THE GREEN VERNACULAR

Rachel Zoe would die d.i.e.

2009-02-08T07:15:00.001-08:00

I DIE. Haha. Styling tips from Missus Westwood for our hard-knock times. Clickity click to make bigger!

The fourth way of eco-friendly garments

2009-02-06T00:23:00.001-08:00

ENDURINGLY beautiful clothes. To be kept for like ever.

Excuses shmexcuses

2009-02-03T02:52:00.000-08:00

I would like to say this. Tardiness is not something you can do on your own. Many, many people contributed to my tardiness. I would like to thank my parents for never giving me a ride to school, the LA city bus driver who took a chance on an unknown kid and last but not least, the wonderful crew from McDonalds who spend hours making those egg McMuffins without which I'd never be tardy. - Clueless

Oh my it's been a while. Sorry for my blogging tardiness.:) Been crazy busy on such and such, you know how it is...

So, the three ways of eco-friendly garments.

One, with natural, organic textiles. A Doo.ri dress in our very own Abaca(!)

Two, with recycled and repurposed material. Maison Martin Margiela dress made with vintage silk head scarves that were bleached, cut into strips and asymmetrically woven by hand. Stunning.

Three, with the least amount of chemical processes. Marni dress in undyed cotton. Starched without chemical use.

Source: The NY Times: Fashion of the Future editorial

Oh, and here's to the future! Let's make it magical and pure, yeah? Happy new year!

Something is in the works

2008-11-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

BUT I don't want to jinx anything!
So until then, just some incredibly vague, and possibly misleading, visual hints.

Wink.

Of air and earth

2008-11-15T01:25:00.000-08:00

MELISSA DIZON is this spacey, free-spirited, nature-loving, golden surfer chick who has a singular way of waxing poetic about absolutely anything--like the perfect form of the Tanduay bottle--in her sexy melodic drawl. She is also the inspired and inspiring creative force behind the ultra-modern and totally covetable pieces, from her proudly local, organic line called Eairth.

Iboloi tube halter dress in 100% organic cotton and hand dyed with tree bark and spices like turmeric and cardamom

Fatigue green tube halter dress in 100% organic cotton and hand dyed with tree bark and spices like turmeric and cardamom

Tinguian raglan sleeve dress in organic cotton and hand dyed with natural tribal pigments taken directly from the earth

Ifugao jumper in hand dyed 100% cotton sail cloth

Bagabo gown in hand dyed 100% cotton

GORGEOUSNESS, ay?

Also, she is very nice and will randomly gift you a dress right out of her very own closet. As she did me! My very first Eairth dress! Of which I have been admiring to no-end and have still yet to wear, for a much necessary post of course.:)

Meanwhile, read up on this super woman here, here and here.

pics and captions: OAKnyc

PFW SS09 x FIDA x DOA

2008-10-25T00:48:00.000-07:00

EEP. Shoddy, shoddy pictures. I shall post the semi-acceptable ones anyway. Let's see. Erm.

Let's just grab pictures shall we? All pictures pulled from Click the City.com.

So, I shan't go all Suzy Menkes on you. I'll veer off the critique and instead lavish attention on the pieces that I thought were fresh, modern, updated interpretations of Filipino textile:

Layered pina by Ziggy Savella.

I love. Like a diaphanous floating cloud. Reminiscent of this Jil Sander SS08 dress I also absolutely love. Pina gum silk by Patrick Galang.

I like the random pleating here and the pop! pink colour.

Synthetic + Natural. Banana skirt by Martin Bautista.

Pina by Louis Claparols.

Clean and structural by Frederick Policarpio. Aaand labor-intensive, apparently. Click on the image and you'll see what I mean.

Ferdie Abuel

Estien Quijano

Don Protacio's modern, graphic dress in banana/abaca. Although the all-black back in contrast to the lighter coloured front brought this to mind.

Pina appliques by Dimple Lim.

Pina "fishnet accessory" by Alodia Cecilia. Alodia's pieces always have this emotional quality to them.

So I could only name about half of these? Shame shame on my journalistic skills which rely much too much on memory recall and, er, Google. If anyone could help me properly match designer and fabric to selected photos it would be much muchos appreciated.:) So far, this helped a lot in the identifying game and an informative article too.

