Holiday heirlooms

Holiday dressing is all about celebrating your own style. Find pieces that enhance you, your well-being and make you shine.  In a time where contemporary Filipino design is thriving, the season of merrymaking is playing “dress me up, dress me down” with stunning, traditional and classic pieces made modern. 

One of the country’s seasoned and brilliant designers Dennis Lustico presents his own array of Pinoy-inspired festive and practical day-to-night wardrobe. Always fashionably delightful, the master of quiet and subdued elegance is set for cosmopolitan Manille’s seasoned fetes. 

Championing culture and tradition in his marks of distinction, Lustico salutes heritage with his brand’s Filipiniana collection called “Kimona - An homage to the women of the Visayas.”  

Tracing back his roots, he is r-acquainted with what he came to know first before the Maria Clara —Traje de Mestiza, Patadyong and Balintawak. The designer recalls, “My exposure to fashion (which I didn’t know at that time) started early by observing women in our province wearing this airy, easy and pretty set called Kimona.” 

The collection prides in beautifully made kimonas, bibs, tapis, saya, sarong pants and overtops.  Pieces are one size fits all, decidedly easy and effortless. Dennis also works with local weaves from pina, pina callado to sinuksok. Hand embroidery is done in Laguna, with designs developed in-house. These garments are not just pieces to be worn on special occasions. 

He ends, “Beautiful garments should be worn more than just once. Not only that, they should be passed down like heirlooms.” 

Dennis Lustico pop-up runs until 31 January and is located at the second level Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City.