Jullie Y. Daza
Once upon a time in a section of the ancient city there lived the most famous fashion designers. Around Remedios Circle, on its fringes or blocks away from one another, they toiled with their cotton, taffeta, lace, and tulle, and nobody bothered to ask why Malate was The Place. Why, even Myther the Tailor, the self-named “Duke of Adriatico,” was drawn to that sweet spot.
At one point, Mayor Fred Lim was taunted by busybodies in media to declare Malate a “fashion zone” to honor Filipino couturiers, the ones who had tickled the imaginations of Imelda Marcos’ titled friends and the occasional visitor from New York, London, Rome, whether model, socialite, or photographer.