Lizanne Cua's imagination knows no bounds
This much is true: The biggest inspirations come from the oddest things or the most unlikely experiences. For fashion designer Lizanne Cua, her "eureka” moments could come from the grandest ideas to the most random observations. Lately though, she's been taking an interest in sci-fi, particularly Star Trek: Voyager's Captain Janeway. Lizanne shares, "I find inspiration spontaneously and randomly everywhere and anywhere. It can be from my own thoughts, dreams, or from books, movies, music, snippets of experiences, or from my imagination."
Strong yet feminine, whimsical and romantic, classic yet fashionforward—these are the dualities that describe her work, as seen in her Holiday 2013 collection for Philippine Fashion Week, aptly titled "Chasing the Timekeeper." Through her creations, Lizanne depicts the concept of an alternate universe, where dreamy and dazzling shift dresses, one-of-a-kind colors, balloon skirts, and textured garments abound.
INITIAL SKETCHES
Even as a kid, Lizanne had already displayed a penchant for the arts, even standing out as the artist in her family that consist of her parents who are doctors, and siblings who work in the IT industry. She says, "My first designs were when I was perhaps 5 or 6 years old. I was drawing tutus for ballerinas in my imagination. Of course they have not been executed into actual clothes but that's when I started drawing clothes and figures."
CREATING HER OWN BRAND
Since then, Lizanne has pursued her passion, and eventually got duly recognized by the local fashion industry for her work.
But not everything is all fantasy for this creative soul. Like a good businesswoman, Lizanne keeps her head out of the clouds as she tackles the practical and business side of her career fully. She describes her day: "Since I'm pretty hands- on and do all of my patterns and cutting personally, as well as all the other facets of being a designer such as marketing, meeting with clients, merchandising, conceptualizing, product development, etc., there is no set routine for each day. As a creative artist- entrepreneur, it's essentially freestyle each day, like meeting the requirements and deadlines required, and being able to balance everything while keeping the discipline of producing clothes with the creativity of conceptualizing new designs/ collection… And also being flexible enough to meet the unique challenges of each day."
Her brand, Sabre by Lizanne, which includes clothes and accessories, is continuously growing, and she is at present looking into creating a ready-towear bridal line.
PERSONALIZING FASHION
While she creates runway showready pieces, Lizanne considers her own personal style as being comfortable and fuss-free. She describes her style as "moody," meaning, dressing up in clothes that fit her mood.
Lizanne’s detailed opinion on what makes a good piece of clothing reveals her belief that art, fashion, and comfort can coexist harmoniously: “Aside from possessing the requisite exquisite quality and finish, it should be practical. It should withstand the test of time and be able to be mixed and matched with future clothing acquisitions. It should be neo- classic and timeless while at the same time possess a sense of modernity. A good piece of clothing should also be comfortable and easy to wear and maintain. It should also lend itself to the personality of the wearer and be flexible enough to interpretation and styling in order to express the unique individuality or mood of the wearer. A good piece of clothing should not dictate who you are but instead contribute to your self- expression. It should also make you feel confident and comfortable at the same time."
A good piece of clothing should not dictate who you are but instead contribute to your self-expression. It should also make you feel confident and comfortable at
the same time.