SPOTTED BEAUTY

After her debut with FOLDED&HUNG's swimsuit collection last summer, beauty queen turned TV host VENUS RAJ goes kitty galore with the recent release of the catty underwear ad campaign of the said brand this September.

Clad in sexy bra and panty with various renditions of the leopard spot, Venus unleashes her feline appeal as she shows off her fierce, glorious form that won her a runner-up position in last year's Ms. Universe Beauty Pageant.

This is the first time F&H is officially launching its female underwear line with an endorser. Just recently, we saw Neil Etheridge of The Azkals doing his own "undercover".

Check out www.foldedandhung.com for more details or visit their official Facebook page (Folded and Hung).

ADORATION

This fall, fashionable extras hit a stylish high as most women are chock-a-block with exciting — but wearable — accessory trends that get them in a festive mood. With statement neckpieces that liven up any wardrobe, check out MIADORE's new collection to start adding to your jewelry box.

For young accessory designer YEK BALINGIT, this series of necklaces called UNDEFINE is collated to obliterate and confuse the definition of normal. Vogue pieces from this collection that can be paired with various outfits and worn on various occasions are not your typical trendy stereotype.

Here are some exciting accessory trends from MIADORE to try and adore right now!


FEATHER STOPPER

Left: CREVAN (Layered chain necklace with feathers and crystals); Right: FAOLAN DAIRE
(Feather and frayed fabric with chain)

KEY CHAIN

Left: LIAM (Layered key-chain necklace); Right: GILROY (Key chain collier)

METAL PLATED

Left: DARA (Amulet neck danglers); NILO (Layered wired-metal bib necklace)

ETHNIC FLAVOR

Left: ALAOIS (Layered shell necklace); YAEL (Lightweight Kamagong wood)

CRYSTAL PASSION

Left: OSCAR (Rough-cut crystals collier); Right: MUNRO (Chain collier with Russian crystals)

MIADORE is available at The House of Laurel. For more info, check out and like their Facebook page (Miadore).

COLD HEART

The "-ber" months are here - are you ready for holiday dressing as early as September?

In recent years, local feminine brand ENSEMBLES continues to establish its name in changing the landscape of corporate wear by being a pioneer in creative wearable collaborations with some of the country's most talented young fashion designers. After the success of the its Designer Series by James Reyes, Debbie Co and Louis Claparols, ENSEMBLES is proud to bring on board the design duo, sisters CHOC & YVETTE RELIGIOSO for its special Holiday 2011 Collection.

The ENSEMBLES x RELIGIOSO collection features pieces with subtle yet impactful structured treatments using strong black & white color combinations made fiery with tinges of shocking red, as well as bows and pleated applications. “Every piece is stylish, but not faddish!”, Yvette exclaims when asked to describe the collection they did for ENSEMBLES.

The brand's image endorser, actress/host Carmina Villaroel, fires up the mood for the upcoming holiday season with androgynous styling combined with 40's fashion redux. Fur trims & shrugs, wool hats, sunglasses and leather gloves complete the aspirational Old Hollywood mannish look that gets you chilling for the cold months ahead.

With a collection dedicated for the stylish empowered woman of the new millennium, inspired by the genteel well-dressed women of the past, this design collaboration makes Ensembles and Religioso a perfect tandem: FEMALE, FLATTERING, EMPOWERING and TIMELESS. 

To get updated, visit Ensembles website at: www.ensembles.com.ph. Be a fan of Ensembles on Facebook facebook.com/EnsemblesOnline. Follow on Twitter, twitter.com/EnsemblesOnline.

COAT OF ARMS. Top (P1495); Skirt with bow detail (P1195)

DRAMA CLUB. Detailed panuelo top (P1495)

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT. Top with bow detail (P1395)

BLACK SWAN. Shirt dress with flap details (P1995)

SHE'S THE BOSS. Top (P1495); Skirt with bow detail (P1195)

SO FEELIN' BLU

After a week of no-blogging, I am soooo back in Manila, and soooo friggin' back in front of my computer! During those days while we were away and working like forever, looking forward to even a single holiday in the bustling Cebu City was left to wishful thinking. Our minds and bodies were solely dedicated in preparation of the grand media launch of SM ACCESSORIES in the eponymous Queen City of the South (that I hardly had the time to even compose a single entry - sigh!).

