Lionell Lanuzo: Filipino Fashion Style in Italy (Session Two)

Nicole. Colosseum. Rome, 20 July 2020

After the great success of the first photographic session in Piazza di Spagna ten days ago, the stylist Lionell Lanuzo returned to Rome for a second session, this time at the Colosseum, with evening dresses, filipiniana dress and a dress created in a way special as a tribute to the Eternal City, which recalls the style of the ancient gladiators.

With two of the models of the previous time, we have animated the historical stones of the streets under the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine: from 315 AD up to the present day, as spectacular scenery, to the sunset, to Lionell's artistic creations, between modernity and Filipino tradition.

"The gladiator costume represents the courage and bravery of the italians. Historically they’ve been one of the oldest civilization that founded great cities like Rome and conquered cities beyond the seas. This costume depicts the resilient and the capability of the italian nation to win and survive under different adversities.

Meanwhile the long gowns like gold and the blue dresses are embelished with hand emboidery and bead works. The modern floral Filipiniana is hand painted and detiled with glass beads and some swarovski crystals."

(Lionell Lanuzo)

PHOTOSHOOT
Showcasing the New Collection of Lionell Christian P. Lanuzo 2020

Models:
Nicole Severo
Carylle Normie Gamier

Make-Up: Patz Racelis
Alona Cochon Production

My special thanks also go to my two best friends and photographers Noe Beñares and Adamo Banelli.

The María Clara gown, sometimes referred to as Filipiniana dress or traje de mestiza, is a traditional dress worn by women in the Philippines. It is an aristocratic version of the baro't saya. It takes its name from María Clara, the mestiza protagonist of the novel Noli Me Tángere, penned in 1887 by Filipino nationalist José Rizal. It is traditionally made out of piña, the same material used for the barong tagalog.

A unified gown version of the dress with butterfly sleeves popularized in the first half of the 20th century by Philippine National Artist Ramon Valera is known as the terno, which also has a shorter casual and cocktail dress version known as the balintawak. The masculine equivalent of baro't saya is the barong tagalog.

Now there are a lot of designers who are incorporating filipiniana dresses to their creations, adding a modern twist to it, they tailored it to be able to match up to today's ever changing standards and the needs of everyday people. Although it style has changed, the image of the classic filipina can still be seen.