Fashion

Shades of Grès: A Fashion Design Competition

ZEE Lifestyle Magazine pays tribute to legendary French neoclassical couturiere Alix Grès through this fashion design competition open to all designers and aspiring designers whose clothes have not yet been photographed and published in its fashion editorial pages.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES IS ON JUNE 20, 2012

Description

Recreate the drape and dynamism of the clothes crafted by Madame Grès in your own designs to become one of the featured designers in the fashion pages. The cover girl for the October Fashion issue will be wearing your winning piece.

Theme:

Channeling the drape and dynamism of the iconic jersey dresses created by Alix Grès. Designers recreate the fluidity of her creations while making the clothes wearable today.

Prizes:

WINNER

Winning garment on the cover of Zee’s 2012 Oct. Issue, “Luxury”
Prominent feature in Zee’s 2012 October Issue fashion editorial
Php 10,000 in cash
PhP 20,000 worth of scholarship from Fashion Institute of Design & Arts (FIDA) in Cebu.
More prizes to be announced.

FINALISTS

One Page feature in Zee’s 2012 October Issue fashion editorial.

Criteria:

Sketches

Design Innovation 40%
Relevance to Theme 40%
Photos Previous Works 20%

Interview

Previous Garment 30%
Knowledge in Technical Construction 30 %
Personality 20%
Vision 20%

Garments (FINALS)

Construction/Finishing 30%
Wear-ability” 30%
Adherence to the Concept 20%
Photogenic Appeal 20%

MECHANICS

i.ELIGIBILITY
a. UNPUBLISHED Only designers whose garments have not been photographed and published in the fashion editorial pages of ZEE are allowed to join.

i. Designers whose garments have been published as collaterals for fashion shows under the events pages can join.
ii. Designers whose designs have been published as fashion illustrations and not as photographs can join.
iii.
Designers whose clothes have been featured in pages of ZEE Magazine other than the fashion editorial spreads can join.

b. AGE Aspiring and professional designers of any age can join the competition.

i. Designers below the age of eighteen must submit a letter of consent from their parent/legal guardian along with their application.

c. GENDER Aspiring and professional designers of any gender are allowed to enter the competition.

d. EXPERIENCE:

i. Aspiring designers or sewers or anyone interested in fashion who are not yet working professionally as fashion designers but who have produced at least 3 garments that they designed themselves.
ii. Fashion Design students who don’t have dress shops or factories but who have produced at least three garments that they designed themselves.
iii. Any creative person who wants to be featured in the fashion editorial who has produced three garments of his own design.

e. REGION Only designers from Visayas and Mindanao are allowed to enter the competition

i. This includes designers who are currently living in the regions, were born in the
regions, have a permanent address in the regions.

ii. SUBMISSION OF SKETCH ENTRIES
a. NO. OF ENTRIES Designers are only allowed two (2) sketches as entries into the competition.

i. In the event that a designer submits more than two (2) entries, the first two (2) entries reviewed by the judges will be qualified, while the rest will be disregarded.
ii. Both sketches must be submitted in the same packet via email or hard copy.

b. DIMENSIONS Designers must submit their sketches (online or a hardcopy) on a Sketch Sheet with dimensions: 8.5″x13″ (long size bondpaper)
c. COLOR Sketches submitted online and through a hard copy must be rendered in full color.
d. SWATCHES:

i. For hard copy submission- actual swatches of all fabrics used measuring 1-½ inches by 3 inches per fabric should be attached to the Concept Sheet not on the Sketch Sheet.
ii. For soft copy submission- fabric swatches of all fabrics used measuring 1-½ inches by 3 inches per fabric should be scanned and pasted on the Concept Sheet, not on the Sketch Sheet.

e. ILLUSTRATOR Designers may use an illustrator and are not required to sketch their garments themselves but must indicate that they have done so at the bottom right of the Sketch Sheet.
f. SIGNATURES AND DESCRIPTIONS Designers must not sign the sketches or add descriptive marks on the submitted Sketch Sheet.
g. PARAPHERNALIA Paraphernalia attached to the Sketch Sheet are prohibited and can be a basis for disqualification.

iii. CONCEPT SHEET:
a. Dimensions are
b. Should have an image of the inspirational garment from Madame Grès.
c. Should contain detailed description of the design.

i. Description of additional fabrics used other than jersey.
ii. Description of techniques and special skills that will be used to produce the
designs.
iii. Description of embellishment if any is used.
iv. Description of accessories if any are used

iv. BIODATA/APPLICATION FORM
a. SUBMISSION Application forms must be downloaded from HERE or acquired from the ZEE office and submitted with Sketch Sheet and Concept Sheet. Entry packets should be submitted via email at shadesofgres@res210.servconfig.com or physically at the ZEE Cebu office.

v. ENTRY PACKET CONTENT: Submitted packets should contain 3 sheets namely: the Sketch Sheet, Concept Sheet, and official Application Form.
vi. INTERVIEW OF SIX FINALISTS
a. TIME AND DATE Time and date of interview of top six finalists will be set by Zee LifestyleMagazine and must be strictly followed.