For those in the know, I have already featured a blog article about the successful event held by SM ACCESSORIES at the One Esplanade in Pasay City last June. Still having the ecstatic feeling even months after, SM ACCESSORIES aimed at Cebu this time in more invasive fashion, aggressively promoting itself as the best one-stop accessory brand - whether you're in the north, in the center or in the south.

With much pride, our MGP team once again headed the styling of all the models, with my partner George Palmiano doing dual roles as the show director while styling for the girls at the same time.

This big event was held recently at the posh RADISSON BLU HOTEL's Nina Ballrooms 1 & 2 last Friday (Sept. 16, 2011) with attendance from Cebu's who's who. Tagged as Cebu's best business hotel, Radisson Blu is situated just across SM City Cebu, and is owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation, and managed by Carlson Hotels. Where else should SM ACCESSORIES have their launch, but in another SM-owned property, right?

STANDING TALL. The facade of Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu shown here (where SM Accessories held its media launch recently), as it towers along the Reclamation Area of Cebu.

Let me tweak myself a bit - I was very amazed with this hotel's unbelievable interior and exterior designs - it's not your typical SM architecture! RADISSON BLU HOTEL CEBU features a strong use of local, natural elements such as woodwork carvings, weavings and pearls. All 400-rooms are equipped with 37-inch flat screen televisions and iPod docking stations. Hotel guests are provided with complimentary high-speed Internet access available throughout all public areas and guest rooms.

CENTER OF ATTRACTION. The hotel lobby welcomes guests with a center table full of fresh white flowers and cut green shrubs.

GRAND SHOWCASE. Make an alluring presence while you walk up or down this awesome stairway of Radisson Blu Hotel.

GREAT WALL. Chill out and unwind in this bar located at the lobby. Take notice of the high ceiling and the artsy wall design - truly breathtaking!

FULL CIRCLES. For dining, the hotel’s main restaurant FERIA serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets featuring Asian, Japanese, Mediterranean, cold seafood, and dessert sections, set in a contemporary, interactive style food market.

BRIDGE THE GAP. Guests seeking for fun and recreation under the sun can swim by the 800-meter free-form swimming pool while they get cozy with cocktails and an assortment of local and international cuisine at THE POOL restaurant.  

ANGULAR PERSPECTIVE. Can't help but notice this modern textured walls with cascading water leading to the Nina Ballrooms.

HARD ROCK. Outdoor highlight at The Radisson Blu Hotel with plants, grass floor and man-made rock formation.

Moving on with the SM ACCESSORIES event, I would like to share some behind-the-scene snapshots while I had the time to do it before the show begun. Piles of necklaces and cuffs, assorted jewelries and other tons of accessories, model rehearsals & preparations, stolen moments, candid shots, backstage pass - name it, this what we call grace under pressure!

WONDERWALL. Model Lineup with pictures and how-to instructions - kinarir!

ROCK ESSENTIALS. An assortment of rockstar accessories for men.

PEARL OF THE ORIENT. Pearl and gold jewelries for the grown-up women.

CHILD'S PLAY. These kiddie accessories are so cute.

PLAY BY EAR. Earrings in different designs, colors and sizes.

ARMED STRUGGLE. Bangles and cuffs for the armed and dangerous.

HANG MAN. These clothes for men are ready for action.

MAKING UP. The hair and makeup room goes crazy.

CRY BABY. We soooo love this cute little girl named Summer.

KODAK MOMENT. Our helpers gang it up backstage - led by our Gracie & Adfolio's Tenten.

FACE-OFF. Adfolio's Joyce Bendana vs. our style assistant Sheila Danipog battle it out for the best headdress wearer with the more kaartehan factor.

MODEL PLATOON. Models rehearse their opening segment while being choreographed by production manager Sylvia.

APPLE OF THE EYE. Hello Gino according to your backstage dressers, fans and assistants! :-)

DIRECTOR'S CUE. Director/stylist/my partner George Palmiano in action.

