‘Doña Clara’: Theater and fashion event

In the late ‘60s, the legendary beauty and brilliant lawyer Pacita de los Reyes Phillips was persuaded by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) to star in a play, Doña Clara. It was a theater event as it was the first time for Ms. Phillips to act onstage.

But it was also a fashion event as the  lead star chose Ramon Valera (future National Artist) to make her clothes in Doña Clara. It was also the first time for Valera to design costumes for a day.

Ms. Phillips merited good reviews…but so did Valera, more accurately the costumes of Doña Clara (shown on this page). Another triumph of the Valera genius.

Also shown here are Pacita de Los Reyes as Carnival Queen in 1929 and Miss Phillips in 1969. — RKC