Filipino designers bask in proud moments at NY Fashion Week

Designer Bessie Besana with former Miss Montana USA 2018 Dani Walker. INQUIRER/CTanjutco

NEW YORK – From feathers, pearls and Swarovski crystals on swanky ballroom gowns to recycled, hand-painted biodegradable materials displaying sheer femininity and bold, oversized flowers, one felt lost in an enchanted forest, surrounded by fairies. This winter’s New York Fashion Week starred mixed collections by 18 designers worn by beauty queens.

A day before staging the VIP New York Fashion Week at Marriott Marquis Times Square, fashion designer Bessie Besana put to a test his sewing skills after one of the dresses he was about to show was damaged in the washer. To his amazement, he finished the dress in an hour and a half, in time for the most awaited winter fashion event.

Civil engineer turned fashion designer Bessie Besana is the latest designer émigré in the Big Apple; he applied for a special visa as an extraordinary artist. As mentor to beauty queens like Miss International Kylie Verzosa, Miss World Megan Young and Miss Universe Pia Wurtzback, Besana came equipped for the world’s center stage. Challenged by the New York fashion scene, he is honing his already considerable skills by studying at Parsons School of Design for a Certificate Program in Fashion Design.

Pavement Collection by Bessie Besana New York. INQUIRER/CTanjutco

For the Bessie Besana New York brand,  he presented his Pavement collection, his vision of New Yorkers walking in the streets of a glammed up city in carefree work suits flexible enough for evening cocktails, befitting the local lifestyle. A preview of this collection was shown earlier as part of Art on the Catwalk exhibition at the Philippine Center.

Besana’s finale model, Miss Montana USA 2018, beauty pageant coach and YouTube blogger Dani Walker commented, “I love power suits as a self-employed person. Bessie Besana designs are so wearable yet not boring; you can go from street wear wardrobe and transcend towards casual occasion and still stand out.”

Watch the video highlights of the show: https://youtu.be/NMWhh8oMKf8

Domz Ramos’ collection inspired by Gumamela and Aguila. INQUIRER/CTanjutco

Domz Ramos flew his collection from the Philippines, entitled  “La Corazon” a tribute to the Philippine icon of EDSA People Power Revolution, former president Corazon Aquino. His inspiration is a sea of yellow gumamela flowers and the Philippine eagle.

Ramos’ finale was a modern Filipiniana Muslim wedding gown  consisting of 3,000 pearls and acrylic sampaguita flowers. His background music “Ang Pipit” was composed by National Artist Levi Celerio and re arranged by Rush Garcia.  He stressed, “I wanna see the diversity and inclusiveness of my models so that any shape and size can wear my collection.”

Kirsten Regalado is a world-class international fashion designer. Her collection for this year’s NYFW theme are colors and nature, fabrics made of biodegradable and eco-friendly materials.

Kirsten Regalado designs featured hand-painted wardrobes, national costumes, Bollywood, Jellabiya and evenings gowns with hand-painted mix recycled materials to look like real feathers of Sarimanok. Her model Miss Republic of the Philippines 2020 Excelsa De Jesus showed off a Filipiniana gown in patriotic colors. Her website is https://www.KirstenRegalado.com

Jan Quijano (center) in lace bodysuit, flanked by his models from the Philippines. (Right photo) Birthday celebrant co-producer Layla Rose, at the grand finale with her daughter Maliyah and beauty titles holders Miss Earth USA 2022 (Left) and Miss Universe Iceland 2021 (right). INQUIRER/CTanjutco

Jan Quijano, a customs broker by profession, presented a collection themed Glitz and Glamour, with Swarovski crystals hand-beaded on male outfits depicting young generation-inspired suits. Unapologetic in his see-through lace bodysuit and strutting with a model in a ballroom gown resembling layers of roses, he said, “My models are diverse and open to all genders.  I have a beauty pageant title holder, a company CEO, a concert producer and ordinary people. This is my first time joining a fashion show.  My passion is makeup , pageant coaching and designing.”

Kirsten Regalado’s Sarimanok and Filipiniana in patriotic colors modeled by Excelsa De Jesus.. INQUIRER/Ctanjutco

Producers of VIP NYFW Holly Lynch and Layla Rose support diversity and inclusion of people of all colors, shapes and sizes. Layla Rose presented her Poetry in Motion, a collection of gorgeous silhouettes that reflect beauty from the inside out, re-purposed new pieces upcycled, and recreated, unloved pieces brought to life. Her gowns are intended for “unforeseen romance, because love is a feeling women tend to never leave home without.”

“I wanted to create femininity, confident fashions that are just as soft to touch as they are to look at. I wanted to create pieces that are comfortable to wear and something women won’t ever want to take off.  My inspiration stems from the world around me, the organic nature we live in. I have a feather pattern for every collection because Angels appear when feathers are near,” said Layla Rose, the birthday celebrant of the night. Her daughter, young designer Viola Rose opened the winter show.