From 28 to 31 January 2021, ASEAN International Digital Fashion Week will broadcast on the THG website at 2100 hrs (+8 GMT) for 4 nights. Watch the showcase here.
Faced with the pandemic this year, the ASEAN Fashion Designers Showcase has chosen to go virtual instead of their usual trunk shows in the various participating countries. Partnering up with TheHomeGround Asia for the inaugural ASEAN International Digital Fashion Week (AIDFW), Filipino designer Dave Ocampo shines the spotlight on the Philippines and local culture for the upcoming season.
A regular at high-profile Philippine Fashion event showcases and the Vice President for External Affairs of the Designers Circle Philippines, Dave Ocampo is heavily recognised for his involvement in propelling the fashion industry. Through his designs, fashion endeavors, and partnerships, Ocampo is an excellent craftsman who fosters the creativity and spirit of the Filipino fashion industry.
Inspired by local specialty fabrics
Titled Indigenous, Ocampo latest collection for AIDFW reinterprets the Philippines culture through his signature style of bold colours. Speaking about his influences, Ocampo was “inspired by the three islands of Philippines – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – in particular, the local fabrics from the weaving industry”. As each island has its own specialty fabrics highlighted through the individual weaving style, the designs are rooted in culture and purpose. In terms of sustainability which is a recurring theme of late, he also tries to support local industries by sourcing and buying the fabrics needed locally, putting his land and people first.
All about making fashion accessible to the general public, Ocampo focuses more on ready-to-wear styles instead of trying to be too experimental with the silhouettes. While the collection might be grounded in tradition, the clothes themselves don’t need to be. Ocampo goes more for sleek and classic silhouettes, where people attending the shows can easily buy and wear the looks off the runway. In his words, “not couture, but wearable and classic”.
The fashion show this year is a little bit different, where each show has to be filmed and produced for an online platform. Building a network of makeup artists, models, and even photographers and videographers has helped Ocampo to prepare for his fashion show.
Nurturing a struggling industry hit by the pandemic
Ocampo isn’t just a presenting designer, but also the fashion ambassador for the Philippines delegation in AIDFW where he supports upcoming designers and acts as a main liaison between the association and designers. Looking forward to AIDFW’s upcoming livestream, Ocampo believes this is an opportunity for Filipino designers to show off their creations, not just to fashion enthusiasts but the entire world. Especially in this current climate of uncertainty, this show serves as a much-needed platform for the designers.
While Ocampo has been blessed having found a job at a factory designing corporate uniforms, not all designers has had the same privileges and opportunities because the local fashion industry in Philippines has been hit hard. With no events and clients due to the lockdown, aspiring designers faced limitations in surviving in an industry which was not considered a priority for COVID-19 relief. Some designers even closed down their shops as it was too expensive for them to maintain without any income; they ended up turning to other trades in F&B and videography.
While times might be tough now, Ocampo has this message for aspiring younger designers: “If you want to be a designer, be yourself and follow your dream. Don’t copy your designs and have your own identity as a designer. Create your own identity […]; don’t have second thoughts of being a designer.”
Currently, there are 5 designers from the Philippines delegation who will be presenting their latest collection at ASEAN International Digital Fashion Week – Dave Ocampo, Pat Santos, Edwin Uy, Cham Santos, and John Robert Dela Serna.
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The ASEAN International Digital Fashion Week (AIDFW) 2021 is organised in collaboration with ASEAN Fashion Designers Showcase (AFDS) and digital platform, TheHomeGround Asia (THG). Catch over 50 runway shows and fashion films from 28 to 31 Jan 2021 at 9 p.m. (+8 GMT), showcasing the best of upcoming regional designers including Dave Ocampo, Pat Santos, and more.
Broadcasted live from Singapore, the fashion designers and models in the showcase comes from Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. For more on AIDFW 2021, click here.
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