Malou making waves in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina—Misamisnons or natives of Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines are getting world class recognition and one of them happens to be a friend named Malou Cordery nee Tadeo Tabada.
A native of Villanueval town, Misamis Oriental, Malou has her plate filled with projects in fashion designing and the arts here in Charlotte for the rest of the year. I wrote about her in the past and guess what; this article is all about her.
Malou had been featured in countless blogs and magazines worldwide, thus shining a spotlight in Misamis Oriental.
On Aug. 15, 2017 Malou will be doing a Fashion Meets Art show hosted by Rita Miles/Charlottseen.
An event not to miss for Filipino-Americans in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. For September is opera season in the area and Malou wants to showcase four of her designs.
She is making two recycled dresses and this will be premiered at the New York Fashion Couture week. These dresses will again will be worn here in Charlotte for the Charlotte fashion Week and also during the opera season.
The petite Malou was already asked by Megan Miller, creative marketing director of the Charlotte Opera House, to make dresses for the occasion.
She joined an event last May 6 entitled “Enchanted Garden” held at Lang Tree Lake Norman. Malou was again featured by the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and Sherry Pollex of Sherry Strong Foundation.
It is learned that Martin Truex is a race car driver who lives in Lake Norman. The fashion show was hosted by fashion D’Lux. Three years ago, Martin’s long time girlfriend Sherry Pollex was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 29. Sherry Pollex was a former patient at Carolinas Medical Center.
From this experience the couple found a purpose of helping others similarly situated. It became their mission to help the underfunded cancer initiate specific to ovarian and childhood cancers and assist the families affected by them.
“They are committed to improve lives, inspire smiles and realize dreams by racing funds and awareness about cancer research,” Malou said. Malou accepted the invitation in a heartbeat owing to her compassion and generosity among those in need.
“I was asked to create a unique and interesting avantgarde look for the event,” she said. For a white outfit, Malou said she used “recycled curtains, faux flowers and faux butterflies.” “I used recycled curtains, faux flowers and faux butterflies. For the headpiece, I used a bamboo wall decoration and I covered it with faux butterflies and flowers to creat a big avant garde look. It took me about a week to make this complete outfit,” she said.
A second outfit, an orange dress, used recycled orange fabric, plastic tablecloth, paper flowers and faux butterflies. “For the headpiece, I used an orange string placemat and took bamboo skewers to keep it steady so it would not collapse,” Malou said.
She also used a glue gun to to attach the flowers, leaves and butterflies on the orange dress. Reviews on her dresses during the event have been positive, Malou said. I recalled previously writing about Malou’s fashion show titled “Reimagined.” Produced by CharlotteSeen, the event was a success.
There is no telling where Malou would go as far as fashion designing especially with the use of recyclable and up cycle which her models love to wear. Malou admitted that she is self-taught and she started sewing baby dresses when was pregnant with her first child.
Her first daughter, Genevieve, is a sought after fashion model who became Miss Asia Carolinas in 2011. Genevieve is taking up a Communication course at the University of the North Carolina. Malou came from the Tabada and Tadeo families in Villanueva town, Misamis Oriental which is adjacent to Tagoloan town, my birthplace. Actually Villanueva used to be part of Tagoloan until Mayor Cesar Jamisolanim lobbied for its separation from the mother town (I hope I got my facts right).
And I am sure I met Malou a couple of times at the 6th Municipal Circult Court of Tagoloan town where I worked before. Malou eventually migrated to the US and married her husband Richard.
Malou and I also came from the same high school run by the RVM sisters, the St. Mary’s High School of Tagoloan. Malou has model looks too and she recalled that her first sewing machine was given to her by her husband’s co-worker. She lost no time and started sewing play clothes for daughters Genevieve and Allyson when they were little. I am proud of this fellow Marian, fellow Misamisnon.
Soar high, Malou, I’m just in the sidelines writing about your success. With her talent, she can go anywhere.