Local top designers to dress world leaders, spouses at Asean gala dinner

Workers put finishing touches on the ASEAN logo as preparations are underway for this weekend’s ASEAN leaders’ summit and related summits Monday, Nov. 6, 2017 in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. ASEAN leaders and its dialogue partners such as the United States, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the European Council and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are attending the summit. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Filipino top designers Albert Andrade, Rajo Laurel, and Randy Ortiz were chosen to create the Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana gowns that world leaders and their spouses would wear during the special gala dinner for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at the SMX Convention Center in the Mall of Arena Complex on November 12.

Andrade would make piña fabric-made Barong Tagalog that would either have full or half button-down silhouette with intricate embroidery on the center front, collar, and cuffs. Each of the 22 world leaders’ Barong Tagalog would have its own unique embroidery designs while its front and cuff buttons would feature the Asean logo.

Meanwhile, Andrade, Laurel, and Ortiz would dress spouses of the leaders and dialogue partners with their creations, which included Filipiniana gowns.

The Filipiniana attires of Terno, Baro’t Saya, among others, would have a design inspired by the three major islands of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The gowns will be made of high quality poly Thai silk with embroidered adornments, piña cloth with special embroidery, and piña with flower-themed embroidery and Mindanao-inspired fabric.

President Rodrigo Duterte would host the special gala dinner ahead of the formal opening of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) Summit. /kga