Fashion mini-roundup: New BCBG, Samsung, Thread 365 stores open in the metro

It seems that there will always be something new to see in Manila, no matter what your hobbies and interests are. Fashionistas and techies and those who just plain love to accessorize, in particular, would do well to take note of three of the many newly-opened shops in different parts of the metro that will cater to your passions.

BCBG

The BCBG Max Azria flagship store officially opened its doors to the public last October 9 at the ground floor atrium of the EDSA Shangri-la mall.

The store launch also introduced the BCBG Max Azria’s 2013 Fall Collection, called Wild Life and Lady Remix. Wild Life is inspired by an eclectic style—the color palettes are a rich blend of blues and burgundies, while Lady Remix experiments by marrying tomboy chic and ladylike structures.

The Wild Life collection—which includes shift dresses, tunics, loose pants, and jackets—features three dimensional embroidery, striped eco leather, and fabric blocking details. Lady Remix uses fabrics spanning from a variety of crepe suiting, silky georgette, lace accents, and silk and cotton canvas.

Both collection carry items suited for the Philippine “ber” climate. The pieces, when worn separately, are light enough for the country’s holiday weather.

Samsung Experience Store

The largest Samsung Experience Store in the country opened at SM Aura last month. Designed by Casa Arkitektura in the modern minimalist style, the store has an invitingly wide entrance leading to the high-rise Samsung hub with a predominantly white interior (and furniture).

Inside, one can find everything you'd come to expect from a Samsung store. The aisles are lined  with bins containing the latest Samsung products. The display area is generously spaced, giving the clients room to move freely while testing the units. Perhaps the only imposing feature in the store would be the nine units of 42 inches LED TV screens mounted together to make a 3x3 wall display designed to grab the attention of both in house guests and passerby.

But surprisingly, this tech center’s main attraction is nothing state of the art. During weekends, events, and special activities, real people grace the window display. Models and sketch artists are some of those who have embellished the aperture since its recent opening.
“The window display are always used to communicate the relationship of one’s lifestyle with our products,” said Anna Manansala of Samsung.

“Our products are used by people, so when people instead of gadgets do the talk, it becomes more accessible to our consumers,” she adds.

Recently, during the introduction of a featured phone, a sketch artist sat behind the window display and drew his spectators using the mobile device instead of his sketch pad. When fashion models posed for the pane, they demonstrated the camera and editing features of the product being advertised.

Thread 365

As international designer Giorgio Armani put it, the t-shirt is “the Alpha and Omega of the fashion alphabet.”

The company Terry S.A. Incorporated seemed to be following this maxim when they created Thread 365, a brand dedicated solely to creating nothing but the classic shirt.

Thread 365 is a homegrown brand that offers t-shirts for all shapes and sizes; and while  a handful of local labels manufacturing t-shirts already exist, Thread 365 is the only label that carries the shirt as its exclusive product.

For its October 8 launch, the company invited guests to their warehouse. Absent of the usual litany of welcoming remarks, the launch relied on their photo walls to do the talking. In a long hallway hung pictures taken by photographer Sara Black of 38 individuals who donned the shirts in their individual styles.

The 38 men and women came from diverse fields—Rockstar Basti Artadi, model Brent Javier, DJ Mars Miranda, food connoisseur Alexandra Rocha, and athlete Melissa Gohing among them. Plain, accessorized, with rolled-up sleeves, loose, with a scarf—these personalities demonstrated the uniqueness and versatility of the shirt.

Thread 365's cotton t-shirts come in black, white, red, navy blue, and gray; in v-necks, tank tops, and crew cuts. They can be bought online for P595 to P1,195, prices applicable to both the men and women's collection. — VC, GMA News