Freeway x Manansala NACS Holiday 2011 Launch

When Freeway launched Freeway Loves Art: National Artist Collectors’ Series in 2009, it did not just make a fashion statement.  It also was an avenue for the younger generation to get to know some of our country’s celebrated national artists that we all are to be proud of.

Freeway has by far featured National Artists Nick Joaquin (Literature), Ang KiuKok (Visual Arts), Jose Garcia Villa (Literature), Ramon Valera (Fashion Design) and the first living NA in the series, F. Sionil Jose (Literature).

I came in a wee bit early, so I was able to have a look see on Freeway’s Manansala Collection. I got my eyes on a few pieces and decided right on that I’d have to take home at least a couple. This is by far, my favorite of all the NACS features.

The details of the work of art on the clothing pieces are pretty impressive.

I also got to take home a little something 🙂

Vicente Manansala, National Artist for Visual Arts

Here’s a little something about Vicente Manansala:

Manansala consistently worked in the figurative mode, with the exception of a few abstract works. Shunning Amorsolo’s rural idylls, he developed a new imagery based on the postwar urban experience. The city of Manila, through the vision of the artist, assumed a strong folk character. He painted an innovative mother and child, Madonna of the Slums, 1950, which reflected the poverty in postwar Manila. Besides the mother-and child, his subjects included jeepnevs, barong-barong, cockfighters, families gathering for a modest meal, and Quiapo women vendors of various goods.

The cubist aspect of Manansala’s work rests largely on the geometric facetting of forms and in the shifting and overlapping of planes. But his facets and planes are broader than in original cubism as they bring out larger rhythms. Here and there, he incorporates linear decorative patterns, as in the ironwork curlicues of gates and windows. In his work, he developed the style of transparent cubism which was generally shared by his fellow neo-realists Cesar Legaspi and Romeo Tabuena.

Online Istariray, Kikay Corner and Badudets (while waiting for the launch to start)

Tim Yap and Divine Lee hosted the launch

These lovely Brazilian models ramped away clothed in Freeway X Manansala NACS. A few of which are a little similar with my favorites in Omnia. The cut, not the designs though. The Manansala collection is class of its own. Here are a few of my favorites.

Also present during the launch were Ronna Manansala, granddaughter of Vicente Manansala, Cedie Lopez-Vargas of the The Lopez Museum and Maritess Mendoza-Pineda, President of Friends of Manansala Foundation. These ladies shared interesting stories about Vicente Manansala.

Here’s what I got to take home with me. To be safe, I bought the medium size. Turned out small should have fit me better.  I was told I can have it exchanged within 7 days. But I thought I’d keep the medium just in case all the calories that I’ve been devouring on get back at me.

Wearing art rocks! A little too big but clearly a size I can get away with.

This, I think, is a very versatile top I can mix and match with a handful of clothing pieces I have. I got the XS size, just because I thought it was already loose to begin with. Yes, it fits me just right. 🙂

Freeway Loves Art: National Artist Collectors’ Series is timeless fashion. Head over to Freeway on Facebook to check out their latest.