Fashion And Art Meet At Patricia Santos' Spring/Summer 2020 Collection

The collection, inspired by the creations of renowned modern art painter Justin Nuyda, is "all about movement and flow"

Grace Libero-Cruz

November 21, 2019, 05:21 PM

Fashion and art have always been inseparable, connected by the same goal of creativity and self-expression. This interweaving of concepts has given birth to countless collaborations that are geared towards revisiting, reinterpreting, and reworking both the tangibles and intangibles, in order to create something fresh and unique.

"What's new?" The answer to this question is one that young visionary and sought-after fashion designer Patricia Santos always seeks. After all, she knows all too well that it's one thing to enter the fashion industry and another to stay in it for a long time. This is why whenever opportunities present themselves to take her fashion label to the next level, she makes sure to grab them fast. Recently, she expanded her brand and made her feminine, delicate, and sophisticated creations more accessible by launching the ready-to-wear line called PS Officiel, which also champions slow fashion.

In all her years of designing, she has established herself as the go-to for intricate, luxurious, and romantic pieces. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with being associated with a certain aesthetic, Patricia likes to keep things exciting. So when Galerie Joaquin's owner, Jack Teotico, approached her with the idea of combining fashion and art through clothes that are inspired by the artworks of renowned modern art painter Justin Nuyda, she knew right away that she wanted to do it. For Patricia, the collaboration is not only a form of tribute to one of the best Filipino artists today, it was also a chance to breathe new life into the way she visualizes her designs and executes those visions.

Fashion designer Patricia Santos launched her spring/summer 2020 collection, inspired by the works of modern art painter Justin Nuyda. | Photo by Amour Parfait

Outside the grand ballroom of Shangri-La The Fort, an exhibit was set up to display the artworks by Justin Nuyda. | Photo by NicePrint

Photo by Grace Libero-Cruz

When you visit Patricia's BGC atelier, her stunning interiors are complemented by beautiful artworks adorning her pristine walls. She has always loved art, citing masters and creative geniuses like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí as her favorite artists growing up. "Art is really a form of expression and the result always has some emotional power and a lot of beauty into it. It gives you so much feelings and inspiration," Patricia tells Metro.Style.

"Landscapes, butterflies, light and patterns reminiscent of moments frozen in time" is what essentially describes Justin's abstract works. The vivid imagery depicts movements and transitions, and there is such captivating depth and dynamism in all his creations. "What I love most about his artwork is that it has so much life and movement. To me, it gives a feeling of continuity," Patricia says of Justin's works, adding how her aesthetic mirrors that of Justin's. "I think the ways our aesthetics mirror each other's is that, one, our works are both so intricate. The base may look simple but creating a piece requires a long process. There is also movement and flow to my pieces. I really love clothes that move. To me, it's a representation of femininity and the lightness into it is what draws you to every piece."

All these adjectives Patricia mentioned above—life, movement, continuity—are the very words that encapsulate her Spring/Summer 2020 collection. To launch this collection, Patricia mounted her first solo fashion show with the help of her industry friends like Ycoy and Jeffrey Sitchon of La Belle Fête, Robby Carmona and Saga Events, Gideon Hermosa, and Tim Yap and Yaparazzi, among many others.

Gideon Hermosa worked on the stage design for the show. | Photo by NicePrint

Justin Nuyda has "an expansive knowledge of butterflies and nature," so that served as an inspiration for event stylist Gideon Hermosa in dressing up the stage. | Photo by NicePrint Photo

The day after her major show, she Instagrammed a photo of herself, teary-eyed as she walked on the runway for the curtain call, with a lengthy caption that summarizes how happy she is about this milestone. "I am overwhelmed with so much emotions and truly grateful to everyone who helped in making my first solo show possible," she says. "This show is really an experience to remember. A big milestone for me and my team and also a learning process."

View this post on Instagram

I am overwhelmed with so much emotions and truly grateful to everyone who helped in making my first solo show possible most especially to our producer tito @jackteotics @galeriejoaquin , my inspiration in the collection @jsnuyda , the best team of suppliers and to everyone who came & support. There’s no words to describe how exhausted I was and the stress level of creating a whole collection & putting up a show. I was really so clueless since its my first time and I didnt know what i was getting into really felt like breaking down. I had no sleep for more than 48hrs, literally put all my heart and soul in this project but just seeing the expression of the people and the love you have for @psofficiel makes it all worth it! This show is really an experience to remember. A big milestone for me and my team and also a learning process. Just hang on and never give up because dreams really do come true and to your surprise it can even be better than what you’ve dreamed of. 🦋💕 Photo @magicliwanag #psofficielxgaleriejoaquin

A post shared by Patricia Santos (@itspatriciasnts) on Nov 18, 2019 at 8:52pm PST

For the show, Shangri-La The Fort's grand ballroom was transformed into an ethereal venue. A lavish white ceiling design and a kaleidoscope of colorful butterflies attached to white strands made for an outstanding and extraordinary runway. Considering Justin's "expansive knowledge of butterflies and nature," the stage was interpreted and executed by Gideon to represent the metamorphosis of a butterfly, because to him, "Every piece of art is made through different creative phases."

Photo by NicePrint Photo

Patricia Santos and her fiance Lester Yao | Photo by NicePrint Photo

The show itself seemed to take on several phases, too; it started with so much intensity and ended with subtlety. First, there were the red creations in mullet and A-line designs. Then sexy outfits, with revealing cuts and figure-hugging silhouettes, in pastel and dark blues were modeled after. What followed were pieces in the sweet shade of lavender. Next up were bold creations in shocking pink and timeless black. And as a fitting finale for her first major solo show, Patricia, who is likewise known for her wedding gowns, sent to the runway one bridalwear after another. The last muse who walked the runway was supermodel and newly-engaged lady Jasmine Maeirhofer in a gorgeous beige gown with sparkly accents, a creation reminiscent of the gown Kathryn Bernardo wore at the Star Magic Ball 2017.

It takes a certain skill and creativity to showcase versatility without losing touch of one's signature style. Patricia was able to do that seamlessly and exquisitely.

Sharing details about the 30 plus-piece Patricia Santos x Galerie Joaquin collection, the designer says, "I really love fabrics that feel like second skin so I combined heavy materials like gazaar with delicate tulle, and used pure silk chiffon and pure silk organza to create the base for my pieces. This collection is all about movement and flow."

Forever amazed at how surreal her journey has been, Patricia continues to dream, her mind and heart set on doing and achieving more things. "Just hang on and never give up because dreams really do come true and to your surprise it can even be better than what you’ve dreamed of," Patricia muses.

Scroll down to see photos from the Patricia Santos x Galerie Joaquin fashion show: