Did you know Juvenal Sansó once became a textile designer in Paris?
Throughout history, arts and fashion have shared the same language of beauty. Sure, they have different purposes and meanings but both came from the same branch of visual craft. Many times, we have seen them merge in one beautiful display. There are the Mondrian shift dresses by Yves Saint Laurent and Elsa Schiaparelli’s Dali-inspired designs. Locally, the paintings of fashion influencer and actress Heart Evangelista have been depicted onto ready-to-wear pieces for women. This time, we've been introduced again to another artful take on fashion with the works of Manila-based couture label Septième Rebelle as it collaborates with Fundacion Sansó for a collection inspired by Spanish-born painter Juvenal Sansó.
With his paintings of surreal bouquets set on vivid colors and his dreamy landscape, master painter Sansó has created an indelible mark on the local and international art scene, which eventually turned him into a Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee. But what many didn’t know about him is that he also dabbled in fashion as a textile designer while he was a student at the École Nationale des Beaux Artes in Paris in the 1960s. As a means of supporting himself when the Central Bank had set caps on the financial support that could be sent by his father from Manila, Sansó’s hand-painted textile designs depicted florals and foliage, as well as geometric shapes and abstract patterns that are so beautiful, the premier House of Balenciaga became one of his biggest clients.
These works became the ethos of Robbie Santos, founder and creative force behind Septième Rebelle, for his latest collection. A self-confessed fan of the artist’s masterpieces, the designer draws a connection between his experience as a burgeoning fashion designer inspired by fine art and Sansó’s stint in fashion many years ago.
“He was still new as an artist. I feel a certain level of parallelism with Sansó in a way that I’m also starting my life as a fashion designer—sixty years later,” Robbie says. “I think there is a connection between what he made and what I am making for the collaboration.”
Presenting a stylish retrospective look on Sansó’s textile design, Santos took two different paths for his new collection. First, the process of digitally printing Sansó’s hand-painted original designs on fabric and making clothes from the printed fabric produced. Resulting from this process are the pieces with painterly patterns from the collection. The second, arguably more daunting task was using the inspiration he got from Sansó’s paintings to find fabrics that embody the aesthetic presented in the artworks, and design and create clothes from ready-made fabrics.
Santos allowed his influences and personal aesthetic as a designer to flow into his work. He, who took design courses in esteemed institutions such as the Istituto Marangoni-Paris, London College of Fashion, and Central Saint Martins, is deeply influenced by ‘90s fashion and cites greats such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Gianfranco Ferré as major influences. He has a personal preference for asymmetric details; diagonal cuts and slashes have become trademark elements in his work. Santos had to balance all these with the aesthetic of the ‘50s and ‘60s—which inspired Sansó’s textile patterns—and the sensibility of contemporary fashion, while staying true to the promise of his brand—to Rebelle.
The capsule collection by Septième Rebelle using the Sansó textile designs is a nod or a curtsy to the revival of fashion after the Second World War, which was the time a young Juvenal Sansó made contributions to fashion as a designer for fabric houses and ateliers overseas; and to the hopeful resurgence of high fashion after limitations set by debilitating lockdowns. More than a showcase of wearable art, the collection is also part of fundraising efforts in partnership with Fundacion Sansó.
Limited-edition Septième Rebelle embroidered bags with patterns inspired by the textile designs are also on display. The set design was meticulously thought of and supervised by creative genius, Vince Uy. Curating the artworks to complement the fashion exhibit was properly executed by the director of Fundacion Sansó, Ricky Francisco. The styling of the space was subdued in hue to highlight the bold colors and prints of the capsule collection. The foliage accents cascading from the ceiling and covering areas of the exhibition took cues from some of Sansó’s paintings. Mannequins on loan from luxury fashion distributor Noble House brought form to the entire capsule collection. The 38 looks were segmented based on the color palette juxtaposed with the actual paintings of Sansó. Accessories by Caro Wilson were handpicked by Santos to complement the pieces that were modeled at the launch.
“The collection that I am making in collaboration with Fundacion Sansó has to uplift,” says Robbie. And with vibrant prints, colors, shapes, and patterns, his collaboration collection with Fundacion Sansó is a sight of positivity and joy amid the pandemic war we have today.
“Sansó Textile Designs X Septième Rebelle: A Fashion and Art Exhibit” will be on view until December 20, 2021 at Galerie Joaquin, One Bonifacio High Street Mall in BGC. Follow @fundacion_sanso and @septiemerebelle on Instagram.