The ongoing "Intimate Audrey" installation at S Maison has rekindled the love affair Philippine Fashion has had with all things Audrey Hepburn. It’s an "affair" that one can date back to the 1950s, and then be amazed by how it has stayed strong for over seven decades. Even younger designers, born after her death in 1993, will be mentored, and come to appreciate and understand her status as a beauty and fashion icon—as the Hollywood celebrity who showed how beauty is not superficial, and beyond her film career, became a well-known humanitarian and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.

As part of the exhibit, it’s interesting to note that FashionX and the Philippine Fashion Coalition were given an 88 square meters special section at the end of the walkabout to highlight 22 Filipino designers and their creations—as inspired by a photo, a costume from a film scene, or even a moment in Audrey’s private life. This section is curated by Michael Salientes, who was happy to share, “What makes Audrey so special and such an icon? Obviously, her extraordinary beauty. It’s the contrast between her amazing beauty and her realness, humanity. When she opened her mouth, you would really feel her warmth and sincerity.”

“My favorite movie of Audrey is 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s,'" he added. One thing that is good about this exhibition is it humanizes Audrey. She’s an excellent actress, she’s a good mother, and she’s a philanthropist.”

During a recent Philippine Fashion Coalition lunch, designers chimed in on their favorite Audrey memories. Jor-El Espina mentioned "My Fair Lady" as his favorite Audrey Hepburn movie. “She has a personal style. She’s effortless, graceful, and a good actress," he said. "Plus, I love her social work and the things she shared with people.”

SOFA’s Amina Aranaz declared "Roman Holiday" her best Audrey film; and said, “Audrey really has an innate sense of style, of elegance, of goodness, and her whole persona seems to exude such positivism.”

"Intimate Audrey" is a bespoke exhibition created by her son, Sean H. Ferrer. It runs until Oct. 29, 2023; and it’s a fascinating collection of original and re-printed photographs, memorabilia, dresses, and accessories, as well as fashion drawings and humanitarian writings. There are poignant videos bringing each of the chapters-sections to life.

And what could be more interesting than to hold events and special functions at this 88-square-meter special section? One’s guests can walk through the exhibit while waiting for all the other guests to arrive, and then they settle in and have their wonderful dinner right there in the aforementioned section with the specially curated Philippine designs.

If you ask S Maison and the "Intimate Audrey" organizers to take care of everything, Nono’s can handle your food concerns. Sourcing dishes from other brands is a possibility, but subject to the limitations of the mall. These group bookings have proved to be extremely popular, and the functions can run for three hours, with anything from 12 to 100 guests as part of the arrangement.

For interested parties, they can SMS or send a Viber message to +639957513771.