Contemporary fashion joins MaArte
There was a time when Art Fair Philippines’ Trickie Lopa didn’t know where to shop for ready-to-wear Filipiniana. So she and the Art Fair ladies thought, why not have the best of them in one place?
Philippine Art Events Inc. the group that owns and operates Art Fair Philippines and Art in the Park will run MaArte at The Pen 2022 this Aug. 19 to 21.
MaArte teamed up with PHx Fashion Group to showcase 23 Filipino brands that are changing the contemporary fashion landscape on The Peninsula Manila’s fifth floor.
PHx’s Joseph Bagasao and Esme Palaganas’ brands are part of the lineup. Palaganas’ Basic Movement debuts Polo Redux, a collection of casual everyday polo shirts designed in collaboration with the artist Isabel Santos and brands Chaiseng and Antonina. Jude Macasinag will fly in his bachelor graduation collection Manifesto from the Institute Francais de la Mode in Paris. Bagasao, Neil Felipp, and Kelvin Morales will debut new collections as seen on Tokyo Fashion Week.
Making their MaArte debuts and comebacks are Mich Dulce, Stacy Rodriguez’s Eustacia as well as her eco-conscious unisex line EC with Carlos del Prado, Sassa Jimenez’s loungewear brand Land of Nod, RJ Santos’ pop culture-obsessed Randolf, feminine essentials by Jill Lao, wearable art accessories by Joyce Makitalo and Liliana Manahan, silk scarves and reversible kimonos by Feanne, all the frills and volume by HA.MÜ, pop art shoes by Alexie, vibrant accessories by Tropik Beatnik, the understated confidence of pieces by Viña Romero, tees and mugs inspired by Manila by Café City Club, and menswear by nicolò.
Graduates from three leading fashion schools also get the opportunity to participate: CLIO DL by Clio de Leon of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Kill Joy Studios by Eugene Malabadi of Academy, and Le Ngok by Jiale Zhang of SoFA.
Lisa Periquet says, “We have selected them not only for their look but also for their design practices.”
Every floor will have a Peninsula lounge — MaArtea, anyone? — and as Dindin Araneta says, “It will have an Art Fair touch.”
Nine of National Artist for Fashion Design Salvacion Lim Higgins’ finest work will be on view from Aug. 15 to 27 at the Peninsula lobby, curated by the late designer’s son and painter Mark Lewis Higgins. Daily talks will be held during MaArte at Salon de Ning. On Aug. 21, Lewis Higgins will discuss the twilight of the World War II as what was happening in Paris and Manila through the works of Christian Dior and his mother.
The sixth floor is the space for contemporary design in furniture and home accessories with Tina Bonoan, architect and former editor-in-chief of BluePrint magazine. Ito Kish is one notable newcomer in the roster.
Lastly, the seventh floor is where heirloom jewelry and traditional textiles will be. Expect pre-colonial pieces side by side with current, on-trend fine and costume pieces — something MaArte was first known for when it began the trend of artisan fairs in 2009.
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MaArte at the Pen runs from August 19 to 21, 2022 at the Peninsula Manila’s Ayala Wing, 5th, 6th and 7th floors.