THREE'S A COMPANY. SM Accessories display officers Rocky and Paolo with Adfolio's head honcho Lora Gabuna-Antenor while watching the rehearsals.

DOUBLE TROUBLE. SM Accessories Marketing Officer Diane Aquinde and PR consultant Ryan Calmante in busy-busyhan mode.

RAINMAKERS. Models with umbrellas during the final stages of rehearsals.

GET THE LOOK. Fierce runway makeup by Cebu-based MUA Romero & his team.

GEEK ATTACK. Nice to know that this Cebu-based male model named Miguel happened to be the brother of our very good friend and emerging young fashion designer, Jian Lasala.

CATWOMAN. This young Cebuana named Naomie is a deadringer for Manila's model of the moment, Pauline Prieto.

BLACK & FABULOUS. Dark model Apreal is the show's commander-in-chief, and our answer to Ms. Angola who was recently crowned as the new Ms. Universe.

Please watch out for my next blog entry about the actual event that happened at Radisson Blu Hotel. See how SM Accessories launched its best arsenals and conquered the hearts of fashionable Cebuanos.

MANGO-LICIOUS

MANGO... Wowwww!

According to news, supermodel, style icon and my kumare (hehe!), KATE MOSS, topbills MANGO's first image television ad campaign. Filmed in London under the orders of the acclaimed photographer Terry Richardson, the short fashion film makes a splash starting this September 2011 on an international scale.

For MANGO, being able to count on a fashion icon like Kate Moss was key for the brand when taking the decision to make this qualitative leap in its advertising campaign, given her huge media impact and the values associated with the model: fashion, style and femininity, which perfectly match the brand's positioning. Along the renewal, I also noticed that MANGO's logo has changed.

Last time I remember, Kate Moss was the designer-collaborator/image model for another competing global fashion retailer, Topshop, where her label under the brand reached massive success with a series of launches for her self-designed capsule collections. I wonder what happened... Well, as they say in fashion, nothing can ever be permanent.

On local shores, MANGO has already taken huge steps in terms of promotion with its recently-held fashion show at Resorts World Manila. The brand tapped some of the metro's busiest stylists in the likes of Teej Nepomuceno, Myrrh Lao To, Patrick Galang, Bianca Santiago-Reinoso and Preview's Anna Canlas to interpret its F/W 2011 collections. Here are some fashion tidbits of the show:

Styled by Bianca Santiago-Reinoso

Styled by Patrick Galang

Styled by Myrrh Lao To

Styled by Teej Nepomuceno

Styled by Anna Canlas

Visit any MANGO stores to check the new F/W 2011 collection.








NOTE: Ramp pictures from www.stylebible.ph 

Tough Six: MODEL LOVE

I'm in a mood for a little creativity that I wanna start something ticklish for my blog. Starting this September, I would be featuring a section label that I call TOUGH SIX. Every month, I'll enlist (in my opinion, or according to my liking) top 6 (six) fashion topics, personalities, of-the-moment items, hot trends, scenarios - anything fascinating that's related to fashion.

And without further ado, I'll kickoff by tackling the hottest model couples in town. Blessed with good looks, killer bodies and the usual X-factor, these model-plus-model combos are burning like fire, and are turning everyone green with envy.

Tough 1

LATIN LOVERS. Mercator models Hideo Muraoka and Fatima Rabago aren't just a hot pair - they're best examples of proud model parents with good gene combination (just see how cute their daughter is).

Tough 2

FIRE + ICE. Celebrity-models Borgy Manotoc and Georgina Wilson make a smoldering combination.

Tough 3

GUA AI DI. Bench model John J. Uy and recent face of Plaints & Prints Jessica Chiao-Han Yang are definitely having a Chinese Connection.

Tough 4

WHEREVER, WHENEVER. Nathaniel Kiefer and Petra Dvorakova often stick and travel together for modelling assignments here and abroad.

Tough 5

M&M. Marx Topacio and Maxine Medina of PMAP are having sweet, sweet love!

Tough 6

DYNAMIC DUO. Lance Howard and Wendy Tabusalla are twosome coosome.