Style through generations

This story began one day many months ago, when the Pineda family came up with the idea of “Terno 80: Celebrating a Legacy Forged from Design and Art.”

Family matriarch Maritess M. Pineda was poring over her archive of gowns, many of which were by in preparation for a special exhibit in celebration of her 80th birthday. Couture creations by Ramon Valera, Steve de Leon and Patis Tesoro served as the inspiration for the showcase.

“These gowns or dresses were chosen because they were a part of my life’s milestones. They also represent my style journey, and how my mother influenced that,” Pineda said.

As Pineda was curating the pieces that would ultimately go on display, she reflected on the impact that her mother, Dellie Rodriguez Mendoza, had on her own style evolution.

“It was my mother who shaped me and my preferences in fashion,” she notes. “She would keep her clothes in bauls. We discovered all these beautiful gowns and dresses. She never discarded them.”

Even in her formative years, she was constantly exposed to the impeccable style and elegance that her mother embodied, setting the standards that she lives by to this day.

When it’s a special occasion, choose no less than the best.

Back in the day, designer Ramon Valera was a close friend of the family. “He was my mother’s barkada. She would have him make even her everyday dresses,” she recalls. When it was time for Pineda’s debut, “It had to be a Valera.”

Many years later, when Pineda was preparing for her wedding, she had only one mandate to her husband-to-be: “He was free to decide on everything else, but my gown had to be a Valera.” And it was so, with her mother working with Valera for the perfect gown and train for the big day.

Always choose a Filipino designer

This was an important reminder for Pineda, and a seeming precursor to her passionate and continued support for Filipino designers.

“This was back in the day, where you don’t relate fashion to Filipino and local,” she points out. Whether they used imported or local materials in the final dress, it matters that it was made by a Filipino designer.

For Mrs. Mendoza’s Ruby wedding anniversary, her designer of choice was Steve de Leon, where he created ternos for the bride, as well as Pineda, her daughter, and grandchild. It was also through Mrs. Mendoza that De Leon was challenged to try play around with different materials in his work.

Filipiniana is classic and enduring

In recent years, Filipiniana has stepped out of its shell, and has incorporated itself into the modern wardrobe. This was a mindset that Mrs. Mendoza already knew even then -- that Filipiniana goes beyond trends, encompassing heritage fabrics and weaves, outside of the usual ternos and baro’t saya; how it will continue to evolve over time.

Two of the gowns designed by Patis Tesoro – who echoes this sentiment by saying “Filipiniana is forever” ­ exemplify this idea.

For Pineda’s golden wedding anniversary, she created a gold terno using vintage fabric that was embellished with pearls. For the wedding of her granddaughter Sammy Pineda-Barrera in Spain, Tesoro combined Inabel fabric with French lace for an elegant jacket and dress set.

What made these two gowns especially sentimental were that the embellishments on both dresses were inherited from Pineda’s mom. “Everything had a touch of my mother, and that meant a lot to me,” she added.

As one of the co-founders of Artefino, Pineda is one of Filipiniana’s staunchest advocates, including them in her own daily sartorial choices. Paying tribute to this personal passion is her collection of contemporary interpretations of national dress, from the likes of BAYO Atelier, Len Cabili, Jor-El Espina, Rajo Laurel and Cora Manimbo, which she handpicked for the exhibit.

What sets “Terno 80” apart is how Art House paired eight artists from their roster -- 0270501, Enon de Belen, Alvaro Jimenez, Ronna Manansala, Anina Rubio and Melissa Yeung-Yap, Patis Tesoro and Jo Ann Bitagcol – with the eight featured designers in the exhibit.

“My mom has always been a supporter of Philippine fashion and arts,” explains gallery founder Carlo Pineda. “Her journey as a patron of both presented us with a beautiful proposition to blend fashion and art in one space.”

They were challenged to reflect, respond and create artwork inspired by the masterful designs, but also speaks to the Filipino soul and identity. The concept also aligns with Art House’s ethos of showcasing local talent, and giving them the space to collaborate and create.

Eight masterful designs. Eight contemporary artists. Eight decades of patronage for Philippine art and design. That is the legacy of philanthropist and art patron Maritess M. Pineda, and she still has more stories to share in the years ahead.

Art House honored this beautiful narrative through Terno: Celebrating a Legacy Forged from Design and Art, which ran at the South Court of Power Plant Mall until 27 October, then moved to the Art House Gallery in Pasig.

“It felt more meaningful and purposeful to come up with an exhibit than to throw another party,” says Pineda. “Terno shows us how art and fashion can evolve hand in hand. Both can adapt to the direction and the needs of the times.”