Fashion

The Third Dimension

A multi-dimensional look into the top fashion brands through the eyes of unique subjects.

A multi-dimensional look into the top fashion brands through the eyes of unique subjects.

on Irx: Leather cropped biker jacket with sheer sleeves, body-con glitter dress, fauz-leather leggings, piled on: cascading, layered necklaces and jewel-chan bracelet; on Bee: Leather jacket with hoodie, lace top on sheer shirt, hot pants, piled on: layered necklaces, garterized jewel-bracelets. All from FOREVER 21

Gold strappy sandals by SHANDAR; Cardigan, chiffon max-dress, floppy hat, piled on: layered necklaces and brass cuffs from FOREVER 21

Lace dress, leather garterized belt, floral blazer, piled on: layered necklaces and brass cuffs. All from FOREVER 21

on Bee: Slide shirt, garterized polka skirt layered with secretary skirt, with black band and peep-toe pumps, circle cuffs; on Irx: Cotton twilll trench coat, striped nautical shirt, cotton cropped jeans, duo-strap heels. All from MANGO

Stripe tiered top, stretch cotton pants, multiple scarves, thin belt, brass cuff. All from MANGO

Deconstructed vest, layered chiffon, hanky-top dress and bead-necklaces all from OXYGEN. Red satin pumps with bow by SHANDAR.

Cropped oversized shirt, short mullet over maxi chiffon skirt and circles interlinked necklace. All from OXYGEN.

BEE URGELLO

Proclaimed Queen of Cebu Universe 2011, Bee Urgello fights for acceptance with exceptional grace and beauty.

When Bee was given recognition as Best Dressed Glamour Girl in 2010 while attending the second Queen of Cebu pageant for alternatives, it occurred to her that she might actually have a chance at the crown herself. At this point, where her family had finally accepted her gender identity, she thought it was time to take the next great step.

Fashion designers Cary Santiago and Wendel Quisido spearheaded Queen of Cebu in 2009 to get the community to embrace the gay movement and their invaluable contributions to society. From the get-go, Bee had wanted to join the pageant, and also since a lot of people were encouraging her to join. However, she was concerned that her family would not approve. The Urgello family has always taken a conscious effort in maintaining a low profile even as they expanded their business ventures to Davao and General Santos.

“Before, I was really scared to screen for Queen because of my family,” Bee says. “But when my parents found out that I was awarded as one its best dressed guests, they asked me why I didn’t just join the pageant. I was pleasantly surprised that they were okay with it. Besides, it is also for a greater cause with the support it shows to the Clothes for Life Foundation.”

Preparing for the pageant, Bee was mentored by Cebuana beauty queens Anna Igpit and Karla Henry. Bee then bagged the crown for Queen Universe 2011, in November, besting all other 19 candidates. She admitted the victory surprised her because of all the other many special awards, she was only awarded one, Miss Olive-C Skin. First time’s a charm and Bee certainly came out lucky.

BEHIND THE CROWN

A 25-year-old graduate from the University of Cebu, Bee always felt she had a unique calling in life. Though registered as a professional nurse, she has no immediate plans to further her nursing career. Her penchant for fashion has her preparing for a course in the Fashion Institute of the Philippines (FIP) in Cebu this year. “Since childhood, I always loved sketching and dreamed about making my own dresses,” she recalls.

Growing up, all her inclinations were towards the more feminine. As the only son, it was hard for her parents and sister to come to terms with Bee’s sexuality. There was quite a great disparity between who she felt ‘she’ was and who her family thought ‘he’ should be.

“I had even come to a point when I ran away from home because of the life they wanted me to lead. So, I left and forced myself to live independently. I found a job at a call-center to gain financial independence. I paid my dues and squeezed into the jeepney on my way to work. Sometimes, I was left with only two pesos in my pocket which was enough for a piece of bread to last me the whole day.” She endured it because the thought of having to go home, chop off her hair, and dress as a boy was a more painful alternative.

All the discrimination she faced in the past served as her motivation. “It just makes you want to strive more and work harder to be a stronger person. You have to prove that even though some people look at you with contempt, you can still make the people who care about you proud, and influence and inspire those who face similar situations, with the dreams you accomplish and the goals you slowly achieve,” she said.

