MANILA, Philippines--While the news depicts a grim picture of the typhoons? social and economic impact, Philippine Fashion Week (PFW) will continue its 12th season on Oct. 21. Far from apathetic, its tone not only challenges but also serves as an antidote to the retail gloom.

The shoe industry was the worst hit in the fashion world as most of the factories were ravaged by the deluge in Marikina. Designers have been having shoes made in Marikina for their fashion collections. One of PFW?s battle cry is promoting Parisian shoes, SM?s label. It?s not just because SM Group of Companies is the major sponsor and that the 10-day event will be held at the SMX Convention Center.

?If we promote Parisian shoes, which are made in Marikina, we will be able to help them. They will pick up the business. Taking pity is a knee-jerk reaction as far as I?m concerned. Some sectors may have been badly affected. On the other hand, if we don?t go on, what will happen to the businesses that have benefited from Fashion Week? Being glossy is not what we?re all about. We?re about setting trends and making forecasts,? says Audi Espino, PFW?s executive producer.

His brother, producer-director Joey Espino, rejoins that the height of the crash of Wall Street and the $63-billion Madoff scandal that nearly paralyzed retail in Manhattan, New York Fashion Week went on. ?They were not presenting clothes for ostentation or entertainment. The bottom line was business. The main concern was how to jumpstart the economy. It can only happen if people are buying and selling. The market should be moving. You can trim down the production, but not stop the activity. If you stop promotions and presentations, the more people won?t buy because there?s nothing new to buy. This should be seen as a recovery.?

Joey points out that in the past two seasons, Parisian has been producing fashion-forward styles. SM is poised to relaunch Parisian?s image. Despite damages in Marikina factories, shoemakers have been trying to get back on their feet and shoes were slowly being delivered to the store.

?The shoemakers and their suppliers are part of the fashion business. If we could create a demand for these shoes, the recovery would be faster. We shouldn?t wallow as victims. We have to move forward, find solutions and create to be able to sell. Through sales, money will circulate and it will be for the good of everyone,? says Joey.

More solo shows

Business is PFW?s raison d?etre. For one, SM sees PFW as a vehicle to touch base with their market. With PFW at SMX, it could help revive SM?s image as the trend-setter and boost Mall of Asia as the country?s premier destination mall.

Before PFW, designers were oriented on the Top 10 brands in the world and how their collections should match their standards.

?The aesthetics of designers have evolved. In our time, they tried to outdo each other by going Santacruzan. Now the glamour has simmered. The new generation wants to prove to themselves that they could design something people could really wear. Half of the challenge is that they don?t compromise their creativity,? says Audi.

As proof, in last season?s PFW, more than 60 percent of the 105 participating designers reported that most of their collections were snapped up. Len Nepomuceno-Guiao sold 80 percent of her collection a day after her show. Other designers had repeat orders. The Espinos maintained that Filipinos are willing to pay for quality.

This season there are 77 participating designers, but many of them have taken the challenge of doing solo collection (14 designers with a 45-piece collection and 22 with a 30-piece collection) instead of the 10-piece story as part of a group show. Joey says designers and retailers are realizing that runway shows establish an emotional tie between fashion and the consumer. They are striving to improve their output to engage consumers to make them appreciate that their purchase was worthwhile. This is the new commerce in fashion. He adds that through PFW, consumers not only become educated on design aesthetic; they also begin to understand the worth in value and workmanship of the apparel.

PFW has always been focused on ethical issues. In keeping with green fashion, the Fiber Industry Development Authority (Fida), an agency of the Department of Agriculture, is supporting PFW by organizing the country?s top eight weavers to produce organic, handmade fabrics for the designers.

?The main problem is that farmers are not planting much of the plants needed to produce the fabrics because there is no demand. There has to be an awareness that indigenous fabrics are in fashion,? says Joey. He cites that Calvin Klein used the piña, woven in Aklan, in a previous collection. Fashion columnist Suzy Menkes reported the Palazzo Strozzi museum in Italy held an exhibition on environmental issues called ?Green Platform,? which featured the label Allegri. It made rainwear using natural water repellent developed from plant fiber from the Philippines.

?Aside from giving Fida our feedback on the materials, we aim to popularize these fabrics by turning them into fashionable and wearable clothes,? says Joey. PFW coincides with a conference on the International Year of the Fiber. Thirty-one foreign delegates will witness how abaca and other plant fibers are translated into salable fashion.

Creative depot

On the talent side, the Espinos cite PFW alumni Bang Pineda for menswear and Sassa Jimenez for high fashion as the designers to watch. Local brands are also tapping designers to style or create pocket collections for them. For instance, Raoul Ramirez, a PFW veteran, is creating a limited edition for Penshoppe; Pineda will also be styling for Dickie?s.

?People are starting to trust Filipino designers again. That?s what we?ve been working hard for. We hope our local brands will be accepted abroad in the same way as Bangkok clothes, exported with the same label and tag,? says Joey.

?The world should see the Philippines as a creative depot. We?ve had the likes of Michael Cinco, who showed last season. He is big in the Middle East. His collection is at par with Badgley Mischka?s,? says Audi.

Adds Joey: ?Our aim is to educate Filipinos on how to be fashionable at price points they can afford. We want to make them aware of the trends that could make our country more fashion-savvy. We shouldn?t deprive them of information. Philippine Fashion Week should showcase these ideas so people would feel good and look good.?