Twenty-one-year-old Joy Chicano flew all the way from Eastern Samar to showcase and impress seasoned designers with his own visual idea of what a good wardrobe should look like.
Last Sunday, at the finale of ETC’s Project Runway Philippines, Chicano realized his dream after he was announced winner of this season’s fashionable competition aired Sunday, Sept. 21.
Chicano, who loves to experiment with shapes and patterns to make his design scream “avant-garde,” walked home bagged the cash prize of P250,000.00 (to start his new collection), and as part of the package given to him, he will also get a spread in Mega Magazine to showcase his work.
Young designer Joy Chicano of Eastern Samar is the winner in the latest season of Project Runway Philippines
In an interview with the press, in a lunch organized by ETC last Wednesday, the budding designer talked about how he discovered his own aesthetic sense and style by playing with patterns.
“I channel my emotions through my work. I guess it would be hard for me to function if it’s the other way around. It allows me to visualize what the piece I’m going to create will look like. In the same sense, all my emotions are translated in my designs and they dictate what the final look of the wardrobe would be,” he told the select members of the press.
This Hotel and Management student had to defy his parents to pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer. He said his parents stopped giving his allowance and did not support his education when he decided to drop out of school and enroll at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines. True enough, Chicano succeeded in following his gut feeling.
“I went to Manila on my own because I felt that it was the right thing to do, even if it meant rebelling against my parents,” Chicano shared.
he other designers that made it to the Top 3 along with Chicano were Celine Borromeo of Cebu and Jared Servano of Koronadal City.
VERY WANG 