FIGHT FOR LIBERATION

Being a member of COLORS (Coalition for the Liberation of the Reassigned Sex), a Cebu-based LGBT organization pioneered by Magdalena Robinson (Queen of Cebu 2011’s Ms. Brazil), Bee is fighting for equality and non-discrimination. Whenever there are seminars or hearings concerning trans-women in Cebu, Bee is present, showing her unwavering support. She is currently active with the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance of Cebu, being lobbied in the Cebu City Council. Her fellow advocates like journalist Jude Bacalso, among others want to emphasize that they are not asking for ‘special rights’ but, basically, the recognition of the rights given to any citizen of the state.

With her sharp wit, flair for fashion, and undeniable beauty, Queen Bee is sure to exceed even her own expectations. But for now, the fight for eventual liberation and acceptance that she shares with so many like her remains paramount.

“I really hope that ten years from now, we can walk the streets without people calling us names, and that we get hired through merit and qualification and not get discriminated against when applying for a job. We pray, not for special treatment, but for an even playing field—that my chances at success are just as much as the next person’s.”

Irx Canseco

A budding artist and freelance fashion model, she resembles Australian model Andrej Pejic and Isis King of America’s Next Top Model. Irx Canseco’s androgynous beauty is the spice to Bee Urgello’s sugar in Zee Lifestyle’s first ever fashion editorial in 3D.

Currently working in one of the biggest publishing BPO companies here in Cebu, Irx discovered her potential in fashion modeling by coincidence. She said she was walking around in the mall when a budding Cebuano designer, preparing for a fashion show, spotted her. Her androgyny caught the designer’s interest and he scouted her to model for him.

Irx originally wanted to take up Fine Arts but practicality pushed her to take up Nursing at the Cebu Doctor’s University. She graduated in 2007 and is now a registered nurse. With her carefree nature, she admits that she is still playing it by ear on whether to pursue medicine or not. Before she ventured into BPOs and landed her marketing job, she helped in her dad’s small construction company.

At the moment, she is pouring herself into her career that reaps enough financial gain, and she is proud of her financial independence. She works hard but still finds scant amount of extra time doing shoots for friends who are in the design community. These spurts of creative release balance out the highly corporate work environment she is faced with everyday. “I like painting and sketching. I love doing acrylic on canvas. Whenever I feel down, painting eases my worries and cheers me up” she says of her first love, art. Sadly though, she mentioned a vast amount of paintings were consumed in a fire a few years ago. She misses her art and hopes to find ample time to relive the hobby.

But Irx has learned to overcome life’s shortcomings, with a determined love of life. Her positive demeanor helps her push further when others would feel discouraged. She laughs retelling an anecdote about an accident, falling into a deep ditch of a road repair site that left her injured. Though most scars from this mishap remain prominent, it hasn’t caused her to shy away from modelling.

As with most individuals who are different, discrimination and bullying is common and, unfortunately, expected. But she shrugs this off as something that she has to deal with on a daily basis, “I know myself better and I know what I am capable of. Why would I let myself be affected by ill-meaning or toxic people who don’t even know me?” Luckily for her, she never had to experience such hostility at home. “When I’m with my family I hardly feel that I’m ‘different.’ My dad’s primary goal is to understand us, his children, and not burden us with society’s expectations of how we should act, that we should be able to support ourselves even when we grow older and that we’re taking the right decisions in life. I may be different but I feel that my achievements still make him proud. My mom is also very protective of us to this day,” she says of her parents.

Family life shields her from the harsh realities of the world and so she prefers to stay at home at times. Not a fan of the party scene either, Irx spends her free time at friends’ houses or takes sporadic trips to nearby beaches especially in Boracay, whenever she can. Growing up in a home that’s only meters away from the local beach, she loves island living and likes to unwind, beachside, and meet people from all walks of life.

“I have my beads haphazzardly tied on my wrist with a string. They’re made out of corals from the sea. I was given these beads on my 15th birthday. Some of them have cracks now but I love how they remind me of the beach.”

writer EDWIN JAVIER JR.
creative director DAVID JONES CUA
photographer HANNAH BACALLA
models BEE URGELLO and IRX CANSECO
fashion stylist GILLIAN UANG
fashion assistant RONI YU
make-up artist ROMERO VERGARA, JOMER ARANCES and JOE BRANZUELA
locale CLUB AMNEZA

Fashion

Ramon Valera; Manila Society’s Fashion Darling

by Jing Ramos

Ramon Valera’s fashion sketches were drawn on paper as they flashed in his mind.

