León Gallery’s The Magnificent September Auction on Sept. 14, 2024, Saturday, 2 pm., will feature the portrait of the popular fashion designer Malu Antonio Veloso and just as important, the Antonio family’s legacy in arts and culture.
Veloso was the go-to designer of the Filipino brides of the ’70s and ’80s, a woman known for feminine delicate taste and fine homemaking. Oscar Zalameda’s Portrait of Malu Veloso is among the interesting pieces of the auction. Malu is the only daughter of National Artist for Architecture Pablo S. Antonio and Marina Antonio, a couturier herself who had a clientele from the Philippine elite. The Antonio brood is distinguished in design. Malu’s brothers Ramon and Chito are leading architects and interior designers.
The structures designed and built by Pablo S. Antonio were landmarks of pre-war and post-war Manila. After the Ideal Theater in Avenida Rizal in Manila, Pablo designed and built the Far Eastern University. His works were in the Art Deco style, a departure from the neo-classicism in architecture. His works withstood the test of time.
“Time has proven his worth: his works shall outlast many a rhyme, durable as stone, permanent as the spirit of art itself,” reads his 1976 Order of the National Artist for Architecture citation. “Pablo S. Antonio’s creations are unique and distinct contributions to Philippine architecture and the developing culture of the nation. In these achievements, the country takes pride.”
His wife, Marina Reyes-Antonio, was a renowned fashion designer who in a 50-year career, made hand-painted Filipiniana and wedding gowns for some of Manila’s most notable women, making her one of the pioneers of pre-war ladies’ fashion. In fact, it was through their art that the couple met—their matchmakers were Don Carlos Yulo and his wife Cecilia, who were Pablo’s and Marina’s clients, respectively.
Their union proved to be artistic and fruitful, as all of the couple’s children became artists themselves. Their sons Pablo, Jr., Luis (Chito), and Ramon all became architects; Pablo Jr. took over his father’s firm, his father’s legacy, while Ramon and Luis became known for their own, distinctive architectural designs. Youngest son Francis followed a different path in the arts, choosing instead to venture into painting and sculpting. Until his passing in 1999, Antonio Victor was an accomplished engineer.
Malu, their only daughter (and the subject of Zalameda’s portrait) followed in her mother’s footsteps, becoming a lauded fashion designer herself. Maria Lourdes, known as Malu, was inspired more by her mother’s profession. She started out selling children’s clothing before branching out into baptismal and Filipiniana wear as her clientele grew. As Malu’s fame grew, she had three shops for her fashion lines that included children’s, bridal, formal, and day wear.
Oscar Zalameda’s Portrait of Malu Veloso carries a rich background that tells the story of a virtuoso and his family who have changed and continue to influence Philippine design to this day.
The Magnificent September Auction will be held on Sept. 14, 2024, 2 p.m. at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. Preview week is from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 7 pm. For further inquiries, email [email protected] or contact tel. no. (+632) 8856-2781. To browse the catalog, visit www.leon-gallery.com. Follow León Gallery on their social media pages for timely updates: Facebook: www.facebook.com/leongallerymakati, and Instagram @leongallerymakati.
