For wedding guests looking to dress with intention—elegant, culturally rooted, yet refreshingly modern, Dennis Lustico offers a compelling answer through his newly launched Filipiniana Collection. Unveiled at his pop-up space in Power Plant Mall, the collection places the kimona at the center of an enduring, wedding-appropriate wardrobe.
More than a holiday drop, the collection reflects Lustico’s philosophy of dressing beautifully with pieces that transcend trends. The kimona—lightweight, airy, and richly symbolic—emerges as an inspired alternative to cocktail dresses and gowns, especially for garden weddings, heritage venues, and daytime celebrations.
A Jewel Box of Modern Filipiniana
Lustico’s pop-up on the mall’s second level feels intimate and deliberate, almost like stepping into a private boudoir. Velvet chartreuse seating, Persian carpets, and deep red curtains cocoon guests inside a space where craftsmanship takes center stage. When the store quietly opened in November, brass racks were filled with capes, tailored vests, and fringe-detailed pencil skirts—pieces that spoke clearly of Lustico’s sharp tailoring and devotion to detail.
“I was intentional about having a quiet opening,” the designer shares. “I also knew that midway, I would be introducing a Filipiniana Collection.”
The Kimona, Revisited
Anchoring the collection is the kimona, a traditional garment from the Visayas and a variation of the camisa, historically paired with a patadyong or wrap skirt. For Lustico, the piece is deeply personal. Childhood memories of women in his province wearing the kimona inspired him to reinterpret it for today’s woman—especially one navigating modern celebrations like weddings.
The collection features five kimona designs, including versions with callado bibs. Each piña top is hand-embroidered by artisans in Laguna, with motifs drawn from local flora and even the delicate patterns of traditional fans. Paired with sarongs or tapis skirts, the looks come together as distinctly Filipino ensembles that feel effortless yet ceremonial—ideal for guests who want to honor the occasion without overpowering it.
Why It Works for Weddings
Designed as one-size-fits-all, the pieces invite playful layering, mixing, and matching. A kimona worn over a silk slip dress, paired with a tapis skirt and statement earrings, becomes an elevated wedding guest look—polished, breathable, and endlessly photogenic.
“It’s heritage dressing, but at the same time, these pieces emphasize how Philippine fashion is now essential for everyday dressing—and not just for special occasions,” Lustico explains. Handmade yet versatile, the garments are meant to be worn repeatedly and even passed on, much like heirlooms—an idea that resonates deeply within the context of weddings and family celebrations.
Craft, Community, and What’s Next
Creating a ready-to-wear Filipiniana line presented new challenges for the designer. “We worked with a completely new set of patterns and explored new techniques,” he says. Beyond design, the collection aims to spark renewed appreciation for local handcrafts, particularly embroidery and weaving.
The pop-up space itself signals a transition. Lustico hints that this is a learning phase—understanding retail, production, and space management—before establishing a permanent store in 2026.
LUSTICO’s Pop Up Space is located at R2 Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center and will run until January 31, 2026. For more information, follow @dennis_lustico.
