It’s no coincidence that Easter celebrates both Jesus’ resurrection and the spring equinox, because at the end of it all, the lesson is all about love and life triumphing over the illusion of fear and death. As much as I am fascinated by the grand drama and beauty of ceremony, my personal belief is that prayer can be less esoteric and can be practiced in a more commonplace, more practical, more down-to-earth manner. The simple ways in which we consciously choose to live day by day (and die to our egos moment by moment) are what allows us to truly open up to the vibrant gift of life all around us.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin
Happy Easter! 
The beautiful bride in soft waves of silk organza. To mimic the effect of ripples on a sandy shore, tones of white and off-white silk organza were mixed together along with beaded French lace.
Strips of layered silk organza formed the bodice with the bead work peeping from underneath like droplets of water.
Walking on sunshine–Cat & Mark livened up their relaxed, elegant wedding with vibrant touches of bright bougainvillea pink and coral hues.
Modern Filipiniana designs for the red carpet
One of my favorite actresses (since her role as a young nurse with a mouthful of braces in “Catch Me If You Can”, followed by her role in “Enchanted”), five-time nominee Amy Adams is both wide-eyed and worldly, so I designed a gown for her that mixed embroidered & textured gold lace appliqués (and some piña) with some modern sexiness.
Having only seen Lupita Nyong’o in clips of “12 Years a Slave” and her interview on Actresses Roundtable on the Hollywood Reporter, she easily blew me away! I designed her gown as a wink to Hollywood royalty, mixing raw silks & piña with hand embroidery.
Who doesn’t loooove Jennifer Lawrence? She’s a gorgeous, talented, irreverent goofball on the red carpet and off. And whether she’s playing a bow-and-arrow wielding teen or an unpredictable housewife with a strange updo, she never fails to draw me in. For her gown, I designed a gown embellished with mother-of-pearl.
The great Cate (Blanchett) hardly ever strikes a wrong note, acting-wise or style-wise. From her turn as Queen Elizabeth to her uncomfortably tragic portrayal of a New York socialite in deep denial, she is always stunning. For her gown I designed a white silk organza & jusi gown with black embroidery & beadwork inspired by a Barong Tagalog.
Catch the exclusive live telecast of the 86th Academy Awards on March 3, 2014 only on the Lifestyle Network.
“Not By the Book” makes a pilgrimage…
…and finds a home in the cozy second floor library…
…of this little haven and book lover’s shrine.
For me pajama dressing is perfect for loooong weekends or relaxed work-to-play days (printed satin pajama bottoms of my own design–circa 2004, black Chanel uniform pullover, black YSL heels).
A bust with the famous Ben-Day dots treatment stands beside Lichtenstein’s flat, comic-inspired paintings
Over a hundred of his works were on display
An ingenious 2-D version of a bust sculpture made from metal
Lichtenstein’s take on the classic nudes but given a Pop Art twist
Classic meets pop culture–this bust is both comic-inspired and looks like a mannequin head
A sculptural rendition of his flat paintings shows a mix of Lichtenstein’s lesser known influences
Vastly different, but equally stylish
Trend-savvy, hip AND very functional
Gotta love a man who knows how to accessorize!
Casual but still polished
The everyday suit, from the modern classic to the more flamboyant
The ultimate in fashionable, functional cool
Haute couture hits the sidewalks
Keeping warm, having a café & people watching!
Just one of the many beautiful islands in Cebu
The five centuries old St. Peter & Paul Church in Bantayan Island, one of the islands hit hard by the typhoon
Fishing communities, like those in Malapascua, need environmentally sound and sustainable structures to weather future storms
Starting with a clean slate and respecting Mother Nature as we redevelop, restructure & redesign our coastal communities
Designing for a cause. Backstage snapshot with my model Patch Magtanong at last December’s “Filipino Para sa Filipino”, a fashion fundraiser to help raise money for the rehabilitation of the Visayas
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