Elmer Lapeña Named Executive Managing Director of SAGA

Events and production company SAGA just recently announced the designation of Executive Managing Director to Elmer Lapeña. Aside from being a director and producer of different shows, he has been in the company for 20+ years taking on lead posts in different capacities, it is now his time.

This coincides with the announcement of the renaming of SAGA from its previous Saga Events Incorporated to now being a full fledged experiential company. For those who don't know, I've watched several Philippine Fashion Week Shows and International brand launches that have been handled and executed by their group. SAGA was founded by Robby Carmona in 1995 and this expansion means they'll be taking on not just production of shows and events but physical and virtual ones, experiential marketing, digital solutions and production of content following business plans and branding ideas accordingly.

Currently, they have clients including Shell, Xiaomi, Century Tuna, Under Armour, Spotify and a whole lot more availing their services. This includes online, hybrid or physical events, website and digital campaigns for them just to name a few. Albeit challenging these days, Lapeña says "Times have been challenging for us in the industry and the recent easement of restrictions bring us hope, to hopefully brighter days for SAGA and our clients. We are bigger, better, happy about taking on this leadership role. Cheers to all of us in the industry!"

Congratulations and hope to see you in your upcoming shows!

The ONLINE FASHION SHOW at Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2018

I was wondering what would comprise the third show on this day with Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2018 because there were no details on the designers joining this particular event. It just said ONLINE FASHION SHOW which had me interested with it. During the 7:30pm show, founder Joey Espino took the stage and halted what seemed to be a runway show in the beginning. He mentioned the strides that the Philippine Fashion has done in order to get the attention of the world. 

He knows that the people are looking towards ASIA and he understands how Filipino designers will be an intergral part of this growth. He's probably tired about just concentrating his grasp with just the Philippine market and wants designers to start building efforts towards going ONLINE, have their shop available after the show so they could sell as soon as their wares hit the runway. I totally agree with his point of view, we shouldn't be limited with what we can do here, it all should be available for the world stage because the FILIPINO is world class!

 

This is the direction they say would spell good this season,  something of androgyny. Cloth and fabric that can be worn by men and women, style that won't go out of season even if it is. The advantage of selling it out of the country is that, you won't be bound by a single market. Wherever you are in the world as long as the mail gets through, you can shop at the comforts of your own home. He also told us that with the traffic in EDSA, we ought to stay in our homes and shop online so you won't have to go the trouble of fainting in the heat, or stuck in malls because in reality, he's got a point.

Sidney Perez Sio for Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2018

This isn't the first time that I've covered a Sidney Perez Sio show. With the past collections inspired by New York street life, hip hop, crossed with the famous Barong Tagalog and Maria Clara twisted into his work, he was ruffling feathers already in the Philippines since 2005. Athleisure wasn't a term yet but he probably has done it so many times, he would yawn with what people are coming out with now. He was part of the ASEAN Young Fashion Designers Contest, shows in Manhattan, New York. He also worked with prime designer Inno Sotto and other shows in the PHFW trail.


He's here to impress and yes, we were. I took it upon myself to also shoot the back part of the models so you can take a look at the details of the whole dress/shirt, so please enjoy!