The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands presented a fashion show dubbed “A Dutch-Filipino Fashion Exchange” to showcase the collaborative work of six young designers from the Netherlands and the Philippines in Manila Fashion Festival Now.
Themed “Innovation for Sustainability,” the event capped the yearlong celebration of the 65 years of diplomatic bilateral relations and 150 years of consular ties of the two countries. By partnering with Art Personas and Slim’s Fashion and Art School, the fashion show wanted new approaches to innovation for sustainability in fashion.
“This collaboration between the talented fashion designers from the Philippines and the Netherlands provides an amazing opportunity to pave the way for sustainable fashion to be weaved into the future of design,” said Netherlands Ambassador to the Philippines Marion Derckx.
The fashion show featured an 18-piece collection of combined Dutch and Filipino artistry created by designers Damaris Chua, Riza Bulawan, Nina Gatan, Zena Ankersmit, Loes van Nijnatten, and Britta Bentele.
“The Philippines looks at fashion glamorously while Dutch are more sleek and straightforward. Even before the Spaniards arrived, Filipino fashion was highly-decorated already,” shared Riza.
“This program gave us an opportunity to be with people with different cultural and artistic perspectives. It’s a good thing to collaborate,” added Maui.
As part of the fashion exchange, the designers experienced an intensive three-phased exchange program composed of workshops, lectures and master classes in both the Netherlands and in the Philippines. They also visited embroidery centers in Lumban, Quezon and Tagaytay, handpicked fabrics in Divisoria, and attended one of Europe’s most prestigious fashion events, the Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Zena, one of the students from Netherlands, showcased her love for playful designs and for using bright colors. “I believe fashion should be something that makes life more beautiful and more fun. So I think that is important in my designs.”
For more information on the celebration, visit philippines.nlembassy.org and www.facebook.com/DutchEmbassyPhilippines or follow @NLinPhilippines on Twitter.