A posh cocktail welcomed guests, including the A-list from society, entertainment, politics, fashion, and business. Garbed in local couture, the ballroom was filled with the who’s who, led by SOFA (School of Fashion and Arts) executive Amina Aranaz-Alunan, make-up artist Chechel Joson, to name a few. Also spotted were top model/endorser Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales, tv personalities and celebrities Bianca Gonzales and Mariel Rodriguez, Bb Gandanghari, Carla Humphrey, Dion Ignacio, beauty queen Priscilla Meirelles, and Diether Ocampo with girlfriend Rima Ostwani. Singer Karylle, MEGA magazine’s cover girl for April, was also spotted in a Louis Vuitton head-to-toe ensemble.

Also seen enjoying the evening, among others, were real estate heiress Divine Lee, husband-and-wife David and Mai Kaufman, RJ Ledesma and wife Vanessa, columnists Tim Yap and JR Isaac, Steph Zubiri, Chris and Katrina Feist, prominent designers like Randy Ortiz, Joji Lloren, Puey Quinones, Joel Escober, Vic Barba, and Frederick Peralta. GMA/QTV11 top executives Ida Henares and Gigi Lara also graced the event.

While there was an abundance of society’s crème de la crème, the night undeniably belonged to this year’s group of budding designers vying for the eighth YDC crown. Host Issa Litton opened the event with a retrospective AVP honoring various YDC notables, who have become movers in the industry, such as Furne One, Rajo Laurel, Oj Hofer (1994), Mario Rotersos, Michi Calica-Sotto (1995), Raul Ramirez, Patrice Ramos-Diaz (1997), Noni Diza, Edwin Ao, Hadji Godinez (2000), Alex Pigao, LZ Punzalan, Ivarluski Aserion, Mich Dulce (2002), Gian Romano, Ferdie Abuel (2004), Aries Lagat, Veejay Floresca (2006).

Laurel, Ramos-Diaz, Pigao, Aseron and Dulce— all YDC protégés — made up this year’s judges, with MEGA’s editor-in-chief Carla Sibal heading the panel.

The grand runway showdown of 40 towering and stunning models from Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP) gave life to this year’s theme, “Cultural Transformation”, featuring the collections of the eight finalists.

The show, by seasoned director Jackie C. Aquino, opened with the creations of Kathleen Conde, whose designs were inspired by the barong, an indisputable symbol of Philippine history and culture. Aptly titled “Barong”, the pieces featured embellishments of images of well-known heroes who have helped shape the country’s social landscape.

Then, there was an interpretation of the union of high and low cultures– “Fashioning Out the Gap”— through deconstructed but wearable statement pieces by Brandy Parrenas.

The versatility of abaca was highlighted in JC Sasoy’s “Daku,” a collection accentuated with puffed sleeves and layers made of an elegant material, abaca silk.

Vanessa Ang, fresh from an internship in thriving fashion district New York City, debuted a collection that showcases “Transparency,” an attitude prevalent among many cultures, including the Philippines.

Taking inspiration from the works and cubist technique of renowned Filipino painter Vincent Manansala, Mique Yapching, a young talent from Cebu, executed his set “Spiral in Motion”, his masterpieces that blended art and fashion in fluid harmony.

Maria Clara finds contemporary fashion in Earl Gariando’s “The Assumption of Urban Maria,” a collection that drew inspiration from the trapezoidal structure of our forefathers’ panuelos.

Juan Karlo Vicente’s “Fasians,” a wardrobe was inspired by the circular/tubular shape of the malong and was derived from the concepts of migration and adaptation.

Last, but definitely not the least, was Maricar Dizon’s “Reviving the Art of Pabalat”, a modern take on the art of traditional paper-cutting technique commonly used in wrapping homemade Filipino sweets.

After the finalists’ turn, the MEGA YDC ramp paved way to a homecoming. Aries Lagat, 2006 YDC titleholder, lit up the stage to the excitement of the awe-struck crowd as he presented his 2009 collection exclusively made for the YDC audience. As in most competitions, Lagat, through his models Raya Mananquil, Faith Beliran, Ann Casas, Grace Tagle-Arigo, and Jasmine Maierhofer, sashayed on his last “walk”, as he passed on the title and the prestige to the next in line.

The energy inside the ballroom intensified when Vanessa Ang was proclaimed the grand winner of this year’s YDC. The crowd cheered as a stunned but jubilant Ang, the first lady winner of YDC, returned to the runway to receive prizes worth over half a million pesos. MEGA Publishing Group CEO and president Sari V. Yap and Carla Sibal presented Ang with a beautiful and elegant trophy, crafted by sculptor Mulawin Abueva, son of Philippine National Artist Napoleon Abueva. Ang also received a fashion feature in MEGA, a full SOFA scholarship, and a whopping P100,000!

“All of them, actually, are winners. The YDC, once again, opened for these budding artists the highway to success in the Philippine fashion scene. The opportunities out there are endless, but I say, these need to be coupled with determination, hard work, passion, and the right attitude. We, from MEGA Publishing Group, are elated and glad that we become part of the journey of Vanessa and of the rest,” enthused Yap.

Also winners, in their own right, were model Sarah Meier and beauty queen Miriam Quiambao, who were acclaimed as “L’Oreal Paris Lady of the Night” and “L’Oreal Professionel Lady of the Night” respectively. The two received special gifts, handed by L’Oreal brand managers Nina Solano and Leonard Tiongson.

The entire YDC was covered by TV partner GMA/QTV11, which will produce a documentary, in partnership with MEGA Publishing Group, about the country’s young designers and fashion notables, whose roots can be traced from MEGA’s Young Designers Competition.

Sponsors that helped mount the eighth edition of the YDC included Edsa Shangri-La, SOFA, L’Oreal Paris, L’Oreal Professionnel, Carolina’s, NEO Day Spa, Skin Food, Magnolia Fruit Drink, Magnolia Health Tea, Magnolia Pure Water.

Photos courtesy of MEGA Publishing Group’s Zac Moran, Ed Simon, Mark Jacob, Paolo Buendia, Paola Aseron and Jasper Enriquez