The designer traveled the country to find inspiration from local weavers for his newest collection.
Since its restoration, the Goldenberg Mansion in Malacañang Palace has become a center of culture and fashion. As part of the First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ Fashion at Goldenberg series, designer Michael Leyva was tapped to create his own collection to be unveiled at the historic venue.
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Speaking with Lifestyle Asia, Leyva says that the First Lady’s Likha project served as an inspiration for him. Its first exhibition showcased talented Filipino weavers. With that said, he traveled all over the country from Luzon, Visayas, to Mindanao to document and find inspiration from our local craftsmen.
He sourced out his materials from provinces such as Cebu, Albay, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao for his first full Filipiniana collection titled Isang Pilipinas.
As for his creative process, the designer focused on the fabrics and turned them into unique Filipinianas. Leyva also took into account the entire history of the Philippine terno, situating his designs in relation to existing works.
Upon learning about the opportunity to put up his own fashion show at the Goldenberg Mansion, Leyva says he was honored and grateful. As the date neared, he admits that he really was very nervous at first.
Prior to this show, he was already designing over 100 looks for this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). On top of that, he was also designing wedding dresses for other clients. Even with his extremely hectic schedule, Leyva and his team executed a beautiful show.
Many personalities from Filipino high society graced the fashion show. Some of Leyva’s muses including Dette Escudero, Audrey Tan-Zubiri, Tootsy Angara, and Kath Yu Pimentel also walked the runway while Heart Evangelista opened the show.
Leyva says that the collection personally represents his versatility as a designer. This was his first time working with weaving patterns and he certainly rose up to the challenge. As for future plans, he’s looking forward to doing shows abroad again and showcasing Filipino craftsmanship on the global stage.
Photos by Excel Panlaque of KLIQ, Inc.
