Theses it!

This weekend, I'm reviewing five - count 'em - FIVE theses! Two of those are my advisees, while the other 3 are ones that I'm sitting on the panel of.

And if that isn't enough, I've got five more coming!

This is really is it!

Show me the MARNI!

The hysteria for Versace x H&M hasn't died down yet, and now H&M springs this one on us!



This Spring/Summer 2012, Marni is collaborating with H&M for an apparel, shoe and accessory line. And judging by what I'm seeing in the video, the collection is so true to the Marni aesthetic.

This might not be as high profile as Versace, but true blue fashionistas will definitely be watching out for this.

FMM: A knife and a Carpenter

One of my favorite CDs in the 90s was "If I were a Carpenter."

Being a fan of both The Carpenters and modern artists, this CD successfully and seamlessly blended these two favorites of mine. What they did was ask modern bands to reinterpret classics by Karen and Richard Carpenter. And the results were spectacular.

And my favorite among the lot? Shonen Knife's cover of "Top of the World."



How can you not enjoy that?

Plus, on the subject of the Carpenters, my Mom - who's a Carpenter fan - is celebrating her birthday today.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Viva Versace!

And the collaborations continue!

After scoring pieces from Commes de Garcons, Matthew Williamson, and Lanvin, another piece from the newest collaboration is joining my sister's ever growing and illustrious closet.



Thanks to Mark, who bought it, and Mona, who brought it, this arrived just in time for Ate Bullet's birthday.

It's Versace for H&M!



The bag is alone is nice. But wait until you see what's inside.



It's the purple lace dress from the Bottoni Oro collection. And among the dresses in the collection, this is the one that I had my eye on.


Actually, even before the Versace for H&M collection was announced, this dress style has already walked the Versace runway and caught my eye.



More so when Evan Rachel Wood wore a black version of it.



The great thing about this dress is that it's so rich in detail. It starts with the gold button which is a Versace trademark.



Then the combination of two types of laces sandwiching a solid silk center that curves.


The lace they used is the exact same one as in last year's collection.



What's great about this dress is that it fits Ate Bullet like a glove. The moment she tried it on, she already planned where to wear it and what shoes will go with it.

That's what a great dress does. And you can't expect anything less than a great dress from Versace.

Super Odd

There's this statue of Superman at Toy Kingdom in SM Makati that's a bit off kilter. Ever since I saw it a few weeks ago, I've been constantly bothered by it. There's something quite odd about this replica.



Superman is supposed to be the man of steel. He's confident, strong and heroic. But if you look at the face of this statue, it's anything but.



I'm not sure what look they're going for. Is it "Super clueless," "Super dumb," "Super sleepy," "Super puyat," or maybe even "Super constipated."

Whatever it is, it's super odd.

By any other name

After meeting with my florist on a wedding I'm organizing this December, she gave me a cabbage rose that she imported from Europe.



Unlike the usual cabbage roses, this one really looks like a cabbage. As in, the vegetable! All you need to do is step back, and you'll know what I mean.



If you look at it from the side, it looks like your regular, green, leafy vegetable. It looks like it. And it smells like it, too. If you don't tell people what it is, they'll most likely put this flower in a salad bowl and not in a flower vase.



On my way home, people kept on asking me what this flower was. I even heard remarks like: "Ano yung hawak niya? Repolyo?"


Well, I can't blame them. This cabbage rose does look like the love child of a cabbage and a rose.

But hey, it's still a rose.

Chic to Chic

Today marks a chic occasion which deserves a chic greeting.

Happy Birthday, Ate Bullet! Here's to another fun and fashionable year.



And speaking of chic, she's definitely rocking the chic Kamiseta Limited dress that I spotted last August.

Color story: Black and White

Most of this weekend was spent running errands. Aside from personal matters that I had to attend to, I also had to meet 2 friends who are getting married and have asked for my help in organizing their big day.

Since most of the errands and meetings were at the mall, it was inevitable for me to look around in between appointments. And it was also inevitable that I found interesting pieces that were covetable. So, it was inevitable that I came up with this black and white number in that short span of time.



Color is cool and fun. But sometimes, one just wants to go back to the basics and go black and white. And this combination has a nice, retro feel to it. Looking at the entire ensemble, I can't help but get a Lucille Ball vibe.

To start, there's this white, silk shirt which is the same as the cobalt blue number I wrote about a few days ago. It's a crisp and chic shirt that will go well with practically everything.



Then, there's this black skirt which is a bit full, and with a garterized waist. With its fullness, it creates that 50s vibe that's very "I Love Lucy."


Finally, to create that "Masculine/Feminine" balance, this ensemble is capped by these black and white oxfords. Normally, the above ensemble would look best with black ballet flats, but this pair of oxfords give the look an edge.