“Without Ramon Valera, there would have been no high society in the Philippines, but it may be right to say that without high society, there would be no Ramon Valera.” –Abe Florendo

Ramon Valera, the first National Artist for Fashion Design, was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila. He came from a wealthy family. His parents, Melencio Valera and Maria del Pilar Oswald, moved in prominent business circles in postwar Manila. He had the privilege of studying at La Salle College and later pursued a course in Commerce at Far Eastern University. It wasn’t long before his artistic inclinations prevailed, leading him to quit school and establish a fashion atelier. This marked the beginning of Ramon Valera’s profession as a fashion designer.

Previously, Valera had apprenticed under Mina Roa, who made ternos for the elite and was known to be a dominant figure in the fashion industry. Mina Roa taught Valera the rudiments of the classic European techniques of construction and draping.

It was during the 1950s and 1960s that Ramon Valera’s career flourished, coinciding with the golden era of a new and modern Philippine society fueled by progressive postwar entrepreneurship and the undeniable presence of old-money families. The designer was celebrated for his craftsmanship and originality, but his most important contribution was revolutionizing the national costume.

Ramon Valera is credited with revitalizing the traje de mestiza, otherwise known as the Maria Clara, traditionally a four-piece garment comprising a blouse, skirt, overskirt, and scarf. The terno was soon transformed into a one-piece ensemble and, instead of being fastened with hooks, was secured with a zipper. The butterfly sleeves were emboldened in volume, which remains a staple among contemporary designers. Valera also discarded the pañuelo, exposing the woman’s décolletage, which was considered very risqué at the time. A few of his clients dared to wear them, including Mrs. Claro M. Recto and Mrs. Primitivo Lovina, who were broad-minded enough to ignore public scrutiny. He brazenly transformed the Maria Clara into a wedding gown and successfully established it as an icon. It soon appeared in countless society weddings because Manila brides could not get enough of Valera’s originality and flawless execution.

Ramon Valera was known among his peers as the consummate snob. His random impromptu remarks often left people in stitches. When he saw his niece, Peching Zulueta Gomez, dressed in a combination of red, white, and blue, he commented, “Now you can sing the national anthem.” On another occasion, when asked why he had turned down a very important potential client, he replied, “She doesn’t have a torso.”

He had the luxury of choosing whom he wanted to dress, focusing mostly on formal gowns and bridal trousseau for a highly select clientele. He attended to his clients personally, tape measure in hand, and it was not so much “by appointment” as “by invitation only.” His demeanor was dignified, and he was a man of painstaking habits and judgment.

Ramon Valera’s famed dinner parties were planned meticulously, and his distinctive style left its imprint on everything—from the dinner menu to the floral arrangements, down to the silver and fine bone china used for the occasion. Everything was executed with impeccable taste.

A stellar list of Manila socialites wore his creations. Susan Magalona, when she married Carlos Ledesma, appeared in an extravagant lace-and-tulle terno. Pacita de los Reyes wore a groundbreaking terno without a pañuelo. Chito Madrigal donned a terno with a futuristic bubble skirt made from sixty-five yards of silk, hand-painted with flowers traced in beads. Pressy Lopez wore a white evening gown ruched throughout, complemented by a capelet of the same motif. Elvira Manahan dazzled in a leopard-print beaded evening dress paired with an opera coat in blue silk.

The list is seemingly endless, serving as a reminder of Ramon Valera’s influence on Philippine society and politics. In spite of all the accolades attributed to this brilliant innovator, and long before he was lionized as the Philippines’ National Artist for Fashion Design posthumously in 2006, the Valera brand had already been firmly established. Retrospective exhibitions were mounted in museums, countless articles were written about his contributions to the fashion industry, and his impact on Manila society was already secure.

Today, that legacy lives on, honoring the master who lived by his motto: “Cada traje es una obra maestra”—every dress is a masterpiece.

Margarita Romualdez

Fe Dolor Serrano

Rosemary Arenas

Leonila Dimataga Garcia

Imelda Romualdez Marcos

Lisa Tinio Bayot

Elvira Ledesma Manahan

Fashion

Cloud Dancer: The Resonant Reset of 2026

by OJ HOFER

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026, Cloud Dancer, signals a deliberate shift toward clarity and restraint. This off-white hue—balanced, soft, and lightly luminous—emerges in response to visual saturation and constant acceleration. Rather than competing for attention, Cloud Dancer provides a neutral foundation, allowing design and intention to take precedence over excess.

