By Jonathan de Santos
Meet the first lady of Philippine couture
Once an unknown designer sending sketches to the Manila Times simply signed ‘Slim’, Salvacion Lim-Higgins turned an interest in fashion into a style that changed the face of Philippine fashion.
Fusion Fashion Slim’s sketches were soon turned into actual creations when she opened her first shop in Malate in 1947 before later transferring to Taft Avenue.
She traveled to Europe and to New York to study at the Traphagen School of Design. But by 1952, she was already exploring the use of indigenous materials and elements in couture. Her first solo show featured designs inspired by the culture of Filipino muslims.
By combining contemporary design concepts with traditional touches, her haute couture became fashion- able for a night on the town, and not just the town fiesta.
She has designed for Imelda Cojuangco, Armi Kuusela-Hilario, Chito Madrigal-Collantes, Chona Kasten, Helen Benitez, and Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil. One of her creations, a gift to First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, is even on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution.
Slim’s Fashion and Arts School, which she established in 1960, further confirms her role as one of Philippine fashion’s guiding lights as the school continues to cultivate the dreams of a new generation of designers.
And because art begets art, there is little wonder that her son Mark Lewis Higgins is also an artist. Focusing on the interplay between East and West, Mark is a painter by training but is also involved in theater production. He conceptualized and designed the Oriental-inspired costumes for the Manila run of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Slim and Mark are just two of the artists in Full Circle: Creativity Moving Through Generations at the Yuchengco Museum. Full Circle brings together artists from five Chinese Filipino families to show how creativity flows from generation to generation.
Print ed: 06/10
SOURCE: China Business