To celebrate a jade anniversary in the Philippine fashion industry is no small feat. That is why Albert Figueras beams with pride and is truly modest about this career milestone.
Many describe the fashion creations of Figueras as timeless, sophisticated, and simply elegant. It is a no brainer then that the cosmopolitan set of women with distinction, fame, and power, do not mind trooping to his atelier (located at 1129 Antipolo St. Barangay Valenzuela, Makati City) to have their fill of his dresses and gowns they wear in all happenings and occasions that allow them to stand out amongst the many because of the fact that Figueras is what they have on.
Some of Figueras’s stand-out creations are Karylle Tatlonghari’s wine red-hued modern re-interpretation of the terno, with indigenous embellishments from Mindanao, which the now Mrs. Yael Yuzon wore in the Manny Pacquiao and Oscar dela Hoya bout, with the songstress assigned to do the “Lupang Hinirang.”
In the field of theater, Figuerass’ costume designs added dazzle and sparkle to Noli Me Tangere, The Opera, the Ateneo versus La Salle Musical, Rivalry, Gantimpala Theater’s National Artists Production Series, May Day Eve by Nick Joaquin, Forever and Call Me Flory, by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, the Australian production of the Noli (he was the lone Filipino in the artistic and creative pool), and Huling Pahina, to mention a few.
Two years ago, the parade of nation’s costumes he created for Ms. Kenya Suzy Kirui, was awarded best in national costume in the Miss Earth pageant.
Figueras gives first and foremost credit to his mommy Maxima for his design aesthetics: “Growing up nakikita ko ang Mommy Max ko, mahilig mamostura,” shares the fashion designer. “She has her own modista. She loved to attend parties during those days. And because she was beautiful, what she wears, always landed on society pages.”
“The image of my late mother, in all those elegant dresses, that were always appropriate and stood out on the occasions she attended, left a huge imprint on me. Fashion is what a woman wears and that is so because, she feels comfortable, free, and confident with what she wears,” shares Figueras, who listed the never-out-of-style looks made legendary by Chanel, Balenciaga, Valentino, and the other designers who were responsible for the outfits and total look of say, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelley, as his inspirations.
For Figueras, a fashionable woman is someone who exudes great confidence, someone who carries herself with a regal gait. No wonder, some of his most loved muses are Celeste Legaspi, Pilita Corrales, and Carmen Patena, Pilar Pilapil, Eugene Domingo, and Rita Daniela.
“It is a milestone year,” says the designer about his jade anniversary. “A gala is being planned, hopefully with favorite muses walking on the catwalk.”
