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Arts Correspondent

Designers, photographers and models in the country are set to benefit from several workshops to be conducted by world acclaimed designer John Ablaza from the Philippines. Ablaza, an accomplished and renowned fashion designer from the Philippines, will visit the country next week and deliver a series of educational and inspirational workshops for fashion designers, photographers and models together with photographer Jenifer Morales Evans and model Bea Rose Santiago.Ablaza’s workshops will be held in Harare and Bulawayo and the organisers noted in a statement that they are optimistic that the workshops will benefit in developing local talent.

“It is exciting to announce that the renowned international designer from the Philippines John Ablaza will be coming to Zimbabwe, by invitation of the US Embassy and in partnership with KUSIKA Design Centre, Zedlabel, Mustard Seed Africa, Hunnar Management Agency and Zimbabwe International Film & Festival (ZIFF) from the July 19 until August 6 2016,” reads the statement.

According to a local fashion blogger Tendai Kamusikiri Ablaza is an international eco-fashion designer, renowned for his use of sustainable local materials in his couture designs.

Ablaza is recognised for these majestic and awe-inspiring collections that have been cultivated over his 25 year career.

The designer’s career is renowned for his passion in using sustainable raw materials and natural products to create his designs.

He is known for his structured creations with simple lines and defined patterns; deriving much of his inspiration from nature.

“His passion can further be appreciated in his Couture and Culture Fashion Show, having founded the platform so as to merge his passion for fashion and eco-friendly designs by bridging the gap between his native Philippine culture and fashion,” writes Kamusikiri.

Couture and Culture Fashion Show has showcased in several international continents including the United States, Canada, parts of Europe and Asia as well as his home country of Manila, Philippines.

In 1998, Ablaza was appointed to re-create a replica collection of Philippian National Hero, Dr Jose Rizal for the Rizal Museum under the Philippine National Centennial Commission.

As a celebration to the centennial Independence of the Philippines community, the Rizal Museum successfully travelled to various cities of the Philippines and Europe, showcasing the Iberian culture and clothing of the legendary Filipino hero with warm reception from the Filipino community and the international audience.

His passion in sustainable production and environmentally friendly materials has seen him collaborate with the Mangyan tribe of Puerto Gallera in Oriental Mindoro where under the Ayala Foundation, Ablaza has provided training skills and guidance in basic dressmaking and embroidery to help the women from the Mangyan community to better sustain themselves and uplift their livelihoods.

John Ablaza is also the author and founder of a coffee table book titled “Ramp Diva Filipina”; a tribute book to honour the runway divas and models of the Philippine modelling industry from the 1970s to 2000.

With a career that has spanned over 25 years, Ablaza is a designer that seeks to make the world a better place by bringing fashion and culture together to create haute couture.