We love 2008 fashion

by Ed Biado

This is the first edition of The Daily 10 in 2009 and we?ll start the year right by looking back on the best things that happened in fashion. As always, there are fresh looks, updated versions of classic styles, and lots of surprises (and shocks) along the way. Let?s pay homage to a great 2008 and focus on the good things that fashion has given us. Here?s a list of the things we love about fashion last year:

1. Project Runway Philippines?We love fashion eternally. But more people learned to love it in 2008 because of the Philippine version of the internationally franchised Project Runway. Not only did Filipinos get a peek inside the process of coming up with beautiful garments, we also got to realize that fashion is an industry to be taken seriously and that we are a talented nation.

2. Fashion Watch Quartet?This series of fashion shows made sure that there?s something fashionable happening all year round. And it didn?t hurt that it was staged at the very regal Shangri-La Hotel. Topnotch Filipino designing mavens showcased what they were made of twice a week for 20 non-consecutive weeks?totaling millions of pesos worth of media mileage and exposure. How?s that for publicity?

3. Vogue Italia?The fashion world is rocked by the audacity of Italian Vogue this year, thanks to their all-black issue. And it?s not all-black fashions, but all-black models. And the world responded by making that particular issue the highest-selling issue of the magazine. Black is so friggin? beautiful!

4. Prada?2008 will be known as the year Prada decided that ironing clothes is unnecessary. Crumpled garments have been in street fashion for a long time, but wrinkles have finally made it to high fashion as an intended aesthetic, courtesy of Madame Prada. And critics unanimously applaud this decision.

5. Marc Jacobs?Not only is he sexy, but he?s also arguably the greatest designer of his generation. Always with a surprise up his sleeve, Marc Jacobs have kept us watching his every move?may it be his runway creations or his private life (which he may intentionally have made public). There?s no telling what he?ll do next and we can?t wait to see more of his beautiful craziness in 2009.

6. Folded & Hung?Leading the local trends in the younger demographics, F&H is the one to look out for in 2009. Coming out with hot new styles that are climate-appropriate, this revolutionary brand sticks to the basics?and that is the belief that sex sells. And we keep buying.

7. Tights?Perhaps the most successful retro resurrection, tights have turned out to be the most versatile piece of clothing. And as we?ve previously reported, some designers have made them an option for men as well. We?re not too sure if that will ever see the light of day, but we?re just happy to know that the possibilities of tights are as endless as that of the LBD?s.

8. Yves Saint Laurent?If there?s one thing about fashion that lives on, it?s a designer?s legacy. After his passing, everything about Yves Saint Laurent is fresher than ever. There were tributes, updates to his archives and remembrances of his genius. And that?s a guarantee that Monsieur YSL and influence will always be in our wardrobes.

9. Greenbelt 5?Apparently, one can never have too many Greenbelts. Now, the fifth building is a fashion center with its own catwalk and a proud row of Filipino boutiques. This is a living testament of the advancement in Filipino fashion and that it can sell just as well as the more established foreign brands. No way to go but up!

10. Metro Manila?You can?t help but be proud of our humble little city and its inhabitants. Fashion is everywhere in this bustling metropolis and it?s not dictated by one single trend. Manila street fashion is almost as diverse as Tokyo and the innovations are evident. Just a few years to go before we become a certified fashion capital. We?re rooting for you, dear city. Go, Metro Manila!