Behind the Seams: SoFA graduation fashion show
This is the second graduation show of my school SoFA. I’ve watched the first one in Philippine Fashion Week this was not any less exciting since my friends are graduating! Also, some alumnis and outstanding students will also show their pieces for the contests that they’ve won over the past year. I just have to say I’m so proud of you all!! So many talented people in our school and you guys really are the future of our Fashion Industry!
I skipped going to the 30 seconds to Mars concert to see this. I know I would be so tired and I had to wake up early again the next day. So I gave my tickets away. Pinagpalit ko si Jared Leto sainyo kaya dapat maganda talaga show na to!
This post is the behind the scenes since I was juggling heads for this evening. Originally my task was just to be backstage to help style/dress models and lessen the chaos but then I was also photographing for Ms. Marina Benipayo’s column for Inquirer and was asked by Ms. Amina Aranaz-Alunan to voice over the event. So, here I was again multi tasking.
Early day hitting up Rockwell to get caffeine and off the the Loft of Manansala. I was asked so many times what my lipstick was. People guess Jungle Red by Mac or even YSL’s expensive line of red rouged lipsticks but hey mine was Ever Bilena :) Less than a hundred pesos, if I remembered correctly. Filipino products ftw!
I was checking if Happy Lemon was open in the Archaeology section of Powerplant but nada. Sucks how Starbucks banned people from smoking but hey, rules are rules. So as I was gonna walk in my 5 inch heels to the smoking area I remembered how Sango has milk tea. (It’s located in the row of Starbucks)
& yay! Sango did have milk tea (Php 60.00 large) + smoking area and wifi! Found a chill spot. That has always been the problem for me and my boyfriend when he visits me in Rockwell if I have work. Starbucks you have met your match. :D
The loft was at the 38th floor and the view was spectacular. I’m in love with cities. If I had to choose between a house on the beach or a penthouse, I’d choose the later. I like hustle and bustles and energy. I grew up in Makati. Around this area actually. Made me miss it (but Im in Makati 80% of my time in a week haha) South is still home though. I guess my heart can belong in two places at the same time.
View of the bridge of Edsa, Pasig river & Mandaluyong. You can see the Mellow 94.7 station from here.
I saw this Jennifer Aniston movie. It was about this guy who speaks in a camp for people who had someone they love die. He’s also an author of this book about moving on. I really forgot the title, I tried googling it but let me know if you know:)
He took the group in the middle of the street in the city and asked them what they hear or see. They said noise, car horns, angry people, etc. Then he made them walk all the way up to the top of a building and saw a scenery like this. He asked them again and they said: Peace. He then told them “We will all have bad times in our life but with a few effort of climbing, you’ll find peace.”
I live through that quote. It’s why I like rooftops.
Smoking buddies. Fashion designer Gabbie Sarenas and The Little Big Spender, Inna Santiago.
Fashion designer Noelle Llave’s shoes, I loveee. She refused to take a photo! But hey, she’s featured on Designer Spotlight in Stylebible.ph so check her out and click here.
SoFA teacher and all around multimedia master, Fold Canela. (I know you’re gonna hate this photo! Haha pero keri lang candid)
Models whom I hate to stand right next to! Haha.
Our Fashion Illustration professor and well known designer, Danilo Franco. Sketching everywhere!! I wish I had his talent!
(below) Zarina Agduma’s shoes <3
(above) Hi Ann! Missed you soooo.
SHOE LUST BACKSTAGE! I was so tempted to take them home! Shoes courtesy of Wade & Janylin.
Racks of their babies. They were so beautiful! I know y’all worked so hard on these!
(above) Pristine de Guzman. Our top notcher for every term, fresh from Berlin (she represented the Philippines for Triumph’s inspirational awards) & did I mention she’s just 17 years old? So proud of you Pristine!! Sana I could’ve took a better photo of you!
(below) Last minute fittings
(above) Naloka ako, napunit dress ni Vince! Pero keri naman ni Jennifer (model who’s also my former office mate) Gow lang ng gow!
(above) She was the model na nakasabay ko sa elevator and she was eating ice cream. Tapos nag laho lang bigla sa katawan parang walang nangyari.
(below) Time for some technical rehearsals!
(below) SoFA co-founder and director Ms. Amina Aranaz-Alunan briefing everyone before doors open & Fashion designer/legend Sir. Gerry Katigbak (Who was our boss for the day. He directed the fashion show. So nice to work with him!)
The Blackberry corner:
Blackberry launched its own version of the iPad: BlackBerry Playbook. Really cool!
Also the winners of the SoFA x BlackBerry design competition got to go home with their own BlackBerry Torch. How cool is that?? Congrats Dan & Cham!
(below) Quick dry runs of the models & collections.
(below) Check out Pristine de Guzman’s winning piece for Triumph in Berlin!
Sorry I wasn’t taking down notes. Were these Kirby’s pieces above? If so, GONDO!
(below) Personally I love how Gabbie Sarenas’ pieces are so wearable, light & feminine just like her!
(below) MY FAVORITE PIECE OFF HER COLLECTION!
(below) Some pieces from Vince Tolentino
(Below) Make up room. Sorry i had to crowd all around and take everyones candid photos! I knew everyone was busy. Make up by Make up Forever.
