Amor Albano, grand finalist of Project Runway Philippines (Season 3), designed the second bridal gown of Carina Amelia “Cara” G. Manglapus who married lawyer Michael Ferdinand “Mike” M. Manotoc, grandson of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Albano who is from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte rose to fame when she joined in the fashion design competition based on the American reality TV show and won as third runner-up. Prominent winners and finalists of the show include Mika Redoble, Cheeta Rivera, and Nel Claveria.
Albano’s design philosophy focuses on the impeccable construction of garments. She shared that the show taught her to bring out the best craftsmanship in every dress regardless of immense pressure, and to never compromise quality for quantity of projects. She draws inspiration from the likes of Rajo Laurel, Jojie Lloren, Jerry Katigbak, and Inno Sotto.
Among her top clients are Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos, Laoag City Mayor Chevylle Fariñas, and former beauty queen Miriam Quiambao.
She was in charge of Cara’s bridal gown as well as that of the mother of the bride. She also designed the gowns of the children of Ilocos Norte mayors attending the wedding held at the San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
“The bride does not want anything extravagant,” Albano explained, “she just wanted the dress to be simple and elegant but comfortable.” She followed a palette of off-white and pale pink accents.
“We wanted to incorporate the Ilocano heritage fabric, which is the abel, so that everyone would appreciate it. We wanted to showcase its potential when translated into clothing, and we want to highlight the touch of Ilocano through these gowns.”
The abel Iloco is a hand-woven textile made from spun cotton threads grown in the region. The weaving tradition in Ilocos Norte dates back to the province’s pre-colonial history, with the most popular fabrics being the binakol of of Sarrat and sinukitan of Paoay, which feature optical patterns and embossed designs, respectively.
The integration of the abel fabric to the gowns was inspired by the Ilocano kimono, which is a part of the traditional Ilocano two-piece ensemble attire. It is a blouse that is either plain white or colored, and usually has a cowl neckline. It is traditionally worn with the pandiling, a conical floor-length skirt.
In line with the “modern Filipiniana” motif of the wedding and the Ilocano setting, Albano’s creations are dominated by traditional pieces and palettes of off-white and shades of pink.
Meanwhile, June Pugat, an Ilocano fashion designer and visual merchandiser based in Manila, was in charge of the rest of the entourage, including the outfit of Governor Marcos.
The Manotoc-Manglapus union is significant due to the history of the couple’s grandfathers. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Raul S. Manglapus had run against Marcos in the 1965 presidential election, in which the latter triumphed. He had also been a prominent opposition figure during the Marcos era, spending the martial law years in exile in the United States and founding the Movement for a Free Philippines (MFP).
When Marcos passed away in 1989, Manglapus opposed the return of his remains to the Philippines. Little did he know that 25 years later, their grandchildren would meet, fall in love, and initiate reconciliation for their “rival” families.
While neither Mike nor Cara have expressed any interest in politics, their unlikely romance has moved Governor Marcos to quip, “If you can’t beat them even with just one vote, marry them.”