Knowing Ate Bullet's penchant for black and white, I'm sure she'll like this ensemble.

Weekend at the street

Today, I'm reading the book that Shashie Friend gave me last Christmas. Yet again!



Being a big fan of Sesame Street, I can't just get enough of this book. It's so nice to read the stories, songs and sketches all over again. Looking back at everything is both fun and relaxing.

And that's how weekends should be spent.

FMM: New York state of mind

Before Alicia Keys sang "In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do," there was another group singing about the beauty of the big apple.

In 1984, Elbow Bones and the Racketeers sang "Night in New York," and I remember hearing this song as a boy. I found it very attractive because the beat was a good mix of Jazz and Big Band. Plus, the lyrics are very visual. So, listening to the song was like walking through a post card of New York.



I should go to New York soon.

Color story: Cobalt Cool

The blue color family is a diverse lot.

There's the color family patriarch, "blue." Then, there's everyone's little darling, "baby blue." The inspirational "sky blue." Then there's the ever so popular "navy blue." There's the hybrid, "blue green," and the vast and all encompassing "deep blue sea."

Then, there's the lesser known family member, "cobalt blue." He's not as popular as his other siblings, and he's often known only by people in the art industry. Actually, cobalt blue is quite popular in fashion these days, being an important part of the "color block brigade" that has been walking the runways of late.

Cobalt blue is actually one of my favorite shades of blue. That's why I'm giving him the recognition he deserves by showing off this cobalt blue ensemble of my sister.



The main focal point of this look is this cobalt blue top. It has such a rich color and the texture of the fabric is soft yet firm.


To counter the strong color of the top, and create a "color block" feel, the skirt has a nice, deep green color. It's a nice complement to the top. Plus, the blue stripes and blue belt echo the hue on top.


And anchoring the look is this pair of cobalt blue ballet flats. It also reflects the ensemble on top, and thanks to the break created by the skirt, it doesn't look to matchy-matchy. (Nina Garcia won't like that.)


There you have it. A cool, youthful ensemble inspired by a cool, youthful shade of blue.

Captured!

Thanks to the efforts of my brother Biboy, that wild, leopard print dress by Giambattista Valli has been captured! It's the one on the right side of the photo.



Come December, it's time for my sister to domesticate that wild cat of a dress.

Close to his heart

My Dad wears this necklace that used to belong to Lolo Iking. It's a gold pendant with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary resting on a long chain.

When I was younger, I noticed how Lolo would wear this necklace everyday. Because of its length, the pendant dangled on the area where his heart is. And he would never take it off. And there's a reason why he would never take it off.

This necklace was a gift from Lola Dita. At the back of the necklace is an engraved note from Lola to Lolo. It's a bit small, so the camera couldn't capture it. But I distinctly remember what the note said.



"Mi querido Enrique, De Tu esposa te quiero mucho, Dita."

"My beloved Enrique. From your wife who loves you very much, Dita."

Looking at the necklace and reading the note further illustrates how much Lolo Iking and Lola Dita loved each other. And it also explains why Lolo never took off this necklace when he was still alive.

It was something that was close to his heart - figuratively and literally.

Devotion

It was 7:00 am and I just alighted from the LRT Station and started walking to school.

At the corner of Taft Avenue and Pablo Ocampo Streets, just in front of Jollibee, I passed by this striking old lady. My estimate places her at around 75 years old. She was a frail looking woman, with her white hair tied back in a pony tail. She was carrying a small, transparent umbrella with a pink handle, and wearing a bright yellow house dress. On the surface, she looked very nondescript. But I found her striking because of something on her dress.

There was something attached to both sides of her dress. Neatly safety-pinned on her bright yellow house dress was a computer print out with the photo of an old man. On top of the photo were the words "MISSING," and below, there was an address and a telephone number.

Since I had 30 minutes to spare before my first class, I went back to the corner and talked to the old lady. I greeted her good morning, and proceeded to ask her a few questions. (And to think I just discussed "The Art of the Interview" last Friday. How timely.)

ME: "Lola, sino po itong nawawala."
LOLA: "Yung asawa ko."
ME: "Kailan niyo po siya huling nakita?"
LOLA: "Mag-iisang buwan na. Mag-iisang buwan na siyang nawawala."
ME: "Nagpatulong na po ba kayo sa mga pulis o sa DSWD? Baka makatulong sila sa inyo sa paghanap."
LOLA: "Ni-report na din namin sa pulis. Pero gusto ko ding hanapin siya."
ME: "Malapit po ba kayo dito nakatira?"
LOLA: "Medyo malapit din. Dito nga kami magdalas nagkikita sa kanto kaya dito ako naghihintay. Baka sakaling bumalik siya dito."