(Above) One of my closest friends, fashion designer Vince Tolentino getting all glammed up.
(below) Yes we had a little girl model for Gabbie Sarenas’ collection. She was soo cute & my good friend Ela Meinecke who modeled for Blackberry.
(a) Parang galit si Marchie. Haha!
(b) During the show saw Phoemela Barranda, Preview team, Rajo Laurel and so much more. Was too busy to take photos! ;(
(a) Phoemela talking to Sir. Gerry Katigbak. Why is she so skinny!! <3
Fashion Designers Danilo Franco, Aan Pineda & Richard Papa with supermodel Marina Benipayo.
(a) The arbitrary outfit shot. Haggard kung haggard! I was so busy didn’t have time to take a photo of myself so I looked around and got this from Cielo Baraan. Thank you! If you took my photo please send it to marita.galvez@yahoo.com :)
Another photo by Tippy Sy <3 Thanks!!
Thrifted leather jacket, PRP dress, Charles & Keith bag, Gold Dot shoes
Left early around 8pm! It was raining hard again. Surprisingly it wasn’t traffic heading to South.
Oo kailangan diyan ang placing ng kamay ko. Hahah. Compare my going home photo from the morning photo. Haggardo.
Had so much fun! Tiring but worth it! Thank you so much to everyone who helped out. Congrats to all the graduates.
xx
McQueen
School drool.
How my last week has been: Mostly occupied with school. The dreaded midterms week. Luckily 1 class I have didn’t hail one but a bulk on our Finals (boo). Surprisingly, school is the last place I take stress from. Ironically, it sort of chills me out. I feel so relaxed in school, I have fun. It literally is my haven. From the hustling with work, deadlines and heightened expectations, school is where I can just be myself, talk to my insanely funny friends and do what I love doing. A bit of a refresh button to get artistic juices flowing again which are drained from most of the media stuff I do.
Would have alot of shots in my car. I found this great spot to place my camera and cam whore sooooo… Hello!
Visited my grandfather’s grave one afternoon. Lola was over. Bad thing to bring Maxine (our bratty shih tzu) She hates cats like a boss and needs to be carried since she just got a a hair cut/spa (WTF..) Told you, brat.
Ms. Amina is one of the most informative teacher I’ve had. Kind of cool. Amount of knowledge I learned in 1 meeting was the equivalent of half the term with our previous teacher. Yaaaaaay, knowledge. Haha.
Me & Rafa’s table. Hahahahahahahaha. Junk food binge!
Bag of the week. Ugh I love you so much, you hold all the stuff that I have and more! Thanks to Leatrice for this really cute bag!
My becky lovers Nicole & Rafa :) Missing Vince who was so busy preparing for his grad show. (below) Inna!!
Follow Inna’s blog: http://thelittlebigspender.blogspot.com/
Follow Rafa’s blog: http://barefootprincecharming.blogspot.com/
Classmates’ shoes.
By the way let me welcome my new followers. Hello! Welcome! May this blog always entertain you.
xx
McQueen
Fashion Photography with Raymund Isaac
“Be your own kind of personality.”
-Raymund Isaac
This very statement encapsulates everything that I have learned today from one of Philippine fashion’s icon, Sir Raymund Isaac. Self-teaching and practicing can be tiring at times so it was refreshing to hear real insights from a real and renowned photographer. Surprisingly, I’ve been overthinking myself to much as to what photography is. In an age were photoshop seems to be magic — and my secret ingredient in ALL my photos, we should still go back to basics and see how natural settings need not call for further editing.
The greatest part of the way was learning the tricks in photo shoots and some improvisation fashion photogs do. I couldn’t believe it was that easy! Well, of course, you need to have talent and heart for it too! It’s not that easy! Scratch that, greatest part of the day was Sir Raymund noticing my favorite boots. Ha ha!
Thanks to School of Fashion and the Arts for giving non-SoFAs a chance to learn fashion too. Here are the random shots I took during the session:
Thanks Jo Ann and Ingz for going with me!! Good times!
Highlight of the day was the lighting secrets. LOVELY! As if I could suddenly put up my own studio with simple equipments! Here are the behind the scenes shots:
Photos of me by Ingz. :|
Our project for the day was to take a photo of our partner with the proper lighting. Yes, I know I suck but this is the best I can do. Haha! Not that bad naman, right?
My most striking lesson of the day was not about photography. It was how Sir Raymund made me see how the Philippines underappreciates real, raw talent of Filipinos. It took him a huge success NY first before he became noticed in here. DARN. Why are we such hypocrites, at times?
This totally made up for my non-acceptance in P&G in the morning! :| I’m not really sure if I really wanna be a photographer but all I know is that I wanna bask in the fashion industry, maybe not as a career but something near to that. Right now, I’m still exploring every field and I just loved photography so much.
I really hope there will be part 2 as Mr. Isaac wants. Really really looking forward to it. 4 hours wasn’t enough, not even barely enough.
I promise you Sir Raymund, the next time we see each other (assuming there’s no part 2), I’d be bigger and better and I’ve made a name in this industry. That’s how positive and inspired I am right now! :)
