As in SONAs past, today’s event doubled as an occasion to make a fashion statement in the most exquisite and stylized Filipiniana outfits made by some of the country’s top designers.
By ALEX Y. VERGARA
No wind, no rain, no knee-high floods could stop them from slipping into their respective ideas of the Filipiniana finery, as the country’s esteemed politicians, government officials and their spouses trooped to the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City earlier today to witness President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
As in SONAs past, today’s event doubled as an occasion, especially for the women, to make a fashion statement in the most exquisite and stylized ternos, Maria Clara dresses, malongs, kimonas and patadyongs made mostly of local hand-woven fabrics like piña, inaul and inabel, among others, and designed by some of the country’s A-list designers.
The tradition of dressing up in Filipino-inspired formal attire to hear the president address the nation dates back to the time of President Fidel Ramos’ administration. Over the years, it became a more lavish affair resembling the Oscar red carpet with certain guests preening before the cameras like movie stars. Social media further amplified the event and piqued the public’s interest in the SONA red carpet and who wore what until everything came to a halt in the early years of the pandemic when in-person gatherings were prohibited.
But on the flip side of what some critics deem as ostentatious and frivolous displays of wealth is a commendable attempt by people of influence to celebrate and pay homage to the country’s culture and creative workforce—from designers to weavers, sewers to finishers—by making an effort to wear Filipino.
Some of them, most notably Sen. Loren Legarda, a consistent champion of Filipino cultural heritage, make an effort to carefully study and curate what they would wear to such events. This year, for instance, the senator, who takes pride in incorporating Filipino-made outfits and accessories to her everyday look, had again gone the extra mile by wearing an elegant, but a tad offbeat Maria Clara-inspired ensemble designed by Puey Quiñones.
According to her office, the Maria Clara-inspired outfit features vintage embroidered piña fabric from Legarda’s personal collection that gave the look a touch of timeless elegance while making a statement in favor of adaptive reuse. The ensemble includes a panuelo and multilayered skirt with sunburst electric pleats over beaded and callado-embroidered piña strips.
Below are some of the SONA red carpet looks–and their wearers–which caught PeopleAsia’s eye.
