Art, fashion and sustainability converge at the City of Dreams
Lay An Orlina was preparing laksa and no one was going to refuse the spicy noodle dish, especially when it included a visit to Ramon Orlina’s atelier. The laksa was the side show to the main event being cooked up by ManilArt founder and president Amy Loste and Bayo Atelier owners Leo and Anna Laygon. While they moved in different circles, Loste in the world of visual arts and the Lagons in the retail apparel circles, they reimagined a collaboration of art and fashion within the realm of conscious living. Their shared desire to add heritage, innovation and sustainability into the equation birthed Lamina 2025. Both Ramon Orlina and his daughter Anna are participating in this curated lifestyle fair.
Lamina derives from the Latin reference to layers. It is also an anagram for Manila. The three-day event brings together notable names in a showcase that redefines luxury from just being about possessions to having a purpose that considers the needs of future generations. This will happen at the City of Dreams, which is also celebrating its 10th anniversary. The luxury integrated resort has become a platform for Filipino talent over the last decade.
COD vice president Charisse Chuidian said, “We fully support the flourishing local art scene and are elated to co-present the inaugural visual arts and fashion lifestyle fair in the Grand Ballroom to mark our 10th year anniversary.”
Chuidian added, “City of Dreams also aligns with the sustainability thrust of Lamina. At the heart of the resort’s world class hospitality is its commitment to deliver sustainable luxury with a vision to inspire guests that a sustainable future is a better future.”
Bayo Atelier has also been at the forefront of sustainability in the fashion realm. They have pioneered in upcycling threads from used garments and repurposing them for commercial apparel. The enterprise has tenaciously maintained a fully local enterprise, from concept to completion, eschewing the more profitable route of subcontracting abroad. They have trained members of marginalized communities to be skilled workers, providing livelihood for the improvement of lives.
Their efforts have been recognized by the United Nations. During her two-day trip to the Philippines a few months ago, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group Amina J. Mohammed said, “This is what circular economy looks like…and they’re doing it.”
Anna Lagon shared, “It was an overwhelming sense of validation for all the work we’ve poured into this journey.”
The day after the visit, Anna was invited to a closed-door round table hosted by the local UN team with top conglomerates, global finance groups and organizational leaders supporting small and medium enterprises. “Sitting at the 10-seater table was surreal,” she said. “My voice cracked while sharing our story. At the end of the meeting, DSG Amina thanked everyone with a handshake and I got a bonus hug. That hug was like the universe telling me I was on the right path and that I should go on.”
Bayo Atelier is creating the runway collection presented at the invitational opening night billed as “Luminous Threads: A Convergence of Art, Fashion, and Sustainability.” This is where craftsmanship meets cutting-edge design, and traditional techniques are transformed into visionary statements about the future. The landmark collaboration of renowned Filipino designer Patis Tesoro with French textile artist Francis Dravigny weave together centuries-old traditions with a modern, sustainable ethos. Together, they have produced rich, meaningful textiles that are as much about community and craft as they are about beauty.
Bayo Atelier also executes wearable art inspired by sculptor Anna Orlina and visual artist Bea Policarpio with Anouk Tantoco, who worked with children from Best Buddies Philippines to convey the ideas of belonging, empowerment and the belief that creativity knows no boundaries.
Beyond fashion, Lamina offers a full sensory experience through different pavilions. There are exhibits featuring Dominic Rubio’s dreamlike artworks and handpainted art cars created for Museo Orlina, as well as jewelry collections where fine art and sustainability intertwine.
A wider audience is welcome to visit the pavilions and participate in the art and fashion conversation on the succeeding two days after the invitational. Besides the exhibitions, there will be panel talks in the Race to Zero event focusing on circular innovation. The last day will have the added feature of an auction and live sketching and painting by a roster of notable artis.
While the serendipitous coming together of ManilArt and Bayo Atelier resulted in an milestone event, there were stirrings of a movement that champions circular practices, the elevation of heritage artistry and the nurturing of community engagement. It considers the possibility of a world where luxury uplifts, inspires and transforms, where style and sustainability walk hand-in-hand to a radiant future. Such were the conversations over a bowl of laksa, with second servings all around.
Lamina 2025 opens with an invitational gala on May 2 at the City of Dreams Grand Ballroom. Doors open to the public on May 3 and 4 with tickets available at the venue.
