From The Terno To Marchesa: Here’s What The Stars Wore To Here Lies Love’s Opening Night

The occasion was defined by Filipiniana fusion in a melange of hues and silhouettes, punctuated by the edge of downtown New York.

Last night, Here Lies Love opened at the Broadway Theatre in Manhattan, one of the few active Broadway theaters on the iconic main road. The musical—which tells the story of the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos via punchy disco beats and a neon-lit traverse stage—is the first Broadway production with a majority Filipino company. In keeping with the incredible feat, the guests arrived in hues as vibrant as the show itself. 

The cast and production team beamed with pride. Among them, a play on Filipinianas and barongs was the unwritten dress code of the evening. Tony Award-winning costume designer Clint Ramos carries an air of theatricality with him anywhere he goes; on Opening Night, he upped the ante with tassels flying about him as he moved, extending to the floor from a black terno bolero. The emphasis on color came from Lea Salonga’s embellished hot pink terno from Rajo Laurel and Melody Butiu’s blood orange terno jumpsuit.

As for the standout looks from the audience, designer Rafe Totengco and actress Yassi Pressman both put a streetwear spin on piña. Totengco styles a piña utilitarian jacket with an oversized white shirt, while Pressman pairs her burgundy piña cropped top from Isle with denim. David Byrne, the mind behind Here Lies Love, wears a white boilersuit that translates his cool. Meanwhile, Josie Natori is elegant and understated in a feminine play on the barong.

The black-tie standard was equally as inspired. Arielle Jacobs, who stars as the lead, took to the red carpet with an air of gravitas. She wears a leather corset, distressed at the edges and lined with grommets, accenting the look with silver jewelry to match. Model Hannah Locsin stepped out in a floor-sweeping Marchesa gown—sheer, save for ostrich feathers and gold embellishments.

Below, see more of the best-dressed stars of the evening.