i. CEBU Finalist in Cebu will be interview first on DAY1
ii. OUT OF TOWN Out of town finalist will be interviewed on DAY2
iii.TRANSPORATION Zee will not shoulder transportation expense for this stage of the competition.
iv. ABSENTEES

1. Cebu-based finalists who cannot make it on their interview date will automatically be disqualified. A new finalist from the waitlist will be picked and interviewed the following day.
2. Out-of-town based finalists will be given a grace period of one day only provided that they advise the organizers of their inability to travel ahead of time.
3. Waitlisted contestants who make it to the top six finalists may receive the cash allotment for fabrics, materials and production a day later but the same deadline of delivery of finished garments apply.

b. SAMPLES OF DESIGNED GARMENTS Semifinalists must bring a garment that they had
previously designed and created.

i. Designers must bring garment that they designed themselves and that they either
produced themselves or supervised during production.

1. Deconstructed garments from ready-to-wear and other designers are
prohibited
2. Refurbished pieces from old garments are prohibited.

vii. FINAL JUDGING
a. SUBMISSIONS Designers are to produce two garments out of the 5 thousand pesos that they have been provided and submit them for final judging.
b. FABRICS Seventy percent of the fabric used in both garments must be jersey.

i. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS Designers are allowed to purchase additional materials
beyond the Php 5,000 given to them but the costs will not be refurbished by ZEE.

1. OTHER MATERIALS Beads, feathers, metal, etc. are permissible only as accesories.

ii. ACCESSORIES Designers may provide accessories for the garment, but will
not be considered as part of the garment.

1. HATS AND HEADGEAR Hats and headgear made out of the primary fabric will be considered as part of the garment and will be judged as such.

iii. COLOR Designers are allowed to use any color in their garments.

1. DYING Coloring or dying fabric is permissible.

c. OWNERSHIP The winning garments are the property of participating designers. However, they will be kept by ZEE for the fittings, pictorials and launch of the Fashion Issue and will be returned after the event.

i. REPRODUCTION Loalde reserves the right to reproduce the design under any of its design labels but will credit the designer accordingly in press releases and sale pitches. ( WE HAVEN’T CONFIRMED LOALDE YET)

d. CONSTRUCTION Garments may or may not be sewn by the designer him/herself but he has to prove at least 75 % participation in its actual construction.

i. The designer may utilize a seamstress/tailor for the garments however; he has to overlook the production himself.
ii. As proof of his participation in the actual production of his designs, the designer
should present any one of the following during the final judging.

1. Patterns he drafted.
2. Toile or mock-up muslins.
3. Documentation such as a photographs or videos.

Download the application form

Fashion

Salt, Silk, and Stardom: Ten Reasons Celebrities Wear Amato by Furne One

by Oj Hofer

At Take Me to the Sea, Amato by Furne One unveiled more than a resort/bridal collection — he revealed a world suspended between tides and starlight, where salt, silk, and stardom stitched themselves into every look.

Held at The Hall of the Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, the show was a transportive experience. As waves whispered beyond the glass, Amato’s gowns swept down the runway like sirens called to shore. Here are ten reasons why global icons return — time and again — to his sea of style.

1. Salt in the Craft
His garments carry the wild grace of the sea — textured, elemental, unforgettable. Every bead, cut, and crystal tells a story shaped by emotion and intuition.

2. Silk in the Movement
Though opulent, his creations float. There’s ease in the drama — cascading motion without weight. Ideal for performers who speak through movement.

3. Stardom in the Vision
Furne doesn’t chase trends — he conjures icons. His gowns command attention while allowing the wearer’s light to radiate.

4. Salt as Spirit
There is soul in the stitching — a deep undercurrent of cultural pride and personal mythology. His work carries weight because it carries truth.

5. Silk as Spellwork
His fabrics don’t just dress — they enchant. Each piece invites touch, reverence, and awe.

6. Stardom in the Silhouette
Furne understands form. He doesn’t simply clothe a figure — he sculpts for presence. For red carpets, concert stages, and film legends.

7. Salt of the Earth
Despite global acclaim, Furne remains grounded. His humility fosters collaboration, creating space for intimacy in the creative process.

8. Silk-Wrapped Strength
There is softness, but never fragility. These gowns are fierce — veiled in elegance yet unapologetically bold.

9. Stardom as Alchemy
Wearing Amato is not mere adornment — it is transformation. A star steps into a Furne One creation and becomes mythic.

10. Salt, Silk, and the Furne Himself
Furne One is the thread. With quiet charisma and a generous spirit, he doesn’t just dress celebrities — he disarms them. And from that space of trust emerges what every artist longs for: wonder.

And in Amato’s world, wonder always wins.

