Photographed by Kim Santos
Ezra Santos
Untitled“Our piece stands out due to its deep connection to culture and heritage, reflecting the influence of our historical occupations and the meticulous organic craftsmanship done entirely by hand.”
“Our piece stands out due to its deep connection to culture and heritage, reflecting the influence of our historical occupations and the meticulous organic craftsmanship done entirely by hand.”
Ezra Santos brings the rugged beauty of Batanes to Paris with a hand-embroidered gown inspired by the vakul.
Ezra Santos, the designer behind his eponymous label EZRA, has over two decades of experience in the fashion industry. Born in Pasay City, Metro Manila, he recalls immersing himself in black-and-white films, inspired by the costumes of Hollywood’s leading ladies. Growing up in the city, he also found further inspiration in the way women dressed for Sunday mass and parties, drawing from the fashion of the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Named one of the “100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf” by Ilustrado magazine in 2018 and 2020, his label, Ezra Couture, has dressed Hollywood A-listers like Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Nicole Scherzinger.
For Vogue Threads, Ezra Santos presents a design inspired by the rugged beauty of the vakul, a traditional protective garment from Batanes. In this design, Santos incorporates abaca, straw, beads, and Swarovski crystals into a hand-embroidered gown. The gown is enveloped by a floor-length outerwear resembling a pañuelo, tied with a sash around the waist. Overall, the gown took 240 hours of hand embroidery and another 120 hours of hand stitching.
