A crowning moment for Ezra Santos

Dubai-based designer Ezra Santos was the fitting finale at Ternocon’s recently concluded fourth edition. Following this year’s theme of paying tribute to 20th-century Filipino painters, sculptors and architects, Santos’s 16-piece collection took its inspiration from National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao.

Unlike Imao’s color-saturated paintings, Santos opted for a palette that brings to mind Pantone’s color of the year — mocha mousse — and its many shades and tints, as well as its metallic iterations. He gave his high-profile clientele a choice of formal Filipiniana gowns, ranging from the understated — fluid chiffon, streamlined skirts, soft drapes — to the flamboyant — shiny fabrics, bubble hemlines, sculptural details.

His portion of the show opened with separates, starting with white tops embellished with geometric paillettes. These segued into a combination of floral-print bottoms with long trains or bubble hems. Menswear pieces featured gold, puffy jackets that resembled metal armor. Several flowy, nude chiffon ternos seemingly evolved into a fairy-tale creature dressed in sculptural, shiny bronze.

Speaking of sculpture and metal, Imao was internationally recognized for his sculptures — most notably in brass — having earned his Master’s in Sculpture, major in Metal Brass Casting. Santos’ metal accessories were an obvious ode to the National Artist, who often used the sarimanok as a motif, making it his signature piece. The designer incorporated his own versions within the collection’s fabulous crowns, headpieces, neckpieces, breast plates and embellishments, which were fit for any of his famous clients (which include showbiz celebrities, high-society ladies, international influencers, top-ranking personalities and, yes, royalty).

Having spent most of his professional career in Dubai, Ezra Santos managed to blend the conspicuous luxury and extravagance of his adopted home with the unmistakable details of the Philippines’ national dress. His Ternocon collection proved that you can take the designer away from his country, but you can’t take the country away from the designer — his “Filipino-ness” will always shine through.