Fashion designer Furne One

Fashion

Ravens, Runways, and Revelations: A Glimpse of Amato

by OJ HOFER | photo credit JOSEPH ONG | jewelry ROYAL GEM

Fashion had become as instinctive as breathing—so natural that one scarcely noticed it. Yet, after seasons adrift in sartorial limbo, the piercing peal of Birds of Prey by Amato Furne One jolted this archipelago’s fashion scene to attention. Amato’s spectacle soared beyond mundane couture, drawing me from the quiet of my atelier to the intoxicating front row at the reinvented Tops in Busay—from the low murmur of machines to the electrifying brouhaha of the style set.

: A lattice dress with an aureole, beautifully bedecked with Birds of Prey, opens the show.

: A winged bustier frames the face with bold curlicues.

: A fringe dress with a farthingale rustles mysteriously in the nocturnal stillness.

: A bell-shaped T’nalak dress, woven with vivid dreams, sways with mystery.

: A T’nalak ballgown, shrouded in black mesh, catches the moonlight like a whispered secret.

: An entrance-making tulle and T’nalak off-shoulder ensemble commands attention.

: A crystal-studded bodysuit paired with a vinyl trench coat burns with fierce intensity.

: A red lacewing butterfly emerges, shedding the remnants of a tattered cocoon.

: A fiery ensemble, cloaked in phantom glamour, leaves an unforgettable impression long after the wearer’s exit.

Amato is not merely a label; it is a visionary ideal stitched in silk and dreams, a symphony of artistry that transforms yarns, fibers, and fabric into fashion phantasmagoria. Under the deft hands of Furne One, Amato has adorned the world’s most fearless icons—Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez—women who, like his creations, embody style, strength, and spectacle. His couture is not merely worn; it takes flight, transforming the wearer into a mesmerizing apparition of fleeting beauty—a phenomenal vision that lingers long after the moment has passed.

But how does one conjure such fantastical transformations? To offer a glimpse into the mind of this visionary, we posed three playful questions:

Oj: If you were a bird, would you soar as a mighty raptor or scheme as a clever corvid?
Furne: I’d be a raven—sharp-witted, shrouded in mystery, and draped in the perfect shade of midnight. Its inky plumage matches my flair for dark romance; because even in shadows, I prefer a little drama.

Oj: What would be your most formidable power?
Furne: As a raven, I straddle the seen and unseen—transcendence is my superpower.

Oj: What bird would you absolutely refuse to be reborn as?
Furne: Never a turkey—too commercial, too festive, and far too likely to end up as Thanksgiving dinner.

Fashion

Lucky Colors of 2025: Harness the Energies of Emerald Green & Carmine Red for Success

Thom Browne Cropped tweed jacket

by Oj Hofer

With the Year of the Wood Snake underway, understanding the significance of lucky colors can help align us with its energetic flow. Rooted in Chinese astrology and Feng Shui, the year’s fortifying shades—emerald green and carmine red—offer mindfulness and good intention attracting luck, and fostering personal growth.

Emerald green, associated with the Wood element, symbolizes renewal, clarity, and inner peace. In the year of the wood snake, its dynamic energies will empower and inspire you, fostering growth, renewal and wise transformations. The hue is ideal for moments of self-reflection, study, or creativity. Wearing or incorporating this shade into your space enhances balance and mental focus.

Carmine red, linked to the Fire element, embodies passion, confidence, and vitality. This year, which according to the Bazi Four Pillars Chart, has a lack of metal, earth and fire elements, it will bring balance and the propitious energies. It’s perfect for professional meetings, decision-making, and moments requiring assertiveness as a splash of red can energize and embolden you throughout the day.

Stella Macartney vegan Leather tote

Stefano Ricci silk tie with paisley print

To fully harness their benefits, use these colors in a contemporary, mobile context; through clothing, jewelry, bags and accessories. Alternate between these two potent tints based on your needs. For example, wear green for calmness and clarity when you are going into stressful and mind challenging meetings or appointments. Choose red when you are going into places or situations where you need courage and motivation such as fashion galas, elite socials, prestige affairs, VIP gatherings and so forth.

Saint Laurent crepe de chine mules

Optionally, you can also choose to wear these colors inconspicuously in small details, such as a garnet or jade bracelet, or a ruby or emerald pendant and earrings set. Men can wear a burgundy or forest green tie or pocket square, or casual polo shirts with poppies or with botanical prints, or jade and garnet jewelry. Doing so can subtly align your energy with the year’s vibrational flow.

Jan Leslie emerald bracelet

Daily Mood Cuff Links with red tiger’s eye tubes

The use of colors is more than just aesthetic choices or preferential picks. Colors can serve as energetic tools, reminding you of your good intentions and keeping you mindful of you daily motions. Effecting an optimistic mental state in the wearer, they can effectively shield you from negativity while fostering prosperity and emotional balance. Thoughtfully incorporating them into your wardrobe and surroundings ensures that you move through 2025 with confidence and the right intentions.

Embracing emerald green for tranquility and carmine red for strength are intentional, mindful choices that have the power to transform your energy and shape your path forward. May you have the best of luck in navigating through Year of the Snake with harmony, energy, and the power to attract good fortune.