Peewee Senining’s off-the-shoulder is rendered with soft draping on the sides.
IASK Peewee Senining if he is wearing Peewee Senining.
But due to his all-black outfit of the night—a furry high-neck, sleeveless top that bares well-toned arms—the question could be null, more so, ridiculous to some who have acknowledged that the fashion designer despises an ensemble of garments completely bereft of colors.
In fact, in his honor, Jul Oliva has designed a color-blocked bomber jacket—maroon hound’s tooth on one sleeve, black leather front pocket, and olive green body—over a midnight blue shirt I am wearing to his show on this cold night.
It is a thrill for us who have not seen Senining on the runway in a long time, especially now that we clamor for bright and energetic clothes against the dreary weekend weather.
Along with fellow Cebu-based fashion designers Danny Booc, Alejandro Godinez Jr., and Dexter Alazas, Senining released a 14-piece collection for “Istilo: Moderna Kultura” at Club Pump in Mactan last June 22, Friday.
The show was directed by Monch Ceballos who also created all the headpieces, bracelets, and necklaces from his company M.C. Blings Accessories.
The three geographical divisions of the Philippines are kept in their mood boards during the progress of each item.
Based on his interpretation of Luzon’s rich vegetation, “Neo Cordillera” is evident in the habitual recurrence of different tribal and animal skin patterns.
He cuts the silhouette to fit next to the skin.
The range begins from off-the-shoulder blouses, transitioning into an array of décolletage.
Each can stand on its own merit, which can be paired with another set within his series and anything we already own in our closet.
Dexter Alazas draped a Hablon scarf over the crocheted short dress
“What I did was juxtaposing the existing shapes of the tribes, mixing and matching all ethnic prints to come up with hybrid results through a notion of modernization. It is a playful mélange of print-over-print. Whenever I start making my design, I let my wild imagination run freely,” describes Senining who is an instructor at the School of Architecture and Fine Arts and Design (Safad) at the University of San Carlos.
“The significance of my collection is proving that even our Filipino clothing is capable of blending with modern takes and other western culture to achieve global appeal that promotes how talented Filipino designers are. My spatial talent honed me in coming up with interesting shapes and cuts; hence, this is quite bold to proclaim myself as being in the field of avant garde, cutting edge, experimental fun wear.”
Architectural draping in varied resizing and upsizing functions as emphasis of contrasts of texture, the same principle has been applied when he has sewed soft ruffles at hemlines of cocktail length dresses with stiff, sharp collars.
“My concept is to gather all these different tribes in the Mountain Province such as the Ifugao, Gaddang, Ilonggot, Etnig, Igorot mix with pop culture under modernized approach true to my aesthetics. Since I teach Filipino Costumes subject in Safad, I find it advantageous and fitting. Intensive research was done again just to make sure I don’t want to commit lapses and inconsistencies. The raw materials, especially the woven fabric and ethnic beads, pose disadvantages due to logistic and cost,” he continues.
Meanwhile, Godinez Jr. also pushed the envelope by slicing a unique share of resort wear 2018, a clear heirloom from his mentor Salvador Malto. Called “Moda Cebuana,” cover-ups billow from the shoulders printed with Roman Catholic images.
A master of psychedelic combinations, he solidifies the whole ensemble with strategic cutouts and sleek silhouettes on the waistlines.
“Hablonuevo” is the heartbeat of the advocacy that Alazas holds dearly, translating it into a series of shift dresses with hints of metallic embroidery. Danny Booc’s “Vinta” explores his mastery with lines and symmetry.
Batwing kaftans in acid tones and neutral palettes are his main silhouettes, a muted version against his conceptual pieces before.
“Being in the fashion industry for quite some time, I finally found my true aesthetics.
Sleek cut swimwear is an expertise of Alejandro Godinez, Jr.
I suddenly realized that I am good with playing with colors in terms of combination and harmony.
I really like something different, something out of this world that truly defies the norm making it stand out which people close to me would say ‘very Peewee,’ and I am happy with that.
It proves my painstaking efforts in coming up something original sans copying or plagiarizing other designers’ works,” Senining closes our conversation almost 10 minutes before he would give birth to another bevy of original frocks.
So if it’s an all-black outfit of the night—Peewee Senining has never assembled it, not even for his own consumption.
