From Ilocos, a rising fashion star

  Ilocano designer Arniel Amor Albano, 31, did not know what meant the limits of pressure and, until he joined the past "Project Runway Philippines."

Although he only won the third place, he knows his customers in Ilocos as Governor Imee Marcos, the women of the clan Fariñas, and even customers flying to Manila, which was discovered on the internet.

Albano is Ilocos pride in the province on the map of the Philippine fashion set.

When parents separate Albano, he grew up with his grandmother Teodora Javier Norte in Laoag. He studied at the University of the Arts Ilocos, learn to make handicrafts such as bags, pillows, blankets and baskets. To make ends meet, he worked as an assistant to a designer based in Laoag.

He then turned to English AB Data Center, before transferring to the Bel Arte School of Fine Arts to get a degree in fine arts.

Mentors demanding

Connected at the urging of the town Leaño mate Randy, the "Project Runway" Season 2, Albano went to the audition in Baguio, to show his clothes: a pleated cocktail dress, empire dress and a black number with geometric laser cut

Candidates for Season 3 stayed in a condo and worked on their designs under enormous pressure. Albano credits mentors Rajo Laurel and Jojie to encourage Llorenç. Albano said Llorenç was demanding on the joints and target if the dress did not have the standards of the brand, repeat the competitors for the job.

At the start of the contest until the end of Albano in the bottom three, up to the sixth episode, which he completed in the male sketching on a tablet. In episode 7, he won again for her fishnet dress, which was built as a vase and decorated with lace and electrical lines.

Towards the end of the competition, Albano has run out of ideas, he says, he makes on dresses with a train serpentina stuck. Lloren told him the pieces resembled those beauty pageants and not for "Project Runway". Albano then made a mini dress with fishnet stockings and pink roses ball. The design has landed in the top fifth

Unusual forms

Now Albano wins a growing clientele. Last year, when Marcos was governor for a local designer dress her for the first State of the Province Address (SOPA) seeks to design, contacting a Tourism Officer Albano. The designer worked with a Weber Paoay inabel a royal blue, a local fabric that was made in a terno with a train. In the last Sopa, he made a pink terno, also made cut from inabel for Marcos.

As a proof of the confidence of the governor in the Designer Albano was allowed to keep a showroom next to the Imelda Collection, an accessories store of the former First Lady, the mall Tabacalera inspired.

Customers include Albano Ankle Fariñas, wife of Mayor Michael Fariñas of Laoag, socialite Chistine Umali-Fariñas and Provincial Treasurer Josephine Calajate. He was also a featured artist for L'Oreal event.

Albano, who admires Rajo Laurel and extravagant style of Michael Cinco, has a penchant for creating experiments with curtains to unusual shapes and serpentine skirts. If some customers asked him to embellish their clothing with crystals and pearls, he went further by Capiz shells.

The only thing "Project Runway" had taught him patience Albano said. "I used to rush to make clothes. Now find a simple me at least three hours."