PFW SS09!

2008-10-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

PHILIPPINE FASHION WEEK SPRING SUMMER 2009. Yup you read it right. Apparently we now have spring-summer to add to our bi-seasonal calendar of wet and dry. Expect fall-winter, too.
Not to fret, it isn't the design of shifting weather patterns or global warming at work here. Rather, it is the revamped calendar of Philippine fashion week!
In an attempt to be consistent and at par with the rest of the fashion world, the minds behind Runway Productions, namely, Audie and Joey Espino, who bring Philippine fashion to the runway every year, decided to showcase fashion week twice a year to replace the original once-yearly affair. Joey Espino explains further in an interview with the Business Mirror: "to gain a foothold in the world stage, the country has to follow the international fashion calendar and be able to offer what Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris and Milan can: season-focused collections and bi-annual presentations." The Espino brothers are all about fostering a healthy and thriving local fashion industry that is able to compete on a global scale and they believe a grand fashion face-lift is due. In line with furthering Philippine fashion and supporting the worldwide environmental cause, Spring Summer 09 will open with a gala show sponsored by the Department of Agriculture (DOA) and the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA). Perhaps as a prelude to the future of Philippine fashion in moving towards eco-friendly couture, each designer participating in PFW SS09 was given three to four yards of indigenous fabric with which to create something uniquely and intrinsically Filipino as well as ecologically sound and of the times. Hopefully, these kinds of collaborations will be a common affair, right?
The Espino brothers are bringing about quite necessary changes and I must say, it is an exciting time for Philippine fashion and designers alike! Winter, spring, summer, or fall, bring it on! Let's support homegrown fashion!

October 22, Wednesday
6pm Opening Gala Show Proudly Supported by the Fiber Industry Development Authority and the Department of Agriculture, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
8pm Frederick Peralta, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
10pm Premier Collection A featuring Jeff Rogador, Jerome Lorico, Pia Gladys Perey and Ralph Ng, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4

October 23, Thursday
6pm Premier Collection B featuring Edwin Tan, Pepsi Herrera, Raoul Ramirez and Tina Daniac, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
8pm Project Runway Philippines Finale, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
10pm Estien Quijano, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4

October 24, Friday
6pm Jorge Palmos, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
7pm Folded and Hung, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium
8pm Luxewear Collection A featuring Chris Diaz, Edgar San Diego, Harley Ruedas, Jerome Salaya Ang, Joel Escober, Jonite Martinez, Julius Tarog, Lizanne Cua, Mich Dulce, Ramon Favila, Rickie Abad, Roel Rosal, Roland Lirio and Simon Ariel Vasquez, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
10pm Menswear featuring Bang Pineda, Frederick Policarpio, Odelon Simpao, Yako Reyes, Lyle Ibanez, M Barretto, Edwin Tan, Jerome Lorico, Ralph Ng and Raoul Ramirez, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4

October 25, Saturday
130pm New Generation Collection featuring Anthony Ramirez, Arnel Zulieta, Charina Sarte, Gela Salud, Glen Halamani, Greta Castro, Kat Corpuz, Maricar Kobayashi, Santi Obcena and Vania Romoff, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
3pm Donn Delantar and Dimples La'O, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
430pm Sassa Jimenez, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
6pm Arnold Galang, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
7pm Penshoppe, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium
8pm Luxewear Collection B featuring Boying Eustaquio, Czarina Villa, Dexter Alazas, Edgar Madambe, Edwin Alba, Edwin Uy, Eric Delos Santos, Ferdie Abuel, Jay Sustiguer, John Guarnes, John Paras, Marc Rancy and Ronaldo Arnaldo, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
10pm Renee Salud, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4

