PH AT COUTURE FASHION WEEK

The Philippines has been invited to the 16th Season of the Couture Fashion Week New York on September 15-17, 2012. This three-day event that will happen at the prestigious Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, New York consists of exhibitions of fine art, luxury products and services, world-class entertainment, receptions and after-parties along with a series of runway fashion shows showcasing couture and fine fashion of evening wear, elegant fashion, cocktail dresses and couture bridal as well as fashion jewelry and accessories. Being attended annually in such a prestigious venue by an on-site audience of more than 5,000 upscale consumers, press, trade buyers and VIPs as well as a post-event extended audience in the millions through press and internet coverage, this event, now on its 16th year, offers an excellent opportunity to promote Philippine culture, arts, heritage and tourism.

"Island Treasures at The Waldorf-Astoria: A Philippine Fashion and Lifestyle Showcase" will debut its first in a series of presentations in this New York event featuring first-class Philippine hand-woven fabrics such as the "abe" of the Cordillera, the "abel-Paoay" of Ilocos Norte, the "tepiña" of Puerto Princesa City and the "abaca" of Tabaco City, Albay plus the intricate embroidery works of Lumban's "bordaderas" in Laguna.

Fashion Designer Barge Ramos, internationally known for his "Pinoy" dressing using indigenous fabrics, has creatively designed and composed a forty-piece collection of Philippine contemporary wear for men and women for the Philippine Gala Show at the Couture Fashion Week in the Grand Ballroom of The Waldorf-Astoria New York on September 16, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. (New York time) with the participation of Joseph Domingo, a San Francisco-based Filipino Fashion Designer, who will also present his different designs. A collection of "Proudly Filipino" fashion jewelry and accessories designed and created by Arnel Papa, a Fashion Jewelry and Accessory Designer-Exporter, will also complement Ramos' and Domingo's collections.

Heading the Philippine Delegation to New York is Nilo C. Agustin, the Overall In-Charge and Organizer of the Philippine participation. Southern Tagalog Tourism Director Louella C. Jurilla has confirmed the participation of Puerto Princesa City headed by Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn who will promote the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and One of the New 7 Wonders of Nature and Puerto Princesa's tepiña fabric. The jusi and pina hand-embroidered fabrics of Vicky de Ramos' Burdahand in Lumban, Laguna will be on exhibit and sale while The Farm at San Benito and Acuatico Resort both located in Batangas will be the featured health and wellness and beach and sea holiday destinations respectively for the upscale audience attending the event.

"The Regional Development Council of the Cordillera Administrative Region (RDC-CAR) will also be represented," said DoT CAR Director Purificacion Suanding-Molintas. Leonarda Capuyan, President of Narda's Handwoven Arts and Crafts, Inc., will exhibit her new designs of Cordillera fabrics which Couture Fashion Week Organizer and Founder, Andres Aquino, has chosen to be the official fabric for his centerpiece creations at the Fashion Avenue in the Silver Corridor of The Waldorf-Astoria New York. Three Cordillera Governors have confirmed their participation as they see this event as a new milestone in promoting the region internationally particularly the UNESCO World Heritage Banaue Rice Terraces.

Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro in Albay has also given her full support for this promotional event by featuring the abaca fabric as part of Barge Ramos' collection. "The Couture Fashion Week in New York where abaca fabric will be used by Barge Ramos in his collection, is indeed the right venue to promote to a new international market the Philippine indigenous fabrics and their application in contemporary dressing," Mayor Krisel said.

The Philippine participation in this annual event in New York is organized by the East Coast Charities, Inc. (ECCI) headed by Madame Elma Santander to benefit the San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel (SLRC) in New York and the educational program of the Smokey Mountain in Manila. This noble cause has given the Philippine Delegation the encouragement and inspiration to prepare an impressive presentation to promote the Philippines and more importantly, to contribute to the fulfilment of ECCI's goals in its charitable programs.