Five seasoned Filipino designers drew inspirations from DiaGold, a homegrown jewelry brand that started in Cebu, to produce haute couture pieces that conjure opulence, romance and visions of the divine.
Formally established in 2008 by the Ty family after decades of doing business fairly under the radar, Cebu’s homegrown luxury jewelry brand DiaGold continues to conquer Manila in a big, stylish way.
To dramatize its design ethos and style directions, DiaGold, which are contractions of the words diamond and gold (it only uses the finest diamonds set in 18- and 14-karat gold), recently invited some of the country’s leading fashion designers, including two of Cebu’s finest, of course, to interpret the spirit of glamour and romance based on DiaGold’s latest collections.
Held at the grand ballroom of Shangri-La at the Fort, the fashion-cum-jewelry show drew prominent members of the metro’s social set. The event later doubled as a buyers’ show, as DiaGold set up a pop-up store inside the ballroom.
Francis Libiran presented creations from his latest collection titled “Mosaic,” an ensemble, which, said the designer, takes inspiration from “objects that entice the artistic mind–intricate mosaics and beautiful human connections of sexual passions and intimacy.” As the last designer to present his collection, Francis capped off the entire group show with a bang by tapping former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, the face behind DiaGold, to wear his finale number.
Clean silhouettes and jewel tones that perfectly matched DiaGold exquisite pieces were mirrored in Michael Leyva’s clothes inspired by modern-day women in their “elegance, sophistication and classic sensibilities.” Jun Escario, on the other hand, gave his stylish interpretation of “chill sophistication” by producing numbers that contrasted well with DiaGold’s more casual-looking pieces.
Meanwhile, Joey Samson’s “Arlecchino” collection showed the many faces of Harlequin, a character from the Italian commedia dell’arte or Italian comedy. Cary Santiago designed a three-piece black and white ensemble that conjured the beauty and grace of the Greek goddesses. Some of the pieces also featured Grecian draping using soft, fluid fabric. Certain looks even came complete with helmets inspired by the Greek goddess of war.
“We want to celebrate Filipino creativity. We work with an international network of suppliers and manufacturers, but our heart is very Filipino. These designers, just like DiaGold, are visionaries of Philippine design. Together, we are proud to showcase our own distinct look and highlight our commitment to craftsmanship, which Cebu is very known for,” said Jennifer Ty, DiaGold’s chief executive officer.
DiaGold CEO Jennifer Ty and daughter Jasmine Ty with, from left, Francis Libiran, DiaGold brand ambassador Pia Wurtzbach, Joey Samson and Jun Escario
In the Philippines, Diagold is located at Ascott Makati, Glorietta 4, SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, SM Seaside City Cebu, Nustar Resort and Casino, Ayala Malls Capitol Central Bacolod and SM City Iloilo. For more information, visit Diagold’s official website at www.diagold.com.ph, or follow @diagoldjewelry on Facebook and Instagram.
