Sunday, July 30, 2006

The roads, the rains, what else.......

Its been raining for days. The temperature definitely cools down a bit but the inconvenience of raining becomes unimaginable at times. My atelier is located in one of the modest area in Makati, the so called "financial district" or the "premiere" city of the Philippines. Awesome! But only sounds awesome. Maybe the writers were only pertaining to the central business district and the Ayala developed Villages way back during the fifties onwards. Back to my atelier, it is located in one of the "villages" around. Not bad. In fact, I felt I was lucky to get the location. Rent is a burden in Makati. Every space owner thinks that all businesses in Makati are doing fabulously well. I hope its always a mainstay.
Just an inquiring piece of thought in my mind. My atelier sits on a quiet, well-paved wide road. Good road condition I will agree. I realized its been over a month now that the entire stretch of the street digged and being recemented. As of this time, fortunately, my side of the road have been recemented too. I just wonder why? Why the repair at this time of the year when its raining every given day. Is it because there's really something wrong with the road? Or was it because the premiere head of this city "lives" proximal to my place of work? Or is it about something else? Consequence: I feel sorry for the ordeal my current clientelles are experiencing just to get to my front gate. Though not so inconvenient for them I hope. Definitely its a temporary thing. I hope it's done way ahead before the rainiy season is over. Nevertheless, I hope, the moment they step inside my hub a more accomodating experience sets in.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Our Second Meeting....



We adjourned our meeting yesterday at 8:45 pm after a fruitful discussion. This time at the Pizza Hut Bistro at Robinson's Galleria in Ortigas this time. Of course I reserve the meeting's minutes it to our confidentiality. The attendance was not complete but more than half were present. Good number of attendees.
We finally came up with FWDP (Fashion by the Wedding Designers of the Philippines).
As I'ved said we are indeed real fashion designers that leads to a specialty in
bridal wears, debutants and other formal events. Of course we do attend to casual clothings and uniforms, even communion dresses and christening attires for babies and not the so babies alike but of course our passion goes to making wedding gowns!
Its was regret though I brought with me my digicam, I forgot to take group pics during the meeting. Nah! doesn't go with age! We we're just engrossed deliberating and brainstorming with the meeting agenda. Not even an excuse but rather a justification of the missed cam opportunity shots, he he he....
We'll till the next meeting, When Michelle and Susie comes back from their participation from a bridal exhibit event in San Francisco. That is next month!

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Our own association at last!


This is it! Finally we were able to come up with an association of designers focusing on creating bridal apparels. We are fashion designers indeed! The group of designers that are visible in its real sense in the local bridal industry scene. We create weddings gowns, do pictorial, participate in bridal exhibits, join fashion shows especially during bridal events and most importantly we are able and willing to pay exhibit booth spaces during these bridal fair exhibits and activities.
Its very ironic why some bridal event organizers gives more limelight to the hyped designers where in fact we are the ones supporting their events. Such double standards! And we hope as a group we could make a difference this time and attempt to make it a thing of the past step by step.
We will be patient. It will always be a group effort. A fusion of senior and junior designers alike. We finally had our official maiden meeting last July 10. Venue: Fridays, Robinson Place, Manila. The founding members comprised of: Michelle V. Lim of Sari-Sari, Joel Bautista, Susie Bonaobra of Trends Wedding Shoppe, Ruel Rivera, Joel Pros, Jerome Ang, Edwin Uy along with David Ocampo, Rikko Escaro and of course Alex Bitong. Officers have been elected and they gave me their vote of confidence as their Vice-President. Michelle is our President, Susie was voted as the secretary/treasurer. We have Joel Pros as our auditor and Edwin Uy/David Ocampo as PRO. We are up for our next meeting on Thursday, the 27th of this month. More agendas to be discussed and the most important is to finalize the name of the group. I hope everything falls into place. I am just too happy that at last, we have started this alliance of ours. Hoping for the best as always. For the majority and not for a minority with personal interests only.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Additional Rockwell exhibit pics




It took some time to come up with additional pictures. Still finding my way in this blogging thing. There will always be a first time......

Monday, July 17, 2006

Exhibit at Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center


Just wrapped up a nine-day bridal fair exhibit held from July 8 up to the 16th. Thanks to the ever energetic events organizer Mafe Estudillo of MFE Events. What a priveledge to be approved by the Powerplant mall's management as the only fashion designer to put up a showcase of wedding gowns. I learned that some names were not approved at all for whatever reason I leave to the social awareness of the management staff of Rockwell PP Mall. Likewise as the only designer to hold an exhibit along with a limited number of wedding suppliers inside Rustan's Shangri-la Mall late last year. I'ved always believed not in the number of audience who attends bridal fairs and exhibits but the quality of the audience that goes to the event. I would always prioritize a recall of my name meaning that my label in bridal couture continues to exist and that I'm very much present not just in the fashion scene but more so in the ever vibrant bridal industry in the country. I'm not a sore looser. I never blame organizers and judge the measure of their success on the audience turn-out alone. I participate in their events because I believed in them or maybe I have given them the chance to prove their worth in being able to mount an event that is relevant to my career. Cest la vie as they say. You win some, you loose some. But I think the most important thing here is taking that chance. As they say "you'll never know that the filling on the pie is good or not unless you've tried it".