It was a mix of nostalgia, sadness, and cheer we felt as we went around the airy gallery hall of Salcedo Auctions at NEX Tower for a preview last Saturday of the estate auction sale of Pepito Albert and Maurice Arcache—two friends we lost this year, Maurice in February and Pepito in May. Cheer and laughter were borne on the wings of nostalgia as we remembered the significant careers of the two and the moments we felt privileged to have witnessed and even shared with them.
Pepito Albert was a genius of design in Philippine fashion—no exaggerating. Coming from a stellar career in Los Angeles, he resettled in Manila, and quietly and selectively, picked his design arenas, and built a prestigious clientele, most of whom, like Irene Marcos-Araneta, Korina Sanchez-Roxas, and Kaye Tinga stayed with him to the end. His sheer genius was shown in his mastery of construction (“I wouldn’t trust anyone else to shape and construct around here,” a client once told me, pointing to her chest), silhouette, and in the strict selection of color or absence of it (black, grey, brown, neutrals). Today’s generation of designers could learn from Pepito Albert’s designs, his sense of proportion—he didn’t turn petite Filipinas into dwarves loaded down with embellishments.
I will always appreciate the fact that, even as he kept himself hidden from public view, Pepito would always send at least two of his special designs to be part of the trailblazing fashion collections we staged in intermittent years for Metrowear (early 2000s), and Face-Offs (2009 onwards). He had always appreciated the fact that, upon his homecoming to Manila in the early 2000s, our Metro magazine was the first to shoot his design—an iconic masterstroke of drapery captured by star photographer Jun de Leon.
Now, I saw at Salcedo Auctions his inabel suits, the stilettos he himself designed, and his art acquisitions.
Maurice Arcache was a significant cog in Manila high society chronicles. He was part of this very society—not a mere bystander or chronicler—covered it for decades for various publications, and kept its secrets. My Lips Are Sealed—his column title—was on point. We traveled together many times, on media junkets, from the US to Europe and Asia. Memories of those hilarious and hectic moments came to me as I saw his Louis Vuitton luggage on display among the auction pieces. We also spotted a Murano lamp which, we guessed, Maurice must have bought during our memorable trip to Venice. That was when Maurice, with journalist/theater actress Alya Honasan, scoured the shops speaking in their put-on British accent just to throw off the snooty vendors—with hilarious results.
Murano hand-blown glass lamp
The first on view as one steps onto the Gavel&Block “art+design: the estate sale” is the Geraldine Javier oil-on-canvas work from the Pepito Albert estate. People know that Pepito, particularly in the last two decades, was immersed in the visual arts, as a collector and dealer. He had a perfect eye and taste for it—spotting both the genius of established contemporary artists, and the potential of emerging ones.
Into the hall, catching one’s sight is a mural portrait by Emmanuel Garibay, oil-on-canvas, bearing the powerful likeness of Pepito, his stare and the snooty slant of the mouth. It is titled Contemporary Portrait of a Man (2012).
Emmanuel Garibay’s oil-on-canvas portrait titled ‘Contemporary Portrait of a Man’ (2012)
On the side is Joseph Tecson’s oil-on-canvas portrait, Pepito in black and white.
From Maurice’s estate, a piece de resistance is an early 20th century glass cabinet with carved Imperial Japan motif, of ebonized hardwood. It must have been an heirloom from Maurice’s parents Mary and Joseph, his father having been the top businessman in the Quezon era.
Early 20th century glass cabinet with carved Imperial Japan motif from Maurice’s collection
Valeria Cavestany’s acrylic on canvas titled ‘Sisters’ (2010)
Jason Montinola bust, mixed media, resin (1979), from Maurice Arcache estate
Jonathan Olazo ‘Bottle and Life’ (2017), mixed media, from Pepito Albert collection
Andres Barrioquinto’s ‘#stressfree’ (2020), mixed media sculpture
Antique bead necklace with gold finnials
From Pepito Albert collection, some shoes he designed
The Gavel&Block “art+design:the estate sale” has many other beautiful finds. Its online auction is on Oct. 21, 2023, 11 a.m.
Trickie Lopa beside the Garibay portrait
Salcedo Auctions’ Richie Lerma and the author before the Geraldine Javier oil-on-canvas work from Pepito’s collection
Lulu Tan Gan and Luis Espiritu at the preview
Menchu Soriano (right) and Marge Enriquez at preview
JR Arce, Jorel Espina, Zara Juan, Thelma Sioson, Amparo Magallanes and Luis Espiritu Jr. at the preview
James and Cathy Ileto at preview
From our archives, Pepito Albert (right) in his signature inabel jacket, with Gino Gonzales, Irene Marcos-Araneta wearing a Pepito Albert at Ternocon
Michael Salientes, Jonathan Matti, Lulu Tan Gan at auction preview
Nene Lacson, Cecille Reynoso, and Jonathan Matti
Rhett Eala and Jorel Espina
Salcedo Auctions Chairman and Chief Specialist Richie Lerma, Salcedo Auctions Vice Chair and Chief Financial Officer Karen Lerma, Silvana Ancelloti-Diaz, and Ramon Diaz
