Ben Farrales x Zalora in Bel-Air Village anniversary show
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Bel-Air Village has been home to some of the most creative people from different persuasions – art, design, literature, interior design, and many more.
And then there’s fashion – both couture and retail, specifically Mang Ben Farrales, the Dean of Philippine Fashion, and Mr. Paolo Campos, the man behind the highly successful online fashion store Zalora.com
On the occasion of Bel-Air’s 60th anniversary set on May 26 to 28, the Bel-Air Village Association (BAVA) will present Pasinaya 2017, featuring one of the highlights – a Farrales and Zalora.com collab dubbed as “Retrospective”, set on May 27, at the Solar Street Park in Bel-Air 3.
Farrales has had an illustrious career in fashion since his beginnings in the late ‘50s, being the first Filipino designer to present a fashion show at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in 1984. His timeless, classic designs have incorporated traditional Filipino materials such as inol, a traditional Muslim fabric found in Mindanao.
Zalora Philippines is one of the leading online fashion stores today, hosting hundreds of brands and products to make shopping online simpler and more convenient for busy Filipinos.
Both Farrales and Campos have been living in Bel-Air for more than 20 years and have been active within the community. Farrales, in particular, has lent his artistic talent in designing decorations for Pasinaya, Christmas celebrations, and other village events. He is also part of Pasinaya history by taking a major part in the first celebrations.
“Mang Ben designed the costumes for the first Pasinaya in 1993. Amidst his very busy schedule, he always makes time for Bel-Air because he loves the community,” enthuses Malyne Lorayes, executive producer of Pasinaya 2017. “The village has this established sense of community with many long-held traditions, such as the community fashion show every Pasinaya, that everyone participates in. We’re very honored to have these two brilliant minds from Bel-Air be featured.’’
Meanwhile, Campos is a second generation Bel-Air resident who came to the village with his parents Buddy and Bing Campos. He has been particularly involved in the community feeding programs of the parish church.
To watch out for during the fashion show are the classic artistry of the Dean of Philippine Fashion which plays with rich fabrics and beautiful silhouettes and showcases the designer’s Mindanao roots. Meanwhile, the Zalora collection will show fun, summery looks for men and women that highlight the latest trends.
“What unites these two fashion powerhouses, aside from the fact that they have considered Bel-Air their home for the past 20 years and more is the fact that they mix both innovation and classic elegance and style. Despite the different looks of the two names in fashion, both Farrales and Campos represent investment dressing,” states Ogee Atos, director of the “Retrospective” fashion show.
This year, the Pasinaya fashion show will feature young women from Bel-Air families such as Julia Javier, Sam Javier, and Anika Dy modeling the timeless creations of Farrales. Meanwhile, modeling some of Zalora’s coolest looks are faces such as Marco Abello, Ton Lichauco, and Daniel Cuajunco.
“For our 60 years, we wanted the fashion show to be a ‘homecoming’ of sorts, something that not only showcases fashion trends but also Bel-Air, so we thought why not feature two big names in fashion that call Bel-Air home,” states Lorayes.
The fashion show best highlights the theme of Bel-Air at 60, showing that what makes the village shine is the people that comprise the community.
“What really makes Bel-Air special is the community we’ve built with one another. Unlike in many residential areas, we’ve kept our sense of wanting to get to know one another and getting involved. The fashion show is a great example of the Bel-Air spirit: all of us, no matter how famous we’ve become, coming together to put an incredible show,” explains Lorayes.
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