Philippine Reps for AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017 Announced

This is no ‘April Fools‘, but the Top 2 designers to represent the Philippines at the upcoming AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017 has been announced yesterday, April 1, 2017!

Held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong, the regional fashion designer competition kicked off its first round of auditions at Manila yesterday where Jerome Tayao and Maria “Esme” Palaganas have been chosen to represent the Philippines to the Grand Finale which will take place in Kuala Lumpur this August.

AirAsia Runway Philippines Top 12 Finalists

AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017

The AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017 has expanded to cover all 10 ASEAN countries this year, and will provide aspiring designers the opportunity of a lifetime to compete on a regional level and showcase their collection on a professional runway during the KL Fashion Week Ready to Wear.

Aspiring Filipino designers went through extensive rounds of judging yesterday and were selected based on design creativity, originality, consistency of their collection, adherence to the Asean theme, practicality and stage presentation potential.

Mr. Andrew Tan, Founder of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week

Selection from the Top 12 Finalists @ EDSA Shangri-La Hotel

A total of over 50 participants were shortlisted from a pool of online submissions with representations from top fashion schools across the Philippines such as De La Salle University, Fashion Institute of the Philippines, University of the Philippines, and School of Fashion and the Arts.

“The great turnout today signifies how AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search has evolved into a powerhouse competition for aspiring fashion designers from across the region to compete…Surely, it will be a tough competition and we  are sure that the Top 2 selected today will do the Philippines proud during the Grand Finale in August,” shares Hannah Serrano, Head of Crewing for Philippines AirAsia.

The regional auditions will continue in all the capital cities throughout all Asean countries where two from each country will be selected to battle for the top honour during the Grand Finale in Kuala Lumpur this August.

AirAsia Runway Philippines

Looking Forward to Kuala Lumpur

Both finalists from the audition in Manila will stand a chance to win 150,000 AirAsia BIG Points; PHP280,000.00 fund to produce a capsule collection to be sold on fashionvalet.com; a six-page fashion spread in AirAsia’s in-flight magazine, Travel3Sixty; AirAsia flights and mentorship from the KLFW RTW, apart from a confirmed slot to showcase their full collection in KL Fashion Week RTW 2018.

The panel of judges for the audition yesterday consisted of:

• Andrew Tan, Founder of KLFW RTW
• Hannah Serrano, Head of Crewing for Philippines AirAsia
• Veen Dee Tan, Head of Marketing for FashionValet
• Suki Salvador, Vice President, Creative Director & Editor for One Mega Group
• Anthony Ramirez, Philippines Fashion Designer

AirAsia Runway Philippine Representatives

AirAsia is also KLFW RTW 2017’s Preferred Travel Partner and will be flying in fashion designers from AirAsia and AirAsia X Groups’ extensive route network including India, Japan, China, South Korea and Australia to showcase their latest collection at the KLFW RTW runway.

Follow AirAsia’s Youtube Channel for webisodes featuring the journey of all participants for the Asean-wide AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017, or follow their Twitter @AirAsia and Facebook Page.

Jerome Tayao and Maria “Esme” Palaganas have been chosen to represent the Philippines to the Grand Finale which will take place in Kuala Lumpur this August

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Congratulations to Esme and Jerome, make the Philippines proud! #AirAsiaRunway