His sparkling new Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival collection&nbsp;Neo Desiderium is optimistic and celebratory.

Historically, post-pandemic eras have been legendary. The glittering innovation of the Renaissance was, after all, humankind's profound effort to move on from the Black Death's widespread doom, and the 1920s' decadence was the direct result of a desire to shed the gloom cast by the Spanish Flu. It's been speculated that life after COVID-19 will share that same celebratory trajectory &mdash; Chris Diaz's flamboyant new Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival collection concurs. Here, L'Officiel Philippines pauses for a chat with the designer, whose longstanding love for sparkle and embellishment now translates to a strong, future-oriented optimism.

On his references
"Renaissance Art (for the blacks and golds, specifically mid-15th century Florentine bronze sculptures), Art Deco (jazz fringe, feather detailing from flapper headbands, Jay Gatsby-esque tuxedo shirting), and the 80s (Postmodernist colors and shapes, street graffiti paint splatters, cutout aerobic leotards, and men&rsquo;s crop tops)."

On design signatures both new and old
"A mature aesthetic I&rsquo;m currently embracing &mdash; since romantic, feminine slants are what I&rsquo;m usually known for &mdash; would be [the collection's] boy-meets-girl versatility. [Meanwhile, my signatures are] the special embellishments that I do personally. A bit of tasteful beadwork won't hurt, right?"

Oh his decision to combine contrasting elements
"We were told that the maximum number of looks per designer for the new PMFF season was down to 9 (initially I was ready to make 15). Editing out some looks has made the collection potent, I guess: [there are] two fringe pieces, two feathered ensembles, two metallic outfits and a few paint splatter looks, which I think worked even with all the elements used."

On the collection's optimistic flamboyance
"[In the spirit of saudade], the collection was entitled Neo Desiderium or "new desire", [reflecting] the longing for fun and connection. Coincidentally, the Renaissance and Art Deco eras were phases after history's greatest pandemics, the Black Death and the Spanish Flu. So, yeah, it's a party-ready collection, catering to all when everything starts to reopen. It's an optimistic collection, so to speak."

On the most interesting part about producing a collection during a pandemic
"There were a lot of changes and adjustments in terms of what to design, but the intention of the mood was not to sulk in the sad phase that usually follows a pandemic. The collection was supposed to be frilly, but I weighed in on the final pieces and [ended up] leaning more towards menswear separates that were given a vibrant twist. More sustainable in terms of investment, these are desirable modern classics that are flattering for all genders.
"[Lockdown] caused me to move slowly, production-wise. Everything was mobile for safety: pieces were sent out and picked up from the dressmakers, tailors, and accessories craftspeople via a logistics app. It gave me ample time in terms of styling: the bucket visors and the Postmodernist shaped bags were executed in a purist form, just to balance things off. [On the other hand], those giant scrunchies worn by the female models were a last-minute creation, giving the collection a campy 80s vibe that blended well with the menswear looks. Also, the coin-purse lanyards (along with the skinny belts) were last-ditch efforts."

Swipe through to see all of the looks in Chris Diaz's Neo Desiderium, below.

Photo courtesy of PMFF

Chris Diaz Designs for a Party-ready Post-COVID World

Chris Diaz Designs for a Party-ready Post-COVID World

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