Estien Quijano: Born to be a Designer

Estien Quijano started professional career as a designer in April 1991. He is a licensed nurse, who graduated from University of Santo Thomas, whose love for the arts pushed him to become the designer he is today. Even as a child, Estien’s love for arts was present. He would browse at Encyclopedias and just look at the different pictures and paintings. Using his God given talents and his own hands he is fond of creating new things.

Estien had been a Finalist in Mega Magazine’s Young Designers’ Competition in 2006 and a Finalist in FDCP Design Competition – Accessories Category in the same year. Estien Quijano has also been consistently landing on the top 10 collections for three seasons of the Philippine Fashion Week. Estien Quijano joined the retail industry through Vatican Fashion Museum at The Podium.

He is a postmodern artist-designer whose artistic flair is seen in every garment he creates, blending innovation and tradition. He considers his works as wearable pieces of art and have been photographed and worn in Paris, New York, Singapore and other parts of the world. Estien finds his inspirations in a lot of things such as music, architecture, and nature. Most of his materials of choice are unexpected, such as the Sebiña, a hand woven fabric made of bamboo yarn, Piña fiber and Philippine silk cocoon. However, he also utilizes conventional materials, his favorite being the garter. In fact, he is known in the fashion industry as the “Garter Guy.”

Estien Quijano on his latest collection:

“I was thinking of North Seychelles, the luxury of idle time, basking in the sun, sand and sea, savouring the relaxed, cool air of island life. This collection is avant-garde meets luxewear: luxuriously draped fabric and 100% hand stitched bikini wraps for the femme fatale—giving my discriminating clientele low carbon-imprint clothes, carefully handcrafted by myself. For the active male, androgynous clothes for the beach and resort, light and loose-fitting apparel, matched with taxi coloured swimwear with contrast stitch detailing.”

His message to aspiring designers out there:

“Put your heart in everything that you do, and it will bring out the best in you.”

THE CURATOR, April Issue is coming your way, Watch out!

Featuring Estien Quijano's Avant-Garde Underwater
plus
Vatican Fashion Museum Designers'
Spring/Summer Collections
By

Arnold Galang
Envoy
Eric Delos Santos
EsAC
Jerome Salaya-Ang
Lizanne Cua
Ulysses King
Yako Reyes

Vatican bridges academe and industry thru partnership with APC

In January 2012, Vatican partnered with the students of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration specializing in Business Management of Asia Pacific College, an institution that specializes in IT education and also caters to Multimedia Arts, Engineering and Business-related courses, with the aim of formulating an effective Integrated Marketing Communications Plan for the designer house, Vatican Fashion Museum, and at the same time, provide and avenue for the students to apply their Business Management learning in an actual industry setting. The plan was laid-out by Vatican founder and CEO of Urban Lifestyle, Inc., Ulysses King, Lizanne Cua, one of the most sought-after designers of Vatican, and Jed Loma, the class adviser.

THE PLAN .The class was divided into groups and formulated their IMCs. On February 22, each group presented their plans to Edmir Lagui, designer for Envoy and representing Vatican, and Gino Go, business development director of Full Cirle Creative Concepts, as the marketing consultant. The best plan was chosen among the four and it was set for implementation. The chosen IMC Plan includes a partnership between Vatican Fashion Museum and some of the biggest brands in the Philippines, aggressive viral marketing through social networking sites, a new and improved packaging, a bigger and better MERGE (the brainchild fashion event of Vatican), among others.

RECENT EVENTS. “It’s Shoetime”, a footwear fashion show organized by the same class, was held at APC on March 6, and was sponsored by Vatican Fashion Museum. 

The Contestants

The event was a modeling competition that focused on footwear with the winning models to be featured on Vatican’s Lookbook account.

The winners

BM-91 with the contestants

The 10^th Season of “Fashiontech”, an annual fashion show organized by Business Administration Major in Marketing students of APC, was held on March 13 at Fiamma Bar, Makati City. Vatican Fashion Museum, with all of its designers, provided the wardrobe and accessories for the event.

Mr. Edmir Lagui is preparing for the Fashion Show

The Organizers with the designers of Vatican Fashion Museum

        

A photoshoot for the Vatican’s Lookbook account held on March 24 at FCC Building, Makati City. Models were Mitzi Nocon, Joven Toledo, Kevin Gener, all from Asia Pacific College. 

 

 LOOKING FORWARD.  

