BCBG, Donna Ricco, Vera Wang and Laundry. There were signature bags from YSL, Fendi, Fratelli Rossetti, Sergio Rossi and Longchamp, among others, as well as classy accessories from Anne Klein, Monet, Carolee, Linda Farrow and Derek Lam, plus so many other namedroppables like them.

Yeah, they may be heavy-duty international brands and heavy on your wallets, but you’re also getting mega-quality and style for your money, palanggas.

Check out The Gallerie at 2/L, Rustan’s Makati.

New chic watches

Being such a watch freak, I make sure I have at least two of a fave watch brand, TechnoMarine, dahlings. The celebrated brand recently introduced its newest collection, with TechnoMarine’s chairman of the board Gilbert Ohayon jetting in for the occasion.

To mark TechnoMarine’s 10th anniversary, the brand proudly unveiled its new campaign called “Walking on the Mood,” plus a new collection of exquisite TechnoMarine watches, palanggas.

Heading the TechnoMarine Philippines team was dashing CEO Raffy Florencio with his eye-catching wife Kat. They welcomed tons of chic invitees to the conservatory of The Peninsula Manila. Karen Pamintuan played host and gamely greeted invitees who wore their fave TechnoMarine timepieces.

Before the show started, one married mega businessman was telling me, “I’ve given my wife several watches throughout our marriage, and she uses them only to see how late she’s going to an event. I think there’s only one trouble with a watch. It doesn’t tell whether she’ll come on time!” “Hey, you’ve got a problem there,” I said.

Adrenaline pumped up when the show begun, as models in swimwear and chic outfits displayed the TechnoMarines, palanggas.

Red-carpet event

The red carpet rolled out for the high-end Fuego Hotels as beautiful people, all dressed up in red and white, graced an enchanting happening packed with gorgeous co-invitees, classy music, excellent food and awesome surprises, dahlings. Fuego Hotels, one of the most dynamic management companies in the country, recently treated its clients, partners and friends to an appreciation bash with a Red and White theme, natch.

Guests nibbled on yummy modern European cuisine and sipped superb wine while serenaded by up-and-coming bossa nova princess Scarlet, palanggas.

It was at this point when a heavyweight businessman told me, “I had read in your column about a party where the men didn’t bring their wives. But look around now, Maurice, did you notice that all the men have brought their wives?” “Did you, too?” I asked. “Yes, and there’s one there by the bar—look! Eating too little and getting smashed.” Oops!

Even as the night was dwindling down, Fuego Hotels treated us to more great surprises, with fun-filled games giving away amazing prizes from Rudy Project, Ylang Ylang Spa and gift certificates from Fuego-managed properties, palanggas.

Fuego Hotels manages properties such as Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay, Hotel Vida in Clark, Pearl Farm Beach Resort in Davao and the exclusive Club Punta Fuego in Batangas. Call 7501999 or visit www.fuegohotels.com.

R&B concert

Hey, it’s going to be one of those wow happenings when Globe and MTV Philippines bring us the fabulous Rihanna and Chris Brown, back-to-back in the biggest concert of the year, palanggas.

Watch two of the music world’s greatest R&B artists when they rock the Bonifacio Global City open field to intensity 9 on Nov. 16.

Now, rush out and watch two concerts for the price of one! For all you early birds, get your tickets at a discounted price from Oct. 15 to 31. Regular ticket prices are P10,000, P5,000, P3,000 and P600, but a Platinum ticket is only P8,000; Gold ticket P3,000; Silver ticket P1,500 and Bronze ticket P300! So don’t wait. I know that I’ll be there rocking with these two sizzling stars, palanggas.

For reservations, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 8919999. Also, tune in to MTV Philippines on SkyCable channel 57 or visit www.mtvphil.com.

Two mini-operas

Filfest Cultural Foundation, in cooperation with Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd., proudly stages not just one, but two mini-operas this Saturday, Oct. 25, at Insular Life Theater in Alabang!

Sopranos by talented Joy Abalon Tamayo and the fabulous Rachelle Gerodias will be joined by tenor Lemuel de la Cruz, baritone Ronie Abarquez and the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, under director Jaime del Mundo, as they bring to life works by Menoti and Mozart.

“Do join us for an evening of soulful classical music on Oct. 25 as we close the first cultural season of Filfest Foundation. We will introduce the next series of concerts of 2009,” said the ultra-glam, civic-oriented Vicky Zubiri, Filfest Foundation president.

For tickets and reservations, please call 0918-9419474 or 8070777, or e-mail filfestfoundation@yahoo.com.