Romancing the stoned

Fashion designer fairy tales, however the details and circumstances may vary, in the end all sound the same. They must first do the odd medical or engineering class before finding their destiny in the world of needle, cloth and shallow people. Debbie Co always knew she wanted to be one. "I took up industrial engineering with a minor in chemical engineering at De La Salle University. Upon graduation, I entered as a trainee in Nestle Philippines, Inc., working for them for about two and a half years until I decided to help out with the family business. Then finally, I went to fashion school at the LaSalle College International in Makati last year," she shares. "I have always been interested in fashion ever since I was a kid. I didn’t see myself wanting to be a fashion designer though until I went to fashion school last year and took up a few courses. It made me realize that designing clothes is what I really wanted to do. So, I started supplying Ishq last February and then later on launched the brand After Eight at Solea in Rockwell." Mission accomplished? Not quite.

Debbie has already garnered countless fans, among them Shu Uemura makeup artist Xeng Zulueta from whom I first heard of Debbie, and she has also caught the attention of the fashion gurus at Preview where her work has already been featured even though she doesn't have her own atelier. For Debbie, this is absolutely not enough!

She has started her courses at the venerable Central Saint Martins and she is already thinking big. "I’m quite happy with how my fashion career is going so far. I was able to supply two stores this year while studying. My clothes have also been featured in some magazines like Preview, Meg and Just Shop. I’m hoping to put up my studio and start doing made to order clothes and expand my ready-to-wear line as well, after my stint in CSM."

In terms of target audience, the customer may be anyone who has read Harlequin novels to sleep and listened to Electroclash to relax. "My sources of inspiration come from different places, cultures and eras, elements in interior design and architecture, shows, shops, cafes, galleries, music and films, magazines, parties. I try to keep my eyes and ears open all the time, trying to absorb the subtle changes that take place." She adds, "I design best using 3D skills, creating ideas in 3D using fabrics (i.e. draping). I also try to source for fabrics first and then create a design that is best for that particular fabric."

"For this shoot, my concept was raw-edged romantic (cue the photo ops of Fabio with a mohawk). Mysterious and romantic, this very feminine collection has a familiar and slightly nostalgic mood. Hazy and misty with a strong focus on iridescent effects are targeted to dressy accent pieces and evening wear," she explains. "Emphasis is put on texture, appliqués, irregular cuts and distressed finishes creating a raw-edged romantic look. The fabric and finishes are rustic-looking and feature their construction and makeup as part of the final look."

As Debbie continues her war against fashion wallflowers, her design promises the same as Robin Leach, the luxury and extravagance of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. She describes her dream project as "a sumptuous couture dress using rich and opulent fabrics, filled with dramatic gemstone details with a sky’s-the-limit budget." I’m hoping to wear one real soon just when she gets back, must negotiate the sky’s the limit budget though.