Fashion by the Wedding Designers of the Philippines (FWDP)
May 30, 2008
The most special article of clothing a woman will ever own is her wedding gown. Into the making of a wedding gown must go the best of a designer’s artistry, the right choice of fabric and embellishments and the ability to pardon the pun “marry” what the client wants with what is practicable, workable, and most important of all, affordable.This was what designers Jerome Ang, Joel Bautista, Susie Bonaobra, Delby Bragais, Joel Escober, Carmen Lazaro, Michelle Lim, Dennis Martin, Shanon Pamaong, Ruel Rivera and Edwin Uy had in mind when they joined forces to put up FWDP , or Fashion by the Wedding Designers of the Philippines.
The group was put up in October 2006. Lim is its president while Pamaong Is its chairman
Most of the members of the group are already established designers, but they agreed to work together to fulfill the group’s main objective, which, according to Lim, is basically to “standardize the wedding gown industry.
Because wedding gowns are so in demand the whole year round (especially during the months of December and January), competition among designers are stiff. This tends to drive prices up, and ultimately, it is the client that suffers. By coming together, the group hopes to create a cooperative, not a competitive, environment in which designers work together instead of against each otherñ
Practices like undercutting which is when a designer sacrifices quality and offers the lowest possible price just to bag client’s nod and get the job will now become a thing of the past.
With FWDP in the picture, clients can be assured not only of ease in finding the perfect and most affordable wedding gown; they will also be assured that while prices remain affordable, quality is not sacrificed since the members of FWDP are all established and respected designers and known names in wedding gown design.
“Our focus is to gather the best designing talent there is ans set standards in the wedding gown industry.” Says Lim. “By bonding together, we create awareness for ourselves and for the industry as a whole.
FWDP doesn’t see itself as competing with other bridal designers, or other designers for that matter. “There is no competition,” says Pamaong.
“We have our own style as designers, and the market (for wedding gowns) is so big that there’s room for everybody. Specifically we want to prove that you can get a wedding gown that is of good quality with a very reasonable price.”
Lim adds that FWDP was formed to serve as a support group to each other “In the fashion business, everything changes quickly, from the forecast to business planning to marketing. So there would be times that we would just sit down and share to each other new techniques and knowledge. It would also be nice to see how each of us grows in the industry.
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