October 26, Sunday
130pm Ready to Wear featuring Adrian Rios, Don Protasio, Finina Tugade, Gretchen Pitchay, Janno Farrales, Jona Ballaran, Louis Claparols, Martin Bautista, Nikko Sonico, Pier Lim and Reian Mata, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
3pm Michelle Lim, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
430 Dita Sandico Ong, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
6pm Design Fusion Collection featuring Alodia Cecilia, Anna Leah Salvador, Ceige Cagalawan, Dax Bayani, Dimple Lim, Happy Andrada, Kenneth Chua, Manelle Chamian, Ronan Opina and Ziggy Savella, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
7pm Bench, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium
8pm Visions and Trends featuring Angelo Estera, Brian Leyva, Enrico Carado, Garimon Roferos, Jerome Lorico, Kermit Tesoro, Norman Noriega, Patrick Galang, Pencil Diestra and Regine Dulay, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4
10pm Grand Allure Collection featuring Butz Fuentes, Catherine Cavilte, Claire Jarantilla, Jaki Penalosa, Lloyd Arceo, Michael Cinco, Nat Manilag, Nicky Martinez, Nolie Vineza, Oliver Tolentino, Popo Go, Richard Papa, Ruby Castrodes and Russel Torres, SMX Convention Center Function Room 4

October 27, Monday
7pm Bayo, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium

October 28, Tuesday
7pm Plains and Prints, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium

October 29, Wednesday
7pm The Ford Models' Supermodel of the World Philippines National Finals, SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium

2008-10-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

A must-read article by Philippine Star contributor Ana Kalaw. And another by Caroline J. Howard at ABS-CBN News.

2008-10-05T08:52:00.001-07:00

Let's help solve the waste equation!

2008-09-28T01:49:00.001-07:00

CLICK flier to read the fine print.
And click the link to get informed on some waste and recycling mathematics.

2008-09-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

FOR the uninitiated (myself included), let’s do the abcs of some basic terminologies shall we?

Organic clothing - clothing that is all-natural, which suggests that its’ material originates from organic agriculture (wherein the land has not been subjected to synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and the like for at least three years) and is processed and manufactured using the most natural, non-toxic methods
Sustainable clothing - clothing that supports and nourishes the earth and the lives of all people involved in the processes of growing, manufacturing and distributing the clothing
Naturally derived man-made fibers - these are fibers that are naturally-derived but then are manufactured through processes that are almost identical to those used to fabricate synthetic material such as polyester or nylon
Fair trade - products labeled as such inform the consumer that these were supposedly grown and produced under certain policies and standards: "fair and stable prices, decent and safe working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and agricultural workers in developing countries."
Ethical fashion - fashion that considers the following principles: human rights, animal welfare and the environment, at all levels of the production chain

2008-09-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'M no eco-warrior. Nor do i profess to be some kind of eco-saint. Like almost everyone else, I’m prone to wasteful consumerism. Let's just say clothes, shoes, accessories, and random beautiful things make me weak in the knees. Styrofoam and plastic packaging? Yup. I'm not a fan but when it is truly unavoidable, I don’t go out of my way to avoid it. Leaving the lights and the computer on. Woops. Clearly, this is a less than impressive introduction to what I propose to be a research/project/journal on eco-conscious fashion in the Philippines. But this is how I choose to start this -- with the truth.
This year's Philippine Fashion Week was the great reveal for me. It was my first collection and I decided to take the autobiographical route as a means of introduction. Called Lost Continents, my collection was shaped by the themes of displacement and disjointedness, a nod to my life of itinerancy and constant relocation. Producing it literally took blood, sweat and tears. And at the end I had a very personal ten-piece collection that strode down the runway, basked in some glory, and then detoured into a corner of my room, to be stowed in storage. Along with piles of fabric that I fell in love with at one point and hated the next. Beside mountains of beads and buttons and trimmings that suffered the same cruel fate. Fashion is fleeting after all. How can it not be? A forward thinking industry, always steps ahead of the consumer, it thrives on updating itself season to season to cater to the modern consumer's whims and infinitely shorter attention spans. "One day you're in, the next day you're out," as Heidi Klum says. This is true not just for the designer's shelf life. It is the very essence of the fashion industry.
So this was the great reveal: I belong to an industry that creates the most beautiful things, some horrendous, quite forgettable things, and like many of today's industries, A LOT OF WASTE. I know this all too well. And that disillusions the hell out of me.
And makes me want to do something about it.

So this is my ode to the Philippine fashion industry and the environment. THE GREEN VERNACULAR. A research/journal on homegrown ethical, eco-conscious fashion and sustainable and organic textiles. And, alongside this, and inspired by the amazing Perfect T-Shirt Project, a personal project in which I hope to create a ten-piece collection that leaves a minimal carbon footprint on the environment.