If 2020 reintroduced us to the concept of luxe loungewear as well as gave birth to PPE-inspired ensembles, 2021 will likely see an explosion of happy colors and dramatic prints in dresses and separates with looser silhouettes.
By Alex Y. Vergara
Just as World War I and the 1918 Flu Pandemic paved the way for the flapper chic of the “Roaring ’20s,” and World War II ushered in the “New Look” consisting of dresses with cinched waists and full skirts in the 1950s, will the COVID-19 Pandemic shake things up and change how we approach fashion in 2021?
It might be too soon to tell since the current pandemic is still raging as we enter the new year. But this early, a number of leading local designers are already seeing gradual shifts in the way people view fashion. If 2020 reintroduced us to the concept of luxe loungewear as well as gave birth to PPE-inspired fashion, 2021 will likely see an explosion of happy colors and dramatic prints in dresses and separates with looser silhouettes.
“For spring 2021, it will be all about bright colors and bold silhouettes. The only way to bring optimism in the coming months is to go bolder, brighter and more impactful,” says Noel Crisostomo, creative director of ready-to-wear boutique Queen Street West.
Alongside these “exuberant” colors, as Noel describes them, are big floral patterns. US-based company Pantone, the color authority in a variety of industries, seems to share Noel’s exuberance, and has declared yellow as the color of 2021.
Use of indigenous fabrics
“Another emerging trend I see are bold geometric patterns,” Noel adds. Like him, he sees a growing number of Philippine-based colleagues using indigenous fabrics to help the country’s local artisans while bringing an air of “hipness and coolness” to Filipino-first efforts.
Noel, for instance, recently developed a digital print inspired by the iconic solihiya weave on soft, easy pieces made of silk charmeuse. In terms of silhouettes, he also sees a return to basics, but interpreted with more drama and flair. But overall, silhouettes will likely remain loose and easy.
“Yes, the pandemic brought about minor changes in the way I do clothes,” he says. “For one, my pieces have become bolder and more colorful. In a way, it’s also a reflection of what my regular clients want. Even if they’re just staying at home most of the time, they still want to dress up and feel optimistic.”
PPE-inspired fashion is likely to further wane, but JC Buendia predicts a big demand for separates in 2021. In lieu of jumpsuit-like and body-con ensembles, his idea of separates are semi-structured and, in keeping with the prevailing WFH climate, still easy to wear.
“When I say separates, my idea would be pieces that could be worn in different ways and in a mix of muted and unexpected pops of bright colors,” says JC.
Lately, the designer has made an effort to make the terno younger and more accessible by introducing a range of off-the-rack terno tops, which could be worn with short skirts or even jeans, in decidedly more casual materials and prints.
“There were no major balls or big weddings last year,” he says. “And even if there were, it would have been difficult to do couture fittings due to health protocols. That was when I thought of designing pieces that are easier to wear. Tops that can dress up a little black dress or [you can] wear over lounge trousers, or over skirts—sobrefaldas, leggings and even shorts.”
Known for his ultra-feminine designs fit mostly for evening events, Rem Divino has also embraced a slightly different motto as a fashion designer, which began sometime last year—“relax, easy but stylish.”
Season of caftans
“For me, 2021is the season of caftan, either long or short, relatively simple or elaborate, but with a dash of the ingenue to give it a fresh appeal that evokes endless holidays. And heaven knows, holidays, even if they’re just a state of mind, are what the world needs right now,” says the Middle East-trained Rem, who, together with the late Ito Curata, once dressed up then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her state visits and State of the Nation Addresses.
Rem’s color palette is equally beguiling: “Sunset” shades ranging from smokey pinks, fresh bursts of yellows and oranges, to alluring reds. To up these pieces’ “languid” factor, the designer plans to incorporate them with crotchet details, ethnic weaves and hand-painted flowers.
“They’re looks evocative of Barbara Hutton at Sidi Hosni and Doris Duke at Shangri-La—a stylish way to stay put at home and be safe,” says Rem.
Finally, Lesley Mobo, who earned a name for himself as a ready-to-wear designer for a number of London-based high-end and mid-range brands, has had an “overall change in perspective” in both life and fashion. And this change has had a huge impact on his aesthetics as a designer.
“In the middle of the pandemic, most of us have realized what’s more important in life,” says Lesley, who sheltered in place during the early part of the pandemic in his mother’s village in Aklan. “We also realized that’s it’s important to be ourselves.”
During that long lockdown, Lesley wasn’t immune to thoughts of doom and gloom, more so since he started hearing of friends and people he knew of either getting sick or succumbing to the virus.
“In the end,” he adds, “I simply decided to embrace and harness the reality about it, and convert all that prevailing negativity and darkness into something that I think is positive.”
The result is Lesley’s collection of “tropical ternos” made of printed floral cotton in the boldest of hues. In a move reminiscent of Gugain’s paintings during his years in French Polynesia, the designer even ditched the typical tall, mestiza-looking mannequin in favor of a dusky Filipino beauty to model his clothes. Visually, the contrast is nothing short of amazing.
Back to his roots
“Being in lockdown for months has brought me back to my roots, and I decided to embrace it,” he explains of his design process. “I wanted to create something that’s true and genuine to me, something happy and colorful. An escape from the harness of what’s happening around us that could bring some comfort and positivity from the darkness of the pandemic.”
In more practical terms, Lesley sees more creative use of prints this year, as well as an explosion of “wild” colors, unusual silhouettes, garment cuts and volumes.
“With the eruption of colors and volumes this year, we can expect to see more fun and interesting color palettes in women’s clothes that could hopefully inject some playfulness and positivity in our overall mood,” Lesley concludes. “These trends, in turn, could hopefully set a tone of recovery for everyone in 2021 and beyond.”
(In our conclusion, Lesley Mobo talks about the likely pandemic-influenced trends among global RTW brands in 2021.)