Its relevance is underscored by the Year of the Fire Horse, which officially begins on February 17. Traditionally associated with momentum, decisiveness, and forward motion, the Fire Horse introduces an energetic rhythm that benefits from focus. Cloud Dancer offers that counterbalance. It tempers intensity without diminishing drive, creating space for action guided by intention. In this context, color operates not as decoration, but as a framework for decision-making.

RESTORATIVE SPACE. Natural tones set the calm, while subtle touches of black, deep brown, navy, or olive add quiet contrast—bringing depth and character to Wabi-Sabi spaces without disturbing their sense of balance.

In interiors, Cloud Dancer supports environments shaped by longevity and ease. Applied to walls, ceilings, and architectural surfaces, it reflects light with subtlety, enhancing spatial clarity without austerity. The hue pairs naturally with wood, stone, linen, and ceramic, reinforcing a preference for tactile materials and functional design. Homes become spaces for restoration and daily living, rather than display.

EFFORTLESS POISE. Louise Trotter’s Spring 2026 ready-to-wear for Bottega Veneta pairs a billowing jupe-culotte cotton trouser, anchored low on the hip, with an ultra-stretch silk tank for quiet, modern ease.

Fashion adopts Cloud Dancer as a study in form and construction. The color allows silhouette, proportion, and movement to take the lead. Tailored separates, fluid dresses, and layered essentials in this off-white tone read as considered and adaptable. It aligns with a continued shift toward wardrobe longevity and thoughtful repetition, where garments are designed to endure.

MODERN EASE. The white Chanel 19 brings relaxed refinement to your wardrobe with its soft, slouchy shape, oversized quilting, and mixed-metal chain hardware for a quietly chic finish.

CELESTIAL RADIANCE.White jade and selenite glow in warm, milky restraint, punctuated by a sculptural gold lotus and a serene Buddha face—an intimate expression of harmony, quietly attuned to the wearer’s birth rhythm. Available by appointment: 0910 418 2028

Accessories extend the narrative. Bags, footwear, and eyewear in Cloud Dancer offer continuity across seasons, while jewelry in pearl, brushed gold, and muted silver finds balance against the softness of the hue. The effect is understated, with design serving function rather than statement.

TIMELESS STRIDE. First unveiled in 2013, the Y-3 Qasa endures as a cult icon—its avant-garde silhouette carrying a vintage pedigree while remaining rooted in present-day wearability and select global availability.

Beyond aesthetics, Cloud Dancer reflects a broader lifestyle orientation toward simplicity and clarity. Its application across tableware, stationery, wellness spaces, and personal objects encourages mindful selection over accumulation. As 2026 unfolds, Cloud Dancer frames the year as one of refinement—supporting forward momentum with focus and restraint. Cloud Dancer is the resonant reset for 2026.

Fashion

To See and Be Seen: Philippine Terno Gala, A Celebration of Heritage and Couture

by Kingsley Medalla | photography Emmanuele Sawit

The Philippine Terno Gala 2025, curated by Cary Santiago, has evolved into a key feature in the Filipino fashion agenda, highlighting the iconic Terno—a traditional Filipiniana garment that represents a significant part of our cultural legacy. The prestigious fashion event was supported by the Cebu City Government, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the Cebu Tourism Commission.

Now on its third edition, the gala fashion show was marked by the creative forces of six highly acclaimed designers: Jun Escario, Edwin Ao, Protacio Empacis, Cary Santiago, Jojie Lloren, and Joey Samson. Their body of work produced a collection that showcased intricate craftsmanship and delicate hand embroidery, enhancing traditional aesthetics.

Maybelle Padillo

Bernie Aboitiz, Jaja Chiongbian-Rama, Pacita Agoncillo Sode, Oj Hofer, and Rose Cayetano-Henessy

Michael Waechter, Katrina Ponce Enrile, Simon Piggot, Margie Moran-Floirendo, and Cary Santiago

Javi Martinez and Daryl Chang

The evening was complemented by a live orchestra, creating an ambiance to match the designers’ reimagining of the Terno. The experience offered sensory stimulation that reflected the harmony between fashion and live music, punctuated by the presence of prominent personalities in the fashion and social circles.

No other fashion garment embodies the richness of Filipino heritage and culture quite like the Terno. The Philippine Terno Gala serves as both a celebration and a tribute to the Filipino identity, reinforcing the importance of cultural heritage in a contemporary context.