Philippine Fashion Week co-founder, fashion events director Joey Espino Jr.
Joey, who co-founded the longest-running fashion event in the country and one of the biggest fashion weeks in the Asia Pacific together with his brother Audie in 1997, said that while the SoNA should rightly focus on the President’s address, fashion is also important.
“If it’s the sauna, it should be the president’s address. It should be the main focus, but we shouldn’t be forgetting what we are and who we are,” he said.
“I mean, so Philippine culture, fashion and all that are still relevant and it defines who we are as Filipinos today. So I guess, the best thing to do is preserve the culture, be ready for what changes are happening, and embrace it, but at the same time we have to know what our priorities would be.
“Supporting our country to become a good one is what we should be thinking of, and we should support whoever is the one who could run the country in the most effective way, and there should be unity among Filipinos to be able to move forward, but we shouldn’t forget who we are, what we are and what we represent.”
If he could ask something from Marcos on what to address to benefit the fashion industry, Espino said: “I think just like in any sector of the whole country, they have to give support because fashion defines who we really are and it’s about the present time. We have to inculcate, preserve and move forward to be part of the international fashion map. And we have to be proud of who we are as Filipinos.”
Limuel Vilela, Filipino-Canadian director, Calgary International Fashion and Arts Week (CIFAW) president and chief executive officer (CEO)
Beyond clothing, fashion, said Vilela, helps boost tourism, so government support is crucial for fashion wherever possible.
“Because we’re not only bringing fashion because it’s also a part of tourism. So, now in Calgary, we are bringing people from all over Canada… Actually, the Filipino Consulate General of Calgary is supporting this event.”
