W@W Editor

Jose ‘Pitoy’ Moreno named National Artist

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seal-of-a-national-artist-of-the-philippines.jpgThe Order of National Artists (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.

President Arroyo has recently signed the proclamation honoring seven individuals who have made substantial contributions to the development of Philippine art.  The 2009 National Artists, as announced by the Office of the President, are as follows: Manuel P. Urbano (aka Manuel Conde) for his great contribution in the field of film and broadcast arts (posthumous); Lazaro A. Franscisco for literature (posthumous); Federico Aguilar Alcuaz for visual arts, paintings sculpture and mixed media; Cecilia Guidote-Alvarez for theater; Magno Jose ‘Carlo’ Caparas for visual arts and films; Francisco Bobby Manosa for architecture; and Jose ‘Pitoy’ Moreno for fashion design.

pitoy-moreno.jpgPitoy Moreno is only the second artist to be recognized in field fashion design, the first being Ramon Valera who was conferred National Artist posthumously in 2006.

Dubbed as the fashion czar of Asia, Pitoy is renowned for his beadwork, embroidery and hand painting embellish the gowns of international celebrities, politicians and royalty in his career spanning 50 years.  He introduced  jusi, piña, hablon, and accessories like tambourine to the world on international fashion pages of the Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Holiday and Le Figaro.

He was one of the earliest exponents of the Maria Clara. He re-fashioned the Barong Tagalog and made it wearable by women.  As a matter of course, the First Ladies of the Philippines have always been dressed by Pitoy, in his trademark ternos. He also did the bridal gown of former president Cory Aquino when she married Ninoy.

“The Filipina bride in a Pitoy Moreno wedding ensemble became the centerspread in the pictorial history of Philippine fashion.”

To this day, Pitoy works the full week, attending to his clients with untiring dedication. He makes it a point to be there for his brides at their weddings so he could supervise every little detail, from putting on the gown and shoes to the cutting of the cake.

“I like doing it, I like to coordinate from day one,” says Pitoy. “Sometimes, I have two weddings in a day so I hop from one place to another.”

Pitoy’s love for Filipino weddings transcends his being a fashion designer having also authored the coffee table book called “Kasalan”.  Here’s his take on Filipino weddings and the book:

“A wedding is, for me, the greatest love story ever told.  And this book is an attempt to tell that story in words and images.There is romance, folklore, nostalgia, and fashion on these pages of impressions.

Above all, there is magic. That dimension which preserves the wedding in the realm of dreams and drama, myth and memory. That mystique which gives a wedding it’s past, present, and future fascination for us all.

The book is your invitation to the Filipino Wedding. And all the magic it brings.”

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