Last August 4, De La Salle College of St. Benilde (CSB) unveiled its biggest edition of “Sinulid” yet—“Sinulid: Stories Unraveled.” The annual culminating event of CSB’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program saw 88 undergraduates showcasing their creativity—and advocacies—in a merchandising exhibit, styling exhibit, and a runway show held at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City.
Iya Poon and Vida Faustino, two of our favorite designers from “Sinulid,” satdown with us for a short interview.
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE FASHION DESIGN?
Iya: I’ve always had an interest in fashion ever since I was young. I was really into fashion-related movies, magazines, and series, and they never came off as boring to me. When I was choosing my college degree, I considered fashion design because it never really gave me a hard time and it was always interesting. I told myself, “I think I’m gonna be happy here.”
Vida: It started off as an admiration for the red carpet. I wanted to be the one to dress the artists, the celebrities. Around that time, I found a passion for theater. My interest in clothing ran deeper, and focused more on storytelling using costumes. I wanted to learn more about the technical side of making clothes, which is why I took up fashion.
Designs by Vida Faustino/ Photos by Ramon Tan Mangila
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE STATE OF THE FASHION SCENE IN THE PHILIPPINES?
Iya: I’ve noticed how people opt for something new or something different, something that’s not found in malls. They don’t really look for clothes in malls—it’s not their first resort. They would go to online brands, local brands that are not really loud in advertising but known because of the type of clothing they offer. There are other designers and brands now that are starting online, and they have even more to offer. They want to be unique. People don’t really want to wear what everyone can get in the mall nowadays.
Vida: I think that people have become more aware or conscious of their clothing purchases. They see the value of each garment and the process it has gone through. I’ve noticed that they’re geared more into making sustainable choices when purchasing clothes.
WHAT FRESH IDEAS AND UNIQUE QUALITIES CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE PHILIPPINE FASHION SCENE?
Iya: I used an unconventional material in my collection, something that is not really wearable. I used it because I wanted to show that we can still use it and wear it. Something I consider unique about my work is the material I use. I really like working and experimenting with unconventional materials.
Vida: My craftsmanship is unique because I see to it that I use unconventional materials as well, but I manipulate them in such a way that they become interesting and beautiful. I actually made all my garments myself, including the appliques and the copper wires.
Designs by Iya Poon/ Photos by Ramon Tan Mangila
IS THERE A STAPLE FASHION ITEM YOU WILL ALWAYS STAY LOYAL TO?
Iya: I don’t wear them all the time, but something that I should always have in my closet is at least one piece of faux leather. It can be a skirt or a jacket, whatever. At least one piece.
Vida: My pearl earrings because I feel naked without them! I never leave the house without my earrings.
SINCE THIS YEAR’S THEME FOR “SINULID 2018” IS “STORIES UNRAVELED,” WHAT WAS THE STORY BEHIND YOUR LINE?
Iya: When we were coming up with our first mood board behind the line, mine was very vague, so I tried to put a story behind it and infused my advocacy in there as well. I used plastic as my inspiration. Because of our frequent use of plastic, it has become an epidemic. More than 50 percent of the plastic we use is only used once, then thrown away immediately. Right now, sustainability is a trend but people still don’t know how deep the problem is or how bad it has become here in the Philippines. As a third-world country, our plastic problem has gone really bad, so I took that into consideration. The plastics I used for my pieces are actually reused and old, which is why there is a bit of an unfinished look. I really wanted it to look down and dirty because I wanted to show how our planet is being suffocated by plastic. My advocacy aims to show how plastic is affecting our planet, but not in a preachy way that says, “You should be sustainable.” I just wanted to send out a message that this is happening in our country.
Vida: My mood board was based on the 21st century Palace of Versailles. In the 1500s, it used to be a hunting lodge where the French monarchy stayed, but now it is a center for artistic creation. There are art installations, ballets, and operas. I wanted to capture the disparity between the opulence of the palace and the modern art installations from Jeff Koons and Joana Vasconcelos. I wanted to tell a story about how the old and the new can be something so uncomfortable yet beautiful at the same time.
PLEASE EXPLAIN THE PROCESS BEHIND THE DESIGN AND CREATION OF YOUR COLLECTION.
Iya: Initially, our mood board was very vague. Our mentors didn’t like it, and nothing was chosen from the first collection we gave them. It was a series of really squeezing your brain to come up with the right collection that would also speak about you when people see it. After a series of paneling and consultations, it made us understand ourselves more as designers as we went through the process, and we understood more of our identity as well.
Vida: We had a series of consultations with our professors and mentors from the industry, so it started out as this broad concept until it narrowed down into what it is now. They made sure that we didn’t take our concepts literally to our garments.
WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH BEFORE FINALLY SEEING YOUR COLLECTION ON THE RUNWAY?
Iya: One of the challenges I had to go through was definitely self-doubt. It was really difficult to be content with your collection while being surrounded by other creative designers. There were days when I would compare myself to them or days where I would think to myself, “Am I doing enough?” I guess as artists and designers, we all have that small voice in our head that says, “You can do more, you can do more.” And while it is a good thing, sometimes it can bring stress and doubt that make you overthink. There was also a moment when I wanted to change the whole concept. I asked myself, “Will this sell?” because I’m using this very unconventional material. Of course, as artists and designers, we always have a way to express ourselves in a unique manner, but we have to consider the reality that we have to make a living as well.
Vida: Aside from the mental and emotional challenges, I guess it was making the actual garments themselves. It was really challenging to balance other school requirements with having to stay up all night to sew or manipulate the wires.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR LINE?
Iya: I like the plastic knit dress the most because it is made entirely of plastic. Every time I tell people that it’s made of plastic and straws, they are amazed and shocked because it is not obvious.
Vida: My favorite piece is the coat because it is the fusion of my two other garments. It has the applique that I made and the wires as well.