PLUCKED FROM a blog in the Philippines, Bacolod native Tia Lacson showed off a collection at Vancouver Fashion Week featuring designs displaying traditional femininity with long trains, flounces and frou frou, and deep, deep reds.
A brief about Ms. Lacson said that her designs were “inspired by an independent woman blooming and clearly ready become a better version of herself.” Taking a look at her designs though, one can catch a whiff of the silhouettes of the Victorian Era, the Edwardian Era, and the 1950s — not exactly periods when women blossomed on their own, but were stuck in ornamental roles that served to glorify the men in their lives; either their husbands, or their fathers.
On the other hand, the patriarchy has led to femininity becoming perceived as weakness, so perhaps Ms. Lacson’s hyperfeminine displays of lace and bell sleeves glorify this trait, encouraging women to embrace their true power. Either way, Ms. Lacson said about using red, lace, and florals in capturing the experience of being a woman: “Women have struggled with how the world perceives their image. I support the idea of empowering women and celebrating their strength with a combination of red, lace and florals. They are my interpretation of the femininity as well as the beauty of the modern woman.” — JLG
