Metrowear designers, as they have been called, ran a no-nonsense showcase of summer clothes in light cottons, stretchable fabrics, slim silhouettes, floral prints and structured jackets for the modern Filipino man in the yearly fashion event held at the Rockwell Tent. The list included young guns Ivarluski Aseron and Joey Samson to veterans JC Buendia, Vittorio, Rhett Eala, Jun Escario, Anthony Nocom, Randy Ortiz and Philip Rodriquez. Season after season, these designers are always at the vanguard of local fashion events, unmistakably imprinting much Pinoy style and culture into their garments.

The annual Metrowear series—this year’s edition came in "pocket" shows where designers paraded full collections—has given fashionable Manila a refreshing air of Filipino style. Now on its fourth year and on its biggest offering yet, the Metrowear Gala brought back its stellar designers to the forefront of Philippine fashion for a night of beautiful clothes, innovative designs and world-class appeal.

Starting the show was Ivarluski Aseron with his trademark fabric folds and cutouts done in muted grays and whites to contrasting cobalt blues and deep purples and summer yellows. The wearable clothes were like moving art pieces as envisioned by the talk-of-the-town designer.

For JC Buendia’s collection, the designer stuck with summer staple khakis for his day suits which were then cut close to the body and accentuated with baby pinks and whites. This color palette likewise held for Philip Rodriguez’s collection but romantic embroidery (Napoleonic-style) accented the blazers for a more elegant touch.

Shifting to trendier pieces, Vittorio presented mostly in black and white with his slim, sleeveless tops gartered by suspenders and loose-legged trousers that exuded early New York street style. On the other hand, a merry mix of carefree beach- and safari-inspired clothes were seen at Jun Escario. Done in gray tones, Escario embellished his tops with circular glass as accents while blazers were cut to short-sleeve lengths.

And, for the main menswear designer in the show, Anthony Nocom presented a rich, dapper look that brought back much classic style to Filipino men’s contemporary dressing. Slim suits in charcoal gray, black, maroon, blue and pearl-white in all-out sheen (which is the trend) are top picks for summer.

Randy Ortiz, in contrast, opted for more mixing of prints and fabrics that conveyed his current design philosophy of cool and chic. Long-shorts, cropped jackets and cummerbunds were consistent with Ortiz’s playful collection.

Young innovator Joey Samson went for layering of soft fabrics in gray, black and white for his summer look. Low-shoulder cardigans, ruched fleece jackets and origami pants resembled a sporty feel with a Zen approach to cut and detail.