Valentino's Philippine Screening

It’s been months, but success of the Valentino screenings in Manila, Davao, and Cebu lingers. The denizens of Manila’s fashionable set came in full force to watch the film of iconic Valentino. First to arrive at the pre-show cocktails was no less than national Artist for Fashion Design, Pitoy Moreno a Philippine fashion icon himself.

To give you a backgrounder, Pitoy’s spectacular career that has reached its golden years, has made an indelible mark in fashion industry. The beautiful embroidery, exquisite beadwork, and luxurious hand paintings of his highly praised collections have been toured around the globe: from Malaysia to Moscow, Japan to Paris and Bangkok to Barcelona.

Ramon Valera, the first Filipino fashion designer to be given the recognition of National Artist, created the butterfly sleeves of the Terno today, but it is Pitoy Moreno who made the country proud with his introduction of Filipiniana silhouettes and styles, and the words jusi, piña and lepanto to mainstream fashion through his international shows and clientele. 

Aside from dressing the First Ladies of the Philippines in ternos, Pitoy’s  masterful creations have also adorned regal society beauties, prominent heads of state and royalties. Among them are Nancy Reagan, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Queen Sirikit of Thailand, Queen Margarretta of Bulgaria, Queen Sophia of Spain, Princess Margaret of Britain, Princess Suga of Japan, the Marquesa de Villaverde, Cristina Ford, Margot Fonteyn and Deeda Blair.

 “It’s a nice movie, I can relate to Valentino’s obsession with perfection,” he said at the post screening party at the Shangri-La Makati.

At the Davao screening, well-heeled ladies walked into the cinema despite floods and rains. The Hola España exclusive post-show dinner was charming and intimate with Joey Villareal’s clustered rose centerpieces and delectable Spanish cuisine. “We would have been swarmed were it not for the rains,” revealed Mike Dakudao, Davao’s favorite impresario.   

In Cebu, the last stop of the Philippine screening of Valentino: The Last Emperor," the audience was composed of a beautiful mix of high society and the fashion set.

“ZEE magazine truly did a first in the lifestyle sector, no other (lifestyle or fashion magazine) has presented an exclusive film on fashion and lifestyle,” observed Philip Rodriguez.