Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 23) — Before Filipinos get to listen to the president’s State of the Nation Address, all eyes will be on the red carpet first, where about 100 ensembles created by Filipino fashion designer Michael Leyva are sure to grab attention.
“For tomorrow’s event, I did about a hundred barongs and Filipinianas,” Leyva told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend on Sunday.
Leyva said he again created the outfits of Senator Nancy Binay, Representative Len Alonte, and Senator Koko Pimentel’s wife, Kath Yu-Pimentel, among others, for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second SONA at the Batasang Pambansa.
Making a hundred different attires was no joke even for the world-renowned fashion designer. He said he needed to constantly tweak designs to ensure their uniqueness.
Some were made of floral appliqués, created with different kinds of silhouettes from locally sourced textiles and fabrics from different ethnic communities, from Abra to Aklan.
“Nag-mix ako para mas kakaiba yung dating, at the same time, beautiful pa din yung look,” Leyva said.
SONA as a fashion event
While some criticize the annual event for diverting attention from the president’s message by turning it into a fashion show, Leyva said it serves as a platform for the country’s culture.
“Aside from the message of the president, it’s a fashion event kasi kailangan maganda yung suot [the clothes must be beautiful] because it will represent their culture (and) the designers we have here in the country,” he said.
