Dennis Lustico celebrates 25 years in the industry with his latest collection, Pamana

Fashion designer Dennis Lustico celebrates 25 years in the industry with a vibrant collection that proudly showcases the rich nuances of Filipino style and heritage

Fashion designer Dennis Lustico is known for his exceptional talent in creating designs that blend colours and textures beautifully. His unique approach infuses a distinctly Filipino style into his creations, showcasing his mastery of the craft. With an unparalleled ability to harmonise different hues and textures, Lustico stands out in the fashion world. On September 5, 2024, he will showcase his latest collection, Pamana, which takes centre stage at the illustrious Goldenberg Mansion. This event marks a significant milestone in Lustico’s career as he becomes the fourth designer to present his work at this historic venue, thanks to an initiative by First Lady Liza Marcos to promote Filipiniana and support the fashion industry. The show will also commemorate Lustico’s remarkable 25-year journey in the fashion industry.

Above A sage mini dress with anahaw details

Above A sneak peek into Lustico’s Pamana collection

A sage mini dress with anahaw details

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Ever humble, Lustico claims that his story is nothing special or unique. He says it’s much like any other designer’s. He recalls, however, one moment from his childhood that sparked his love for fashion design. In his third year of high school, he met a friend who was into sketching. “It was through him that I first heard of names like Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel and Christian Dior. I fell in love with what he was doing. From then on, I started sketching, and it became my dream to become a designer,” Lustico shares. His friend, Sylver Custorio, continues to be one of his design heroes, along with other fashion greats such as Joe Salazar, Pepito Albert, Inno Sotto and Auggie Cordero.

In 1998, he finally established his brand, Lustico, an apparel line specialising in women’s formal wear. In the following years, the fashion designer became a finalist at the Young Designer’s Competition in Paris, France, and continued participating in exclusive and annual salon shows for several designers’ clientele. Lustico was also in last year’s third edition of Ternocon, a convention and contest exhibiting Filipino craftsmanship, where his designs graced the black box theatre of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

After years of only doing apparel, he proudly launched the Lustico bag line, featuring evening bags made of silk threads and acrylic components. With the success of his first bag line, Lustico introduced his second, with designs still made of local materials such as banig (traditional handwoven mat) and beaded yakan (traditional fibres and materials with colourful patterns and designs).

Above A piña dress with anahaw details

Above A sneak peek into Lustico’s Pamana collection

A piña dress with anahaw details

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As he advanced in the fashion industry, Lustico found purpose and placed great importance on gala shows that raised funds for organisations such as the Red Cross and Philippine International Aid.

And now, Pamana, meaning heritage or inheritance, is more than a new collection for the fashion designer. What started as a mood board of collected images of anything artful bloomed into a set of masterpieces from the incredible artistic mind of Lustico. The show is a collection of the things close to his heart and his gift to the Philippines. “This show is meaningful to me because it expresses gratitude from me to the land that I call ‘home’, which has given me a gift or a pamana. It’s really about giving back for what I’ve received from this land, this country, including its arts,” he says.

Above A sneak peek into Lustico’s Pamana collection

A sneak peek into Lustico’s Pamana collection

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The salon-like fashion show will feature 50 intricately designed and handwoven pieces, with fabrics sourced from different regions nationwide. He wants to express the Filipino touch through colours like yellow and green and textures such as abaca and piña with the collection.

“We asked for help from Mankayan in Benguet to make fabrics made out of cotton. I also asked help from the weavers in La Union to give us peonies and silk, which are both very nice. I contacted one of my long-time suppliers from Aklan, which caters to almost every designer in the country. But this time, the difference is that we made the patterns ourselves and then asked them to do it for us in piña,” he shares.

Making the collection took a lot of work but Lustico stresses the importance of trusting the process, in this case, the process of turning locally sourced materials into pieces that he could claim as his own. He adds, “Everything is customised—we also specified the dimensions, colours and art design. We had to illustrate it. We had to purposely make the dimensions of the actual loom of the piña for us to call it our own.”

Above Lustico with Consul Agnes Huibonhua and make-up artist Patrick Rosas

Above Pamana is inspired by the stone houses in Batanes and carved picture frames in Manila

Lustico with Consul Agnes Huibonhua and make-up artist Patrick Rosas

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Together with the event chairwoman, Consul Agnes Huibonhoa, Pamana commits to helping Fashion Aid Philippines, a non-profit organisation created for future designers, to enhance the quality of their evident and existing talent and provide platforms to execute their visions and turn them into creations.

“I want to extend my support to Fashion Aid Philippines. It’s a fantastic opportunity to give back to the creative community. Being involved in this event is about fostering an environment where designers and artists can thrive,” says Huibonhua.

She adds that she has always loved Lustico’s designs and that working with him is a joyous opportunity. “I have always been a fan of Dennis’ work. His vision for this show is intriguing and exciting. I wanted to play a part in bringing it together and seeing it come to life. I knew he could weave together innovation with artisanal craftsmanship and the beloved elements of our culture while remaining timeless and practical in his design.”

Apart from celebrating Lustico’s 25 years in fashion and launching his latest collection, the event also aims to encourage emerging artisans and fashion designers to pursue their dreams despite the hurdles.

“If you want to achieve your dreams, there’s no other way but to work hard. It’s also important to pursue that direction consistently. My story is like anyone else’s, but it’s not a happy one the whole time. You learn to love the profession more because of its hardships,” says Lustico.

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Credits

Photography: Patrick Diokno