SINULID, a yearly sending off tradition done by the Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), returned on the runway on Jan. 26 at The Podium, Mandaluyong City, presenting a theme that “goes beyond the confinement of our universe, traversing into the infinite realities with their design.”
Since 2016, SINULID has become an annual celebration anticipated by both the local and international fashion industry, serving as a launching pad for emerging talents of FDM. Being a student-led event by the graduating designers in collaboration with Aika Events & Productions and volunteers from The Mark of Designers Alliance (MODA), the premier Fashion Design organization of DLS-CSB, SINULID 2024 is another momentous milestone that celebrates the second public showcase of the event since the pandemic.
In line with this, key faculty members of the FDM program and the rest of the School of Environment and Design introduced Benilde’s new Bachelor in Textile Design (BTD), the country’s first self-standing textile program in the Philippines. In hopes to preserve Filipino culture and reinforce the sense of national identity through fashion, BTD is a pivotal pioneering program that wishes to produce graduates who will revive, represent, and advance the Philippine textile industry.
Alternate realities, 62 designers, one show
The three-day event officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting of the exhibit at The Atrium of The Podium. This was later followed by an exclusive fashion runway on the same day. The exhibition was open until Jan. 28.
The runway show program was divided into four parts namely; Continuum: Timeless Flair, Pulse: In the Moment, Frontier: Cutting Edge, and Boundless: Fusion of Eras. The event featured diversified collections from 62 promising fashion innovators, displaying a fusion of artistry and imagination as they explore the infinite diversity of identity and existence in their sustainable debut collections.
This year's edition presented a retrospective of distinct organic visions, creative processes, and design possibilities, taking spectators on “a temporal and spatial journey in the multiverse of fashion.”
The program then concluded with closing remarks by the OIC Chairperson of the FDM program, Ms. Ionica Abrahan-Lim, acknowledging the hard work of the students and the presence of everyone, especially Br. President Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC and Chancellor Benhur Ong, who came to show their support. Afterwhich, a surprise recognition on 10 most notable and outstanding collections and the announcement of special awards per category followed as a tradition of the event.
Setting off to a world beyond the College
In an exclusive interview with The Benildean, Abrahan-Lim shared her sentiments regarding the yearly event. “SINULID is [...] really a celebration. We all know that the students are talented, it's all there. So SINULID is really their coming out, their debut to the media, to the public, and of course celebrating all their hard work.”
“I feel very proud because I saw these students, you know, first year nila it was online, and they had to push through with that learning by themselves at home. The mentors are just giving instructions online pero, at the end, their third year and fourth year back to face to face, they really did everything and I think it showed in the event,” she said.
When asked what message she would want to impart to the Benildean community and to aspiring young designers, Ms. Lim encourages them to just be out there. “Be yourself, of course I know it’s a cliche but it’s really true. If you believe in your work, if you believe in yourself, you’ll really make it,” she remarked.
On another note, The Benildean also interviewed ID119 AB-FDM student, Joshua Chiong, who also expressed his feeling of fulfillment and joy. “What I like about this theme for this year’s Sinulid is that it focuses on the diverse collections of each and everyone of us [...] It feels so grand and it feels so fulfilling [...] So really it’s beyond boundaries [...] It feels great, it really feels that the efforts were paid off. I'm so happy,” he said.
Inspired by his old home, his collection titled “Sa Amoa: Garbo sa Gitago” won one of the 10 Most Notable and Outstanding Collections for SINULID 2024. For him, the event is embracing one’s individuality. “I guess SINULID means parang [...] It's like recognizing what you have. I guess it’s very important din,” Chiong shared.
Feeling grateful to the College, Chiong expressed how Benilde made a big impact on his chosen career. “They contributed a lot because they really opened my eyes to a wider or deeper knowledge on fashion, like hindi lang siya like ganon lang na surface level. So I would like to thank the College for that talaga,” he remarked.
“Thank you to the Benildean community for the support and believing in your students, and to future aspirants, believe in yourself. I think that’s very important,” he added.
SINULID is more than just an annual fashion show and a culminating event that displays the knowledge, craftsmanship, and skills of graduating FDM students of the College—it’s a representation of charisma and the uniqueness of students through their collections. As they dare to be different, they present their art into the world outside the College, going beyond boundaries.
Witness the convergence of art and fashion, featuring talented designers and an atmosphere that exudes creativity as SINULID 2024 takes you along each act through their live viewing. A full recorded show is also coming soon.
