Lizares Likes Guys in Briefs

Lizares started off their first LG Fashion Week show with a black and white video featuring a woman in bed with two guys. They wake up and realize they're late for the Lizares show, and there's another problem. One of them is handcuffed to the bed. They attempt to find the key but can't so the female and male run off screen and appear on the fashion week runway. Sounds like a night out on King West and that just about sums up the collection.

With cultural influences coming from the party island of Ibiza (although Philippines is claimed as one due to the designer's background), Brian Maristela and Lisa Harun's menswear label was filled with see-through white and beige dress shirts, lenin blazers, and accessories that would make the Armani Exchange brand beg for wholesale.
Lizares isn't as bad as I'm making it sound because it could work, if every man on earth was built like an Adonis, lived on the beach and had no confidence issues. The speedos were way too skimpy and the colour combination of gold, black and purple on one pair was not flattering. I did, however, appreciate the mixture in his blazers: leather collars and flashy in seam (either purple or gold) added a touch of elegance.

I applaud their effort in accessorizing the outfits with various military style jewelery. But seriously, what was up with the cape? That felt totally out of left field. The show was filled with neutral colours of white and beige, materials like lenin and denim, and the pieces were mostly shorts, blazers and dress shirts.

Lizares had a great model line up too, something essential to a show, however two things: what was up with the one model who posed for so long? It was as if he was waiting for a standing ovation. Another kept opening and closing his mouth every few seconds. Nervous homeboy? Wrong profession.

Verdict: it was a good effort for a first time collection (Brian is the winner of the prestigious 3M Brand Award for his designs), however, next time, oil up the models, it's more Ed Hardy that way.

Photos by Mitch Orsatti