PeopleAsia’s Women of Style and Substance awardees 2018, from left, Zen Hernandez, Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, Marga Nograles, Maricris San Diego, Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Kok Li Peng, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, Morissette, Catriona Gray, Tootsy Angara, Connie Haw, Aiza Diuco and Ma. Jessica PalmianoDave Sandoval spruces up the stage a la “Crazy Rich Asians” with tropical flowers and Thai grass as well as pampas grass from Argentina
By Alex Y. Vergara
From the venue’s styling by leading event stylist Dave Sandoval to many of the guests and awardees’ chosen designer ensembles, PeopleAsia’s recent Women of Style and Substance (WSS) 2018 awards night at the Grand Hyatt Manila’s grand ballroom teemed with references from the hit Hollywood romcom Crazy Rich Asians.
Tootsy Angara and Singapore Ambassador Kok Li Peng
Guests, led by the evening’s 12 awardees, were requested to come in their #crazyrichpeopleasians-inspired gowns and formal suits, and they did with loads of imagination and panache.
Apart from the usual go-to black and white, not a few ladies went either for candy colors or jewel tones. A good number, such as Miss Universe Philippines 2018 and WSS awardee Catriona Gray, shone in see-through and appliqued metallic finery.
And the length and breadth of fashion inspiration spanned the entire continent, from stylized Chinese cheongsams (check out Pinky Pe Tobiano’s canary yellow number) to heavily embellished Indian saris (Mellie Ablaza leads in this category), Hong Kong screen vixens to Filipino show biz royalty.
What made the entire evening more magical was Dave’s event styling, his take, actually, on the movie’s key wedding scene that transformed a church into a rice paddy. In typical Pinoy fashion, Dave outdid his colleagues in Hollywood by putting an exotic tropical spin to his set design in the form of dangling blooms in various bold colors and gradating shades. In lieu of rice stalks, he used Thai grass as well as pampas grass sourced from Argentina.
Dave’s awesome setup provided guests with an ideal backdrop, as they engaged in a friendly fashion showdown, Asian-style. Who wore the craziest (and we mean that in a good way), most daring and most stylish look on the red carpet? We leave it up to you to decide.
PeopleAsia’s “Women of Style & Substance” 2018 Awards Night was presented in cooperation with Grand Hyatt Manila, Charriol, SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. BMW, Singapore Airlines, CosmoSkin, Pilipinas Shell, Ralph’s Wines and Spirits, Home Studio Inc., The Aivee Group, San Miguel Corp., Merz Philippines Healthcare Inc., Penshoppe, SM, Duty Free Philippines and The Philippine STAR.
Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat with her dad, DBP Chair and former Sen. Bert Romulo, and mom LovelyMiss Universe Philippines 2018 Catriona Gray in Val TagubaMorissette in Jef AlbeaMain entrance leading to the grand ballroomPeopleAsia editor in chief Joanne Rae Ramirez (in Francis Libiran), Connie Haw (in Rhett Eala) and Linda Ley (in Rajo Laurel)Claudine Rodriguez and Mathew CunananTootsy Angara in a five-year-old gown by Rajo LaurelGeewel Cabungcal Fuster and husband IanAwardee Maricris San Diego in a Michelle Araullo-Razon gown with Mellie Ablaza and Czarina Ablaza-SyquiaGinggay Hontiveros-Malvar in an off-the-rack Vittorio the busy executive bought “years ago”Aiza Diuco in Lloyd ArceoTogetech’s Ma. Jessica Palmiano in Mark BumgarnerMarga Nograles in Maureen Disini
Dr. Aivee Teo in Dries Van Noten
Junjun AblazaPinky Pe Tobiano, in yellow cheongsam, with her friendsTina Cuevas in Randy OrtizYoli Ayson, Hera Geriene and Duday TuasonAgile Zamora, Johnny Litton and Connie HawZen HernandezVince VelascoJoanne Rae Ramirez, PeopleAsia’s editor in chiefSingapore Airlines’ Angelo Templonuevo, Joel Reodica, Aiza Garcia and PeopleAsia editor Joanne Rae RamirezBMW’s Aini Mayonado, Thea Mari Geronimo and AJ BarueloStore Specialist Inc’s Nyka Nakamura, Alexie Lopez, Shirene Abel-Macapinlac, Cristina Bengson-Morales and Gizelle LimHome Studio Inc.’s Grant Lim and Büm TenorioPeopleAsia’s Alex Vergara with Johnlu and Alou KoaChevrolet’s Daryl Cerezo, PeopleAsia’s Jose Paolo dela Cruz, Volvo’s Chris Yu and Hotel 101’s Brian OngCharriol regional sales director Thibaud JaouenGrand Hyatt Manila director of sales and marketing Mellissa Ledesma, GM Gottfried Bogensperger and marketing communications director Karmina de UngriaBMW president Spencer Yu and PeopleAsia associate publisher Jose Rodriguez present an award to Age Defying Solutions’ Aiza DiucoDr. Z Teo and Singapore Ambassador Ambassador Kok li PengCosmo Skin’s Red Gatus and Niño BautistaMayenne Carmona and Angola Consul Helen OngThe BPI team’s Gen Contreras, Owen Cammayo, Joey Silvestre, Madelein Embalado and Kristabel PeñafuerteTogetech’s Denize Palmiano, Amy Palmiano and Mimi SyChroma Hospitality’s Carmela Bocanegra and Marco Polo’s Pearl MaclangSofitel Philippine Plaza’s Assia Daourova and Yasmine HidalgoLiza IlardeCatriona Gray and PeopleAsia’s Ramon Joseph RuizCity of Dreams’ Charisse Chuidian, Romina Gervacio and Ina GarciaOnce the Grand Hyatt Manila’s famed open kitchen made its big reveal, chefs and cooks immediately go into their routine, a fire dance of sorts prior to cooking the evening’s buffet.
