The Filipino fashion designer explores raw and unpolished beauty through his latest collection
Elegant and opulent dressing, that’s the vision that comes to mind among the Filipino fashion crowd when thinking about the works of Martin Bautista His dresses always depict a certain class—made with frills, draped to perfection, and in hues fit for royalty. This time, as he celebrates his 15th year in Philippine fashion, the go-to designer of some of the country’s top muses explores raw, pure, unpolished beauty through a spectacular collection.
Unveiled on the second day of Bench Fashion Week 2022, Martin’s latest collection dubbed “Still-life” is a rebellious showcase against unrealistic standards, a way for him to let go of people’s idea of perfection.
“I feel like my past collections, from the past 15 years, it was all about doing what is right,” Martin tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “For this collection, I tried to conquer my fear of what will other people think of what I am going to do.”
In crafting the collection, Martin envisioned a woman who march to the beat of her own drum. Someone who is original and has a good grasp of her own style. With that in mind, he produced a collection that is an alternative to occasionwear. He plays with vibrant colors and produced pieces with a nod to the Y2K style imbued with athleisure undertones. Some of his pieces come in slightly exaggerated silhouettes and unique embellishments, making the fashion presentation a truly remarkable experience.
Opening his show is a two-piece look mixing athleisure style and his signature fabric manipulation. It features an elevated version of the jogging pants and a draped cropped top with his psychedelic print design. Among our favorites are the denim ensemble with metal embellishments, his army green piece adorned with coin pearls, and that red look with a draped asymmetric top and iridescent cargo pants. Ending his show is an immaculate white look with a fringed skirt and a woven top.
“My goal was to create something new. It was a journey for me. I had a realization that when being creative and going back to my artistic roots, it only works when you are true to yourself—to who you really are as an artist and designer,” Martin says. “I sealed the deal when I returned to who I really am. There’s a new discovery for me—a search for a new kind of beauty, which is raw, pure, unpolished. I’m just tired of perfection.”
Check out our favorite looks from Martin Bautista’s “Still-life” collection below:
@manilabulletinlifestyle Today on #MBLifestyle Fashion with @John Legaspi : Martin Bautista’s newest collection raw and unploshed beauty. For more #SocialNewsPH, visit mb.com.ph. #fashion #fashiontokph #style #newsph #foryoupage #fyp #BeFullyInformed #LifestylePH #BenchFashionWeek #BenchFashionWeek2022 #BFW_SS22 #LoveLocal @Bench/ Lifestyle + Clothing ♬ Levitating - Ade Key Liano
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