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.