Ezra Santos, one of the most prominent Filipino fashion designers in Dubai and recipient of the 2016 The Filipino Times Rizal Award and Fashion Designer of the Year paid tribute to more than 26 years of his works at the fashion industry with his latest collection titled: ‘Looking through the eyes of Love’.
Santos, in an exclusive interview with The Filipino Times, shares that this is his love letter for all of his clients for almost three decades now as he states that fashion is more than just a statement – it’s now a ‘cure’ for love in today’s age.
![Ezra Santos FFD 2019 1](https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Ezra-Santos-FFD-2019-1-1024x610.jpg)
“This is a tribute to Arabian women and my clients for the past 26 years to show that fashion is not just statement but a cure for love and light in this present world,” said Santos.
Labour of Love
The Filipino fashion designer to the stars shared that the process involves producing hundreds of sketches that inspired the beauty of each design in his collection.
![Ezra Santos FFD 2019 2](https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Ezra-Santos-FFD-2019-2-1024x609.jpg)
“The design process starts with a collection of images by creating a mood board. From there we select from hundreds of sketches and choosing the final looks, then we start sourcing the fabrics and materials like crystals, beads and others,” shares Santos.
![Ezra Santos FFD 2019 3](https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Ezra-Santos-FFD-2019-3-622x1024.jpg)
What follows is the detailed and carefully-crafted process of making sure that the right shape is created for each gowns, as well as the beadwork: “Production starts by making a toile of each design to make sure that the right silhouette and shape is created. The beadwork continues till the final dress is produced, then the styling comes after as the team looks for the right accessories. The process runs for a total of six months to create the 30-pieces collection.”
![Ezra Santos FFD 2019 4](https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Ezra-Santos-FFD-2019-4-622x1024.jpg)
![Ezra Santos FFD 2019 9](https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Ezra-Santos-FFD-2019-9-683x1024.jpg)
Photos by Bethoven Filomeno