The Filipino Times Awards, apart from being a platform to acknowledge Filipino individuals and brands who have made remarkable achievements and milestones, has also been an eye-catching, alluring evening of beautiful, elegant gowns created by Filipino fashion designers based from the UAE and the Philippines.
The Filipino Times spoke to five Filipino fashion designers who have dressed up several of the previous years’ fellow awardees and attendees to share their sentiment of seeing their prized works on the runway of the prominent event for Filipinos in the Middle East.
Glamorous Gala
2015 TFT Rizal Awardee and 2015 TFT Awards Fashion Designer of the Year Michael Cinco shares that the annual event celebrates the Filipinos’ inspiring stories of success: “The Filipino Times Awards is the most glamorous and prestigious Filipino event in Dubai where we honor and highlight the achievements of outstanding Filipinos in different fields.”
Cinco furthers that he’s proud to see his works worn by fashionable Filipinas during the evening of celebrations. “I’m so happy to see all glamorous Filipinas some of them are wearing my couture outfits like Glitzy and Ingrid of NICHE Modelling Agency. It’s an honor and I’m very proud to see all fashionable Filipinas wearing my couture creations at the red carpet,” said Cinco.
Meet the ‘Who’s who’
2016 TFT Rizal Awardee and 2016 TFT Awards Fashion Designer of the Year Ezra Santos affirms that The Filipino Times Awards has made its mark as the must-see and must-attend event of the year for Filipinos. “The Annual TFT awards is one the most anticipated events in the Filipino community. It’s very well attended by the ‘Who’s who’ of the Filipino community and expats as well, a beautiful gathering and classy I must say,” shares Santos.
He also adds that he loves seeing the fashion style of Filipinos who really take their time to look their best for the night filled with glitz and glamour: “The fashion style of the attendees, they really look forward to this annual event as they dress up well and really take time in looking their best.”
Honored with trust
2017 TFT Awards Fashion Designer of the Year Aldwin ‘Jlo’ Ornopia managed to dress up four individuals for last year’s awards event including Philippine Ambassador to the UAE H.E. Hjayceelyn Quintana, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Dr. Karen Remo and PHD Business Unit Director Roxane Negrillo. He shares that seeing his works is an affirmation of the trust that his clients have as they wear the gowns.
“It’s an honor, at the same time the trust of clients, friends, diplomats, na magpapagawa sa iyo ng damit. Masarap ang feeling na alam mo yung may dinadamitan ka na yung proud na proud din sila sa damit mo na nakakadagdag ng drive mo pa para sa mga iba pang magpapadamit,” said Ornopia.
An overwhelming experience
2018 TFT Awards Most Promising Fashion Designer of the Year Ryan Pacioles, for his part, says that the very sight of his works worn by Spouse to Philippine Consul General Dr. Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes, 2018 TFT Awards Marketing Professional of the Year Joseph Alcantara and 2018 TFT Educator of the Year Nominee Ryan Rebeca was an exhilarating and overwhelming experience that eventually led to many inquiries.
“I feel overwhelmed that somebody admires my creations and that they love to wear it, especially madame Yasmin, it’s a pleasure for me to dress her up. Marami nang nag inquire so tinitignan ko yung availability ko. Quality – yan ang importante sa akin and that each and every piece has a story and is well-conceptualized,” said Pacioles.
Wear it with pride
2016 TFT Awards Most Promising Fashion Designer of the Year Harvey Cenit shared that when he saw fellow Filipinos Ayegee Paredes, Zeena Zalamea, and Cris Bernardo wearing his works, it beams him with pride as he saw his creations on the runway.
“It makes me feel very happy and proud, knowing that these achievers are giving honor to our country, the Philippines,” said Cenit who furthered that for this year’s TFT Awards, he’d love to dress up ‘a woman of substance’.
Amping up flair for fashion
2017 TFT Most Promising Fashion Designer of the Year Garimon Roferos, who dressed up Dr. Karen Remo during the awarding of the plaques last TFT Awards 2018 and suited up TFT General Manager Vince Ang and 2016 TFT Healthcare Professional of the Year Dan Lester Dabon in 2017, has observed that Filipinos who attend the awards have improved on their overall look as years go by.
“The people, the way they dress, for sure more fabulous ngayon because before kasi akala nila normal event lang, so they wore simple clothes –and later on, nakikita nila pabonggahan. And syempre nakikita nila so next year they will say ‘aayusin ko na talaga ang outfit ko’,” shared Roferos.
‘Who are you wearing?’
Ornopia said that one of the highlights of the TFT Awards is the opportunity to network with people, as well as its breathtaking production numbers: “I want to see, aside from the show, people want to meet people. Inaabangan kung sino kaya o ano naman kaya ang suot ni ganito, mag a-attend ba si ganito? I’m likewise looking forward for fabulous, themed production numbers. Yung first time ko, Sinulog from United Cebuanos, last year was ‘The Greatest Show’, so this year I’m looking forward kung anong production number din this year, yung kung anong ‘statement’ ang gagawin ni TFT Awards.”
Pacioles shares the sentiment as he recalls that the very thought of being nominated and seeing fellow nominees and awardees made him tense and nervously excited, something that he thinks is the general feeling of audiences invited to the prestigious event: “Nakaka-tense nga e pag na nominate ka, kaya every year, people are excited to see and witness what’s happening on this year’s awarding. They are excited for The Filipino Times Awards.”
Cenit adds that he looks forward to the annual gala event as extravaganza of fashionable works as it celebrates the positive image of Filipinos in the UAE: “Im foreseeing it as a very fabulous event, red carpet gowns, TFT is like an ‘Oscars’ for us Filipinos here abroad.
