Dennis Lustico and Agnes Huibonhua, chairperson of the September 5 silver anniversary fashion show
Due to this week’s stormy weather, the September 5 show of Dennis Lustico is being postponed to another date, still this September, according to its producer, Agnes Huibonhua, in today’s call to TheDiarist.ph.
Designer and weekend marathoner Dennis Lustico, 54, straddles two worlds seamlessly. His journey began unexpectedly in the fashion industry, a long way from his training as a registered nurse. Twenty-five years later, today, Lustico is celebrating his milestone with a fashion show titled Pamana at the Goldenberg Mansion this September (originally set for Sept. 5, 2024).
Reflecting the times, Philippine fashion has evolved from a symbol of colonial aspiration to an expression of patriotism, nationalism, and social awareness. This shift is evident in the growing influence of social consciousness and environmental concerns on fashion design.
From indie start-ups to established designers, there’s a concerted effort among them to integrate these elements in the Philippine fashion industry, from runway fantasies to production logistics. Many local designers are not just creating clothes; they’re actively participating in stimulating the production of textiles and crafts, making it a compelling selling point.
That said, Lustico’s 50-piece collection will showcase indigenous weaves, and is bound to surprise the audience with Philippine silk, a crisp and slubbed fabric similar to dupion, handwoven by a community in La Union. He discovered this fabric in the First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’ Likha, a program dedicated to promoting native crafts and creating business opportunities for artisans.
Then, there’s woven cotton with tweed pattern from Benguet, which will be used in Lustico’s dresses and slacks.
Piña from Aklan will carry his customized embroidery patterns inspired by nature—an imagery of moringa, footstool palm (anahaw), whitelead tree (ipil-ipil) leaves, and squash flowers in vibrant yellow and green.
While the collection highlights the beauty of Philippine resources, Lustico modernizes the garments with color combinations of black and white, sage and white, and terracotta.
His forecast collection includes short skirts from the ’60s paired with blouses with big sleeves, extended shoulders, or blousons from the ’80s. For menswear, he envisions a loungewear aesthetic—easy-fitting polos, loose pants, and oversized tops.
The clothes will have refined silhouettes and fabric manipulations. Some pieces will be embellished with lacquered wood chips, referencing the stone houses of Batanes. With a focus on separates, Lustico aims to offer clients more styling options, allowing them to pair the pieces with their existing wardrobes.
With a focus on separates, Lustico aims to offer clients more styling options, allowing them to pair the pieces with their existing wardrobes
One of Lustico’s most loyal clients, Honorary Consul of Gambia and entrepreneur Agnes Huibonhoa, is chairperson of Lustico’s silver anniversary fashion show. In an interview with TheDiarist.ph, she says she supports Lustico’s vision of combining innovation with artisanal craftsmanship and cultural elements while maintaining elegance and practicality.
Dennis Lustico (second from right), Agnes Huibonhua with the team, from left: Kevin John Conopio, Ferdi Salvador, Patrick Rosas, Robbie Carmona
The salon show is a fundraising event for Fashion Aid Philippines, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young designers and providing scholarships. The show is a collaborative effort with Huibonhoa, Patrick Rosas, Frank Briones, Ferdi Salvador, and director Robbie Carmona.
“I am looking forward to rediscovering Filipino wear, seeing indigenous and natural elements come to life in a fresh way, and witnessing the end result of Dennis’ creative process. His genius enchants us,” says the honorary diplomat, looking stylish in Lustico’s brocade balintawak with a peplum waist.
Lustico’s initial exposure to fashion was through the sketches of a high school classmate who later became a designer. “It was love at first sight,” he recalls. However, his parents urged him to pursue a medical career. While studying nursing at Centro Escolar University, Lustico took short courses in fashion illustration and patternmaking at the now defunct Madonna School of Fashion.
After passing the board exams in the early ’90s, he worked for a fashion shop in Binondo, catering to a low-key but affluent Chinese-Filipino clientele. His stint not only allowed him to hone his fashion skills, but also taught him valuable customer service lessons.
A turning point came at the turn of the millennium when he designed clothes for a fashion show produced by the late Richard Tann for Technomarine watches. Celine Lopez, then a prominent columnist of Philippine Star and the “It” girl of the time, went backstage to congratulate him. “I love your designs,” she gushed, asking him to design clothes for her. Lopez became his muse, embodying a sultry style with a hint of wit.
Eventually, Lopez’s circle of friends became curious about the designer who was often featured in her column. Lustico’s clientele expanded to include industrialist Renna Hechanova-Angeles, entrepreneurs Mons Romulo and Wendy Puyat, and stylist Jenni Epperson.
Sketches of Dennis Lustico’s ‘Pamana’ collection
Last year, Lustico became a mentor for Ternocon 3, a program organized by Bench to tutor emerging designers in creating contemporary ternos. In the fashion show, he reimagined the terno by draping fabrics in bold green, hot pink, and orange, accented by softer tones of lavender and baby blue. Luxurious textiles, intricate point d’esprit, and delicate lace modernized the classic terno silhouette. Piña blouses were adorned with dainty beadwork, and some outfits featured additional long sleeves that extended from beneath the signature butterfly sleeves.
Dennis Lustico breaks down Filipiniana into wearable coordinates.
To evoke the imagery of coconut trees, Lustico incorporated ostrich feathers, beads, and rhinestones as embellishments.
With this collection, he represented the Philippines in the Sustainability + Heritage + Culture Fashion Summit 2023 in Hong Kong. His clothes reflected the zero waste philosophy— the skirts were made from surplus fabrics and scraps.
Lustico cites the Rosas and Pandan style as his all-time best seller. This green and white, open-back piña top has hand-embroidered flowers and tapis or overskirt worn over loose tulle pants. It received ample media mileage after Ternocon. When he posted this attire on Instagram, he received numerous orders from followers in Australia, Los Angeles, New York, the Netherlands, and the UK. Customers were willing to wait for three months for the artisans and weavers to create the embroidered piña fabric.
Lustico says that after 25 years, he feels more confident in expressing his vision. “We’re doing more handwork, which distinguishes my look,” he says. “As a service business, we imbue our products with soul.”
‘Running and swimming take my mind off work, as I just see the trees and the skyline. I’m in a happy bubble’
To keep his mind fresh and creative, Lustico unwinds by running. A decade ago, Josef Gueta, an Israeli businessman, triathlete, and husband of designer Lulu Tan Gan, noted that Lustico’s muscular build was well suited for sports, and encouraged him to take up triathlon. Attending a triathlon in Subic Bay, Lustico spotted familiar faces. “If they can do it, then I can do it,” he recalls his “aha” moment.
After taking up swimming, Lustico hired a coach and joined swim relays. He became a finisher in his first triathlon in Bohol in 2015, and since then has also traveled overseas for marathons. During the lockdown, Lustico kept fit by walking around his neighborhood.
His post-pandemic schedule has been scaled down. He has participated in four half marathons in the country just to stay in shape. “I’ve always been a finisher,” he says.
His daily routine consists of either running from Makati to McKinley or doing laps. “Training for triathlons is time-consuming. You need to go out of town on weekends to build endurance for biking,” he says.
Enlisting in marathons abroad has become prohibitive, with legions of runners vying for a slot and the cost of participation skyrocketing. But Lustico hasn’t stopped dreaming of securing a slot one day. For now, he engages in endurance sports for work-life balance. “Preparing for this fashion show can be stressful. I have to unwind. Running and swimming take my mind off work, as I just see the trees and the skyline. I’m in a happy bubble.”
