by John Legaspi, Manila Bulletin
A true champion of Filipino style
When it comes to stunning, jaw-dropping, and awe-inspiring fashion moments, one should not look further than our very own Heart Evangelista. Every time the Filipino actress is in Paris, there is no shortage of spectacular style to feast your eyes on. And during the City of Love’s fall couture 2022 festivities, the Vogue 100 muse showcased why she deserves a seat at every fashion presentation.
Whether on the red carpet, on the street, or grabbing a quick bite of croissant, Heart looks immaculate wearing the best styles from luxury design labels such as Dior, Fendi, Elie Saab, and Alaïa, to name a few. But every now and then, the style icon is waving the Philippines’ flag high in France by donning beautiful Filipino creations that could rival the looks of international maisons.
Prepare to be amazed once again as we are listing down some of the Filipino-made fashions Heart has worn during Paris Couture Week Fall 2022, from her charming modern terno dress that looked straight out of a fairy tale book to the elegant white ensemble she donned at Chaumet’s gala.
Lovely in white
If you are a true fan of Heart, you should know that she is obsessed with a good white ensemble. That passion was perfectly showcased with Mark Bumgarner’s custom white thigh-high slit dress adorned with crystal and diamond pieces by Parisian jewelry maison Chaumet.
Fly like a butterfly
Heart dons true Filipino style with a contemporary terno dress by Cheetah Rivera for the Schiaparelli couture show. The piece, dubbed “Santiago,” is an homage to the late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, which the actress often described as her second mother. It features hand-made blooms of silk organzas in varying shades of blue, beadwork by the artisans from Marikina, and mariposa embroideries done in Pandi, Bulacan.
Chill in gray
The key to good styling is learning how to match pieces from different labels. Heart demonstrates that during a chill time in Paris as she pairs pieces from Celine, Dior, and YSL with locally made pants by Undo Studio.
LBD with blooms
Sheer and florals play in Heart’s OOTD for Iris Van Herpen’s show. The black see-through dress with white floral embellishment was crafted by Neric Beltran. The actress paired the ensemble with Louboutin knee-high open-toe boots. Another LBD moment is courtesy of Mark Bumgarner with his romantic dress with design elements that look like anthurium flowers.
Neon play
Ending this list is a vibrant piece from Cheetah Rivera. Heart wore her neon green accordion draped pleated skirt with a corset in sheer velvet, a nod to Betty Friedman, an American writer and activist. The piece is part of the designer’s “Pizza Party” collection.