With these different projects already in motion, the partnership’s list of activities is being revved up. To boost customer relationship, an in-house manual is being drafted for Vatican that covers communication and sales training, updateson fashion trends, designers’ portfolio, inventory control, suggestive selling, among others. This strengthened partnership between Vatican Fashion Museum and Asia Pacific College bridges academe with the industry. By providing real projects and real learning, Vatican Fashion Museum lives up its commitment to showcase the ingenuity not just of Filipino designers, but also of the Filipino students. 

Photos from The Manansala Photography, Vladimir Lima Photography & Luis Quisimbing

Dive in, Stand out!

Can you feel the heat? Do you feel like diving in to the pool or simply relax and enjoy the mild ocean breeze? Do you have the urge to just go out there and enjoy a day under the sun? The summer heat is here and every one is finding a way to cool ourselves off. Let’s start with our wardrobe.

What to wear? Sun dresses, are very popular this season, with V-necks, cargo shorts, and cropped pants. They are perfect for going out and about. Linen and cotton allow air to circulate easily, so be advised to scout for these materials.

Linen Black & Mustard Dress, EsAC

Shelly Teal Blue Mini Shift Dress by LIZANNE CUA 

Vatican Fashion Museum’s take this summer: colours that reflect the vast beauty of the pristine ocean water and the natural splendour of the sundried sands, blue, teal, yellow, and orange. These are the cool colours that don’t absorb much heat from the sun, which makes these perfect for the season. 

These creations are available at the Vatican Fashion Museum, Markati Palazzo, 4/F The Podium, Ortigas. (Tel. +6326373321)

http://www.facebook.com/Vatican.ThePodium

A Distinct Cut by Jerome Salaya-Ang

One of the most sought-after designers in the country, Jerome Salaya-Ang is all about bringing intensity to a women’s wardrobe. He is known for his unique take on fashion, giving every design that extra drama and character.

Jerome is an interior design graduate of University of Santo Tomas, so when it comes to design, his advantage in finishing techniques perfectly executes his creations. “The materials here (in the Philippines) are limited, which is why many designers utilize the same materials for their garments,”says Jerome. He keeps the drama intact in the distinctive construction and cut, with the additional sparks and bling that echo fun and zest from his muses.

Jerome Salaya-Ang is March Designer of the Month for Vatican Fashion Museum’s monthly style journal, The Curator. His characteristic designs always incorporatea well-selected mix of materials mixed materials, with beadwork and appliques that spellbind and enchant everyone.Everything is mix together but with a point. “You can always see that there is discipline in my design” says Ang. For his Spring/Summer 2012 collection, he was inspired by strong women like Wonderwoman and Barbarella. He says he is not into the sweet and romantic type. “I want fierce, Amazonian, (the likes of) Catwoman.” says Ang.

Jerome Salaya-Ang’s intense and distinct creations are available at the Vatican Fashion Museum, Markati Palazzo, 4/F The Podium, Ortigas. 
(Tel. +6326373321)


http://www.facebook.com/Vatican.ThePodium

About Vatican

The Vatican Fashion Museum, co-founded by Ulysses King, started in the year 2008. It was formerly known as “Bobon” until the name was changed to “The Vatican” last November of the year 2011. Basically, The Vatican is a retail store operated by Urban Lifestyle Inc. in accordance to their vision of creating more and more brands that would contribute to the Philippine fashion Industry. Aside from being a retail store, the Vatican Fashion Museum showcase some Fashion Memorabilia that restores some of the important creations of fashion designers, accessories designers and  anyone influential and involved in fashion industry.

The Vatican carries different designer brands that showcase the genius of the Filipino designers. All the designers of The Vatican are actually exhibitors in the Philippine Fashion week. It is a minimum requirement that they should have participated at least one season in the Philippine fashion week. Below is the heritage of their collaboration with known Filipino designers of the country:

2008 – They collaborated with Puey Quinones

2009 – They collaborated with Roland Lirio and Eric Delos Santos

2010 – They collaborated with Estien Quijano, Yako Reyes and Arnold Galang.

2011 – They collaborated with Lizanne Cua and Jerome Salaya Ang.

The Vatican Fashion Museum is located in 4th Floor of The podium, Markati Palazzo. The Vatican Fashion Museum is the only designer retail store inside the Markati Palazzo. 


http://www.facebook.com/Vatican.ThePodium