thePOC covered dozens of shows by young and upcoming designers last September during the PFW S/S 11 festivities. I think I mentioned before that I found many of them rather uninspired, but there is one designer that really stood out to me: Chris Diaz. It's not so much because his designs are groundbreaking or unique - it's because the clothes he sent down the runway are exactly my style. Re-imagined 60's fashion in florals and pastels? Don't say another word!

TDF cardigan with floral appliques

Not friendly to most body types, but I like mint with white. Very fresh.

I've just finished a marathon publishing session over at the Beauty & Fashion section of thePOC.net. I've been at it for the last three hours, sifting through designers and grammatical errors (which are thankfully few). I leave the rest to the proofreaders, should I have missed anything! Next week should be the last week of our PFW S/S 11 coverage. Head on over to see what we've got so far.

Anyway, while looking through the shows, I must say that I am completely underwhelmed. Nothing stands out. In fact, some of the clothes are verging on the ridiculous. I'd like to say that most of the designers tried their best to showcase their skills (like last time), but this season, it seems like a lot of them have toned it down. Is it because most of the shows are sponsored by big brands who are naturally conservative and specific about what they want and don't want on the runway? 

I am trying hard to find the fashion in these:

"Philippine flag pinata." I quote one of my writers.

So unique and fashion-forward

OMG! This was taken shortly before the Ipanema show started. I'd like to write something longer to gush about this momentous highlight (lol) but I need to pack for a 2-day family reunion.

You can view the gallery here. Thanks so much Stylebible! It's an honor to be included in your style spotting feature. <3

Photos courtesy of Stylebible.ph

I was at the PFW Opening Night last Wednesday to witness the top designers and retailers in the country show off their latest designs. I made it to the Visions and Trends/Design Fusion Collection where Anna Leah Salvador, Aries Lagat, Benjie Pañizales, Don Protasio, Enrico Carado, Happy Andrada, Harley Ruedas, Jaki Peñalosa, Jan Garcia, Martin Bautista, Mitzi Quilendrino-Bustos, Nolie Viñeza, Norman Noriega, Patrick Galang and Raoul Ramirez presented. SM also showed off their latest designs already (or soon to be) available in their department stores.

Click here for more photos by Francis Tuason for thePOC

I love PFW for what it is trying to do - to showcase Filipino talent, especially young designers who are trying to get a leg up on the first rung of the fashion ladder. However, I think that the designs, while beautiful and obviously made with attention to detail, are too safe. To put it bluntly, some of the designs were unoriginal. A lot of the pieces showcased in the Visions and Trends show were cocktail dresses or evening gowns that capitalized on existing trends or took their inspirations too literally to the point of becoming costume-y.