LONDON - Filipinos from a Christian group in London hosted a cultural event featuring Philippine heritage and creativity. Held at a Victorian church in Notting Hill, it was attended by diverse groups of people from different backgrounds and nationalities.

The event was supported by Kensington Temple (KT), a charismatic religious movement known for its multicultural congregation and apostolic traditions. The church is popular to some members of the Filipino community in the city.

Using the theme ‘Kaleidoscope’, the show aimed to demonstrate an array of shapes, colors and patterns through music, fashion and visual spectacle.

Guests were treated to a variety of performances from young Filipinos, including a set from a Christian band, a modern dance interpretation, and some musical numbers from vocalists.

“As the church has 119 different nationalities, it celebrates the uniqueness that each culture can bring, and showcases a variety of cultural shows for the general public. It is our privilege to highlight Filipino talents for this particular show,” explained Jean Ericta, who organized the event.

The cultural program was intertwined with a number of ‘testimonials’ from members of the church, who shared how they overcame difficult experiences through an “intimate relationship with God”. It was immediately followed by a ‘revival service’ led by one of the pastors, traditionally designed to share religious teachings and to attract new converts.

The highlight came in the form of a fashion show from Filipino designer Maita Fernandez, who exhibited a couture collection inspired by a fusion between Philippine heritage and global trends.

“I had gladly agreed to showcase my collection because I am proud to be Filipino and my roots are very important to me. Networking our traditions to different ethnicities and bringing something new to other nationalities makes a mark for every Filipino in the map that I am hoping to represent,” said Fernandez, who had extensive creative training in Manila, New York and London.

The collection included her designs from the last few years, some of which have previously been shown in Manila and London, partly from her graduate show at the London College of Fashion, where she received a BA Honors Degree in Fashion Design and Technology.

Fernandez added: “This couture collection brings to life an awareness of the 3 major islands of the Philippines, and I held on to the idea of creating a modern flair. From Luzon, we have the strong ornamentation as second skin in the north (beads, glitter, body paint). Visayas brought me back to the shapes of old layering with saya and terno. Lastly, [we have] the strong royal colors of Mindanao.”

From cocktail dresses to floor-length evening gowns, the womenswear collection used a color palette of muted tones (brown, grey, pastel) and bold blocks of color (blue, purple, red, green). It is also made up of fabrics from different parts of the world, including jersey and leather from London, and Thai silk from Thailand, as well as sinamay, silk cocoon and Mindanao silk from the Philippines.

Fernandez is currently based in London and working for an international British fashion label. She continues to develop her own designs and is planning a new show later in the year. Her clothes are available through a boutique in Makati City, Philippines, and some pieces were also previously included in online fashion retailer, ASOS.

Kaleidoscope was well-received by its audience and culminated with a social mixer at the end of the show, where participants were able to mingle over snacks and refreshments.