The average little girl would want to have that Cinderella ball gown once in her life – the luxuriant skirt, the intricate beadwork, those little crystals that shimmer under the right lighting conditions.
And then there are those girls who refuse to be pegged as princesses, they are those who dance to the beat of their own drums, the kind who would pick flowers in the prairie and place said flowers on their hair. There’s a primal-ness to that beauty, a beauty that is both polished and raw, a combination of the rustic-ness associated with luxurious log manses and Daisy Buchanan and la vie boheme.
For some, that traditional ultra-feminine lacy ensemble might work.
For others, there’s an entirely different box: a box of flapper era fashion meeting boho chic mixed with a little sensuality as silken fabric touches bare skin.
For the latter, that girl who refuses to be pegged as traditional, there’s Kat Padilla’s creations.
Kat is probably one of the youngest designers in the city, and also one of the most talented. She started in the biz only in 2013 – that’s just six years – but already, young girls are falling head over heels over her designs.
A quick look at her Facebook page – see Kat Padilla Atelier – and you can see a polished touch of a professional, an extremely talented protégé of the arts creating designs for young ingénue.
Kat reveals to DNX that she had her start when she made her sister’s wedding gown.
“When the photos were out, I got my first two clients and in less than six years I have designed more than 300 wedding gowns,” she says.
A testament of her talent would be the fact that well-known fashion icons in show business – Anne Curtis, Maricar Reyes, and Bea Alonzo – have recognized that independent style and spirit and agreed to be some items from the young designer’s collection.
No less than Maita Gasataya, wife of Bacolod Cong. Greg Gasataya, approached Kat to be among those featured for the Born Brave fashion show on October 12 at the SMX Convention Bacolod. The event, directed by Rodney Ascalon, is in collaboration with the office of the Bacolod congressman, the avowed champion for mental health. Proceeds of the benefit show will go to Youth for Mental Health – Bacolod Chapter, and Happy Hearts Foundation.
“I immediately said yes!” she says of her response to be with Born Brave, “I didn’t know that it was for a cause at first but when I saw some posts, I knew that this will benefit a lot of our brothers and sisters who were born brave. I am so happy to be part of this event.”
Knowing about health and giving back is nothing new for Kat, a former nurse.
“As a nurse by profession, I feel that mental health is not given much focus and importance in our country. But I am still hoping and praying that in the near future, there will be more programs like this and more government officials will give a little of their time in supporting mental health by building hospitals and offer free medical assistance and medicine maintenance to our brothers and sisters who suffer from mental illness,” she adds.