That last line sent a surge of emotions throughout my body. If I were made of weaker stuff, I might have been bawling like a baby in the middle of the street. I was touched by her devotion to her husband, and the fact that she stands there, right at the corner where she usually meets him, in the hopes that she'll find him there.

It reminded me of the story of "Hachiko" in Japan. But this story was happening right in front of me. Right at the corner near our school. Right now.

ME: "Sige po, Lola. Tignan ko po kung may maitutulong kami sa inyo."
LOLA: "Naku, salamat. Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, iho."

I went back to school and held my two classes, telling my first class the story of this devoted wife waiting for her missing husband at the corner where they usually meet. Suddenly I was thinking, "heck, this is an advertising class. Why don't we help her make posters?"

At around 1:15pm, I left school and headed towards Taft Avenue, going to the LRT station. The old lady wasn't there anymore. Maybe she had lunch. Maybe she went home. Maybe her children picked her up and advised her to just stay home and assured her that she'll find him soon.

I sincerely hope that she does. A woman with that kind of love and devotion deserves to be rewarded. And what better reward than finding the man she's been looking for for the past month.

Creative Learning

Since I teach creative courses, I try to put a creative spin in all aspects of the class. "Learn by example," as the adage goes.

So, when I started formulating the course outlines for this semester, I made 2 versions. First is the "official version" which the school asks for. This is basically 5 pages of plain text on a legal sized bond paper. Then, I made a second version which I distributed in class - a "creative version."





This course outline is inspired by scrapbooks. Since the course is a creative writing course which puts together milestones and memories on paper, it's pretty much like building a scrapbook, albeit using words. There were different cover versions for this one, and this is among my favorites.



The copywriting course is inspired by tea. Not only is this the trend, it's also reminiscent of how copywriters brew words to come up with something refreshing.



For the Creative Advertising class, I looked for magic slates and brought back the "clean slate" idea. As a creative, the mind must be a clean slate each time you do a project. And this captures that thought perfectly.



I hope that these outlines help the students be bring with them that creative attitude as we face another semester of learning.

FMM: Let's Go, Go!

Last October, Belinda Carlisle had a concert in Manila. I wanted to catch it, but thought that the concert wouldn't be that fun because she's sharing the spotlight with two other artists - Human League and Howard Jones.

So, as much as I wanted to hear her sing: "Heaven is a Place on Earth," I skipped the concert altogether.

But, if Belinda Carlisle came to Manila with the Go-go's in tow, that would be a totally different story.



Calling the Go-go's. You should have a reunion concert and go-go to Manila.

L.A.L.A. Land

And now it's down to the final four. And although I'm a bit miffed that my favorites didn't get this far (Alexandra. Shannon and Kayla were my favorites), I'm pretty pleased with the last 4 all-stars standing. Each one has her own "brand" that Ms. Banks can milk dry.

Lisa, the loose cannon.


Angelea, the sassy New Yorker.


Laura, the country cutie.


And Allison, the kewpie doll oddball.


One thing I learned about this cycle is that it's anybody's ball game. The models who were eliminated were actually eliminated for the lamest of reasons. So, given this top 4, it's hard to predict who'll be facing off as top 2.

It might be the battle of the cute, blonde, first runners up, (Allison and Laura), or the battle of the big personalities, (Angelea and Lisa).

Who'll land the top spot and win it all? We have 2 more weeks before all is revealed.

Pretty Mean Queen

Yes, "Snow White and the Huntsman" looks like a magnificent movie. And yes, Charlize Theron looks astoundingly wicked as the Evil Queen.

But my heart still goes out to Julia Roberts' snarky, cooky and comic portrayal of the Evil Queen in "Mirror, Mirror."



Pretty please, show "Mirror, Mirror" here next year!

Vera Modern

For as long as I remember, Vera Wang was all about grace and femininity. Her designs are very classic and lady-like. Her clothes were all about luxurious fabrics like silk, chiffon and jacquard. Then she adds tasteful embellishments like beadwork, metal or paillettes. In short, something Jackie O would usually wear.

While browsing through her website, I was pleasantly surprised to see her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. From the first piece to the last, it felt like I was looking at someone else's website and not Vera's. The reason? Everything looked so modern and a bit space-agey.



Her cuts are now more experimental. The fabrics are a bit more abstract. The details are more cutting edge. And the tailoring is a bit more sharp. It's actually a nice departure from her signature look, but I'm on the fence whether I prefer this direction or her usual "classic chic."

I guess I'm just an old-fashioned kind of guy.

Let it snow!

Caught the trailer of "Snow White and the Huntsman" on-line, and all I can say is:

"Magnificent!"



It looks like a dark, medieval retelling of a classic tale. And I'm really digging the darkness of it all.

Can't wait to see the trailer of Julia Roberts' version.