(Oct. 14)—“Fashion design is architecture: It is a matter of proportions.” JJ Aquino, an architect and  fashion designer, shared this quote from Coco Chanel at his presentation for “Space + Silhouette,” the second installation in the activity series of this year’s Diliman Science and Society Month on Oct. 11 at the College of Architecture.

With the theme “Intersections of Architecture and Interior Design with Fashion Design with Textiles as the Uniform Medium,” two graduates of architecture and one graduate of interior design discussed about the interrelations of their fields to fashion design.

Aquino showcased the graduation collection comprising four outfits, which he made as part of the completion requirements for the Fashion Institute of the Philippines. He handpicked woven cloth made by Sinagtala Foundation, a non-profit organization comprised of Marawi women who were survivors of social injustice. The colors of the cloth used for the collection transitions from dark to vivid shades to symbolize the resilience of the Mindanao community.

Aquino added two more outfits using the same type of cloth to his own clothing line, Vilquin. Vilquin is a combination of his mother’s maiden name, Villanueva and his family’s surname Aquino.

Meanwhile, Interior designer Russell Villafuerte demonstrated draping, which he described as “the purest form of fashion” that dates back to Ancient Greece. He compared draping to sculpting as it is also “gestural, instinctive and emotional.”

Villafuerte ventured into fashion “by accident” when he auditioned for Project Runway Philippines on a whim. Despite the lack of training in fashion and sewing, he was chosen 1st runner up.

He presently runs his own clothing line “Strong Village” (English for his Villafuerte), which specializes in streetwear.

Architect and fashion designer Merri Chan said architecture and fashion design have similarities as they both rely on context, work with 3D objects, have design process, involve material selection, and relate to clients, contractors and designers.

Chan owns a clothing line, the Merri Chan Designs. It mainly offers made-to-order clothes for women who prefer “carefree, effortless and unrestrictive” styles. She has also made outfits for dogs and designed clothes for Barbie dolls in collaboration with other fashion designers.

For more information, visit the designers’ Facebook pages: Merri Chan Designs, Strong Village and Vilquin —Erika Sasazawa, images by Ezekiel Dionisio