The Philippine Star

Ricardo Preto designs for the world

His current stop: Rustan’s, where his dresses and suits are selling fast.

- By CHONX TIBAJIA

Shorts, fashion’s great equalizer, are featured prominentl­y in internatio­nal designer Ricardo Preto’s collection for his first line for Rustan’s. His version is an abbreviate­d version of tailored pants, flat and flattering in the front and flaring just above the knee — which, when worn in fashion circles, say, “I care, but not so much that I will sacrifice sitting the way that I want to.” It’s a symbol of a youthful spirit that’s present in the collection, which the designer says is not targeted at any particular age, or even season.

The Portuguese designer studied architectu­re in Lisbon, but always had an inclinatio­n towards fashion and clothes, doing local shop windows on the side. He served as an apprentice of his teacher, Maria Emilia Sobreira, and completed a handbag workshop at St. Martins School of Arts in London. He presented two collection­s at Manobras de Maio and his first collection at Portugal Fashion in 2005. He

became part of ModaLisboa the following year.

He swings from fashion to architectu­re and back again with grace, as if two people are living harmonious­ly in one mild- mannered being. His Instagram features his architect side — something that he does consciousl­y — as do his collection­s. “My clothes have a lot of structure. They are not rigid, but they are structured. A pair of pants is always going to be a pair of pants — it’s a rectangle with a cut in the middle, and you can open it and close it. My base in my clothes is the same as an architect’s, it’s the geometric shapes. So I adapt this to fabrics and make movement. Movement for me is important,” says Preto.

And just like he isn’t a fashion designer who is only interested in fashion, his clothes aren’t clothes that are only for a particular market, time or shape. “I do clothes that can stay in your wardrobe for many seasons. I’m not a season guy. I really like the cut and the fabric, and I design for people who are confident about themselves.” He does add, however, what his clients are like: “Nowadays it’s very easy to be stylish, because we have the mass market. With less money, you could do as well. But me, my clients, they make the difference, because they have a nice haircut, they know how to speak. It’s not just the wardrobe now. It’s the different things that make a person.”

His travels have led him to discover something that’s becoming increasing­ly true — people from one corner of the world are no different from those in another. And he designs accordingl­y.

“Two decades ago, for you to understand what was fashion, you had to buy a magazine, you have to see the windows of the shops. Nowadays, when there’s a fashion show, it’s already in the mainstream, already in the Internet. You can even buy it right after the show in Moda Operandi. The Internet changed the world and that’s why, although I’m located in Portugal, I design for the world,” he says.

This means spreading his fashion wings to the Philippine­s, where he recently debuted his Ricardo Preto fall/ winter 2016 collection with Rustan’s, his first brand in Southeast Asia. The collection, perfectly adapted to the local climate, features breezy but structured separates, prominent with lines that elongate the body. Preto, who has always dreamt of working in Asia, says, “Nowadays we don’t have the collection­s so strict like we have in the past. If you’ve seen the catwalk in the past decades, the winter is not so winter and the summer is not so summer. In Europe, you put on a dress and then you put on a winter coat. All places have air conditioni­ng. So it’s not a question of doing the seasons. In Europe, I add heavy jackets, but the philosophy of the collection is the same.”

The prints are inspired by the local foliage and semi-precious stones — things we take for granted but the designer finds interestin­g. “When I arrived in the Philippine­s, the green… it’s amazing. Everything grows. They grow on the street. It’s something that inspires me. This was the inspiratio­n for the print. But what really inspires me is the beauty and harmony, that’s what I want to put in my work.” He adds, “I started studying the Philippine­s, and thinking about who is the Filipino woman and man. How do they want to dress? And I realized they are no different. Nowadays we think globally.”

Twelve years in the fashion industry has seen Preto collaborat­ing for a variety of brands, including Levi’s and Nike. “Every year, I did work with different brands. Last year, I did sunglasses with a brand from Austria called Silhouette. I think it makes sense for a fashion designer to work with brands and do particular stuff,” he says.

For this particular partnershi­p where he designs for his label Ricardo Preto Exclusive for Rustan’s and U by Ricardo Preto, the designer went all-out. “With the contract with Rustan’s, I moved my production from Portugal to Italy. So the collection­s are upgraded. It’s the job now of the fashion designer to be with the big groups. Rustan’s, looks to me, is one of the big groups in the Philippine­s.”

Preto’s first collection is something to be excited about. It has a youthful spirit and a lot of mixand-match potential. And Rustan’s Commercial Corporatio­n president Donnie Tantoco, creative director for fashion Katrina Tantoco-Lobregat, and Dina Arroyo-Tantoco only have high hopes. Donnie himself has been wearing Ricardo Preto every day since it was launched this month. “It costs six times less than the suit I thought I needed to buy to look good,” Donnie said, and it looks like he, with the rest of us, can expect Ricardo Preto to keep on delivering the same level of quality

and style. The designer says, “I’m very loyal to my aesthetic. If the brand invites me, it’s because they understand what I’m doing. And I love what I’m doing. I live for my work. Work, for me, sometimes can be hard, but not heavy. I am very honored.”

 ??  ?? Fashion designer Ricardo Preto joins Rustan's with his label, Ricardo Preto, and U by Ricardo Preto.
Fashion designer Ricardo Preto joins Rustan's with his label, Ricardo Preto, and U by Ricardo Preto.
 ??  ?? Internatio­nal designer Ricardo Preto (center) launches his fall/winter collection for Ricardo Preto and U by Ricardo Preto, exclusivel­y available at Rustan’s.
Internatio­nal designer Ricardo Preto (center) launches his fall/winter collection for Ricardo Preto and U by Ricardo Preto, exclusivel­y available at Rustan’s.
 ?? Photos by Ernie Peñaredond­o ?? The Portuguese designer’s love for structure, from his background in architectu­re, sits harmonious­ly with his philosophy of designing for movement. All these are featured in his fall/winter collection for Ricardo Preto for Rustan’s.
Photos by Ernie Peñaredond­o The Portuguese designer’s love for structure, from his background in architectu­re, sits harmonious­ly with his philosophy of designing for movement. All these are featured in his fall/winter collection for Ricardo Preto for Rustan’s.
 ??  ?? Ricardo Preto makes stylish everyday wear for U by Ricardo Preto, exclusivel­y for Rustan’s.
Ricardo Preto makes stylish everyday wear for U by Ricardo Preto, exclusivel­y for Rustan’s.
 ??  ?? Shorts bring a youthful spirit to Ricardo Preto's collection for Rustan's.
Shorts bring a youthful spirit to Ricardo Preto's collection for Rustan's.
 ??  ?? Rustan’s marketing communicat­ions head Dina Arroyo-Tantoco and Rustan’s Commercial Corporatio­n president Donnie Tantoco
Rustan’s marketing communicat­ions head Dina Arroyo-Tantoco and Rustan’s Commercial Corporatio­n president Donnie Tantoco
 ??  ?? Rustan’s senior buyer for men’s division Paolo Lobregat and creative director for fashion Katrina Tantoco-Lobregat
Rustan’s senior buyer for men’s division Paolo Lobregat and creative director for fashion Katrina Tantoco-Lobregat

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