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Denim ensembles and reworked pieces brought an unconventional twist to the “Rewear” theme.
At the Vogue Philippines Party, held at Xylo on August 28, plenty of guests stepped onto the red carpet in their best ensembles, all unique interpretations of the “Rewear” theme. However, two trends reigned supreme: casual denim looks transformed into eveningwear and upcycled outfits.
“Without a doubt, denim was the star of the night. From distressing to deconstruction, we had a glimpse of how the robust textile made a guest appearance in the crowd,” Vogue Philippines fashion associate Renée De Guzman notes. With a variety of denim ensembles, honorable mentions go to style blogger Bea Marin and designer Pat Cortez.
“Layered in chains and pearls, Bea’s look was an ode to Jean Paul Gaultier’s denim era in the ’90s.” says De Guzman. Reviving vintage allure, Marin paired retro hardware and embellishments with distressed Bagasáo trousers and a denim jacket she reworked herself. About her striking ensemble, Marin tells Vogue Philippines, “I reworked this Factory Boy piece a little and these accessories are vintage pieces I stole from my Mom.”
Bea Marin in Bagásao and reworked Factory Boy
Cortez, another guest in a denim standout, riffs on the color blue in a Sutetchi crochet top and wide-legged denim trousers—a noteworthy Y2K spin on the occasion that was a sartorial hit. She even paired the look with her own design, an Overlay Designs bag.“It’s leather, but it’s denim. I felt like I had to wear it to this event,” she tells us, gesturing at her denim purse. “My pants are thrifted—looking through my Mom’s closet and looking to the ukay-ukay are the best rewear [pieces] for me.”
Pat Cortez in Sutetchi and Overlay Designs
The other big trend of the night was upcycling and content creator Jazmin Reyes, digital marketer François Filamor, and designer Le Ngok had the most interesting reworked pieces.
“Reyes made a bold statement with a RAFA look made from repurposing plastic bottles and topped it off with a chained and sparkling water bottle,” notes De Guzman. Of her embellished gravity-defying dress from RAFA, Reyes tells us, “This is actually recycled from PPEs, so instead of the [detail] being in the front, it’s in the back now.” She even matched the dress, with its sculptural details made from recycled plastic bottles, with an actual water bottle evening bag. “We sequined and bejeweled this for an Aquarian touch. It’s recycled, so it’s rewear,” Reyes says cheekily.
Jazmin Reyes in RAFA
Meanwhile, Filamor’s outfit looked to a different household item for sustainable inspiration: the common key ring. “I’m wearing Andy Bandy, he’s a designer from Malaysia. He wanted to reuse keychains and make them into something that is beautiful and something that can be reworn,” Filamor tells us of his vest. “When I learned of the theme, I decided to put it on,”
François Filamor in Andy Bandy
Designer Le Ngok also brought sustainable materials and reconstructive design to the forefront with her riveting statement piece. “My outfit is made from discarded cellphone chips. It’s from my recent collection from my first show, called ‘Cyber Gaze.’ I used a lot of recycled materials. I thought it was really perfect for this night,” she says. Even her eyewear was reworked “from broken gadgets.” Wearing a vest crafted from old devices over a blazer with an eccentric pair of trousers with green details accessorized with punchy eyewear, Le Ngok takes on the theme with modern verve.
Le Ngok in Le Ngok
