Lesley Mobo’s stardust memories

BEFORE entering the Rizal Ballroom of the Shangri-La Makati for the Red Charity Gala, some couture-clad socialites were shocked to find men, in a Last Supper tableau, covered only in Bench underwear. It was then that they knew what they were about to witness will be a trippy, heady, hypnotic stage spectacle.

The gala is the eighth annual show organized by society stalwart Tessa Prieto-Valdes and philanthropist Kaye Tinga to raise funds for the Philippine Red Cross and the Assumption High School Batch 1981 Foundation. The show started with a parade of male models scantily clad in underwear by Bench, the presenter. Before the beefy hunks could establish their poses onstage—all rippling muscles and near-naked glory—reelectionist Sen. Dick Gordon stood up, and hopped to the next table where the dazzling Dawn Zulueta was seated.

This year’s edition featured Aklan-raised, London-based designer Lesley Mobo. He finished with a First Class BA Honours Degree in Fashion at Central Saint Martins, with his graduate collection, called “Maniac,” using luxurious tailoring fabrics from Lanifico Fratelli Cerruti Italy. That early recognition of his remarkable creative skills continued with collaborations with Harrod’s, Diesel, Absolut Vodka, Uniqlo and Bench, as well as productive encounters with John Galliano, L’Wren Scott, Raf Simons, Renzo Rosso and the Ayalas.

Mobo studied under the wing of British professor of fashion design Louise Janet Wilson, whose former students include Alexander McQueen, Jonathan Saunders, Sophia Kokosalaki, Marios Schwab and Christopher Kane at CSM.

Even with all these credentials, Mobo remains modest, almost refreshingly sheepish. “The show was for a cause, so we just wanted the collection to be fun, very party. I didn’t want it to be too intellectual. I wanted it to be inclusive, because people are actually donating and paying to watch it. I wanted to make it easy for people who are not fashionista, or not into fashion,” the acclaimed designer explained backstage after the show.

Any discerning fashion observer will know that pieces that look deceptively simple are the most painstaking to create. Mobo, an expert technician, used traditional techniques on some of the knitted ensembles, and embellished more with paillettes

overlay, faux leather, bugle beads, real fur trims and marabou feathers.

“The truth about it is that every piece uses techniques that I’ve used before. You can see the paillettes in the pantaloons; they are really well-tailored. Also the jackets, and you can wear them separately with denim or anything. I think you can see all the elements that I’ve used before—the paillettes, the sequins, the beadings, the drapings. I guess it’s more like playing with surface texture,” said Mobo, 32, breaking the collection down.

“If you look at [the clothes] from a distance, if you don’t know fashion very well,pwede maging costume,” Mobo said. “[But, for example], with the Tudors as a starting point, we just took the reference very slightly, such as the color—crimson—and the tulles. There are the silhouettes of the Tudors and stuff like that, but the [collection] was more ’70s and Dynasty and Studio 54.” It must have been nostalgic for the socialite crowd who came of age during the hedonism of the ’70s and the debauchery of ’80s Excess. Valdes was dressed as Alexis Carrington (Joan Collins) and Tinga as Krystle Carrington (Linda Evans). The vibe was urban funk, punk rock, disco wear, psychedelic/hippie. The mind-altering, time-traveling, intoxicating show was directed by the singular Ariel Lozada and deftly styled by Noel Manapat. This year the fantastic hair and makeup were by Henry Calayag and his team. The runway looks can be translated more expressively at rock shows. David Bowie’s outlandish alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, would have flipped out. Indeed, the models’ faces, especially finale girl Jasmine Maierhofer’s, painted by the exceptional

Eric Maningat, was straight out of an LSD high.

The stage was lit so the clothes would glitter like reflections from a disco ball. Had Lesley Mobo been Halston in the Warhol era, Margaux Hemingway, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and Liza Minnelli would have taken him under their wing. But I think Mobo is more in the school of Marc Bohan (then with Christian Dior), who made clothes that sparkled, or YSL, who made “cigaline tops,” clothes that seduced.

Mobo expressed pride and happiness, but in his characteristic self-deprecating way, over the degree of difficulty in making his collection. “Yes, it was technically my own.Mahirap!” He laughed. “When the models came out, those who understand, understood. Those who don’t, they don’t have to. They just have to have fun because the outfits are all glittery. The collection kind of embraces everyone, you’re not alienating anyone. It’s not an elitist collection. It’s basically, you know, an inclusive collection. You don’t have to be a fashionista to embrace it.”

There was one outfit, though, a color-blocked tube gown that was devoid of any details. “We thought we needed a bit of a breaker kasi baka mabulag na ang mga tao!” He let out a hearty laugh again. “That piece is very interesting kasi napaka-simple lang but you can see the lines, as well. It’s something that I want to explore next time—minimalism. Again, I work for companies. I don’t really do my own things but that in my view is my value as a designer—the flexibility to adapt to all kinds of things.” His underwear and perfume under Bench will be launched at stores soon. But after the mind-blowing show, Mobo will take a breather.

“I just want to take a break because namatay tatay ko last year and I want to spend time with my mom,” he shared.

“When Tessa told me to do Red, I said yes, but I didn’t want to do it seriously. It’s like what I said to someone, ‘What is maturity? Maturity is when you actually try to have fun and lose all your fears.’ So when we agreed to do the show, I was, like, let’s just have fun. So lahat ng kulay, nilagay ko!”

After Rajo Laurel, Dennis Lustico, Furne One, Michael Cinco, Cary Santiago, Ezra Santos, Jesus Lloren and Lesley Mobo, it’s become an industry conundrum on who the next design wunderkind to be featured will be. I think Hollywood darling Monique Lhuillier would be perfect, as well as the under-the-radar but incredibly talented Rodolfo Milan, who works for the House of Zuhair Murad in Paris.

After all, the Red Charity Gala only features world-class Filipino fashion designers.Read more at:graduation gowns | celebrity inspired dresses