Fashion Institute of the Philippines: Cagayan de Oro

The Fashion Institute of the Philippines is now in Cagayan de Oro City! Isn't that just wonderful? It is the first branch of the school outside Metro Manila and brought to us by local fashion designer Mimi Parrel-Pimentel in partnership with the school's founder and acclaimed Canadian-Filipino designer Shanon Pamaong.

We toured the school at its' launch yesterday and ofcourse, met Shanon and Mimi who were both very sweet that we felt comfortable right away. They had video showings of the past graduates collections, Shanon's Philippine Fashion Week Collection and the student winner trip to Paris, which was all quite exciting to think that someday soon it will be the students here who will be experiencing all that!

Going into the lecture room reminded me so much of my classrooms back in FIDM. Although, we never had a wonderful view of a park with floor-to ceiling glass picture windows! Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. And just in case you were wondering, you will not hear the noise from outside which makes it just perfect. For the moment, there is only one lecture room and one work/lab/general room, but that is all you need to get your designing groove on :-)

Mimi wearing yellow with (behind her) to the left her husband and to the right Shanon and the lovely people who provided the live musical show for the launch (so sorry! I do not know their names, but they are great!)

Here an excerpt about the school and it's students taken from their brochure:

"Established in 2003 by then Canada/Paris-based designer Shanon Pamaong (Canadian Faces of Fashion Awardee and Fashion Week 2007 Hewlett-Packard Best Designer Awardee, pioneer faculty of La Salle College International), the Fashion Institute of the Philippines have produced grand winners in design competitions: Aries Lagat (Mega Young Designer Grand Champion 2006, Project Runway 1st Season Grand Champion), John Herrera (Mega Magazine Most Promising Designer Awardee, Represented the Philippines in the Japan Design Competition), Jerome Ang (Represented the Philippines in the Singapore Design Competition), Regine Dulay (Represented the Philippines in the Arts of Fashion Design Competition in Miami, Florida), Paul Herrera (Young Designer Competition for Paris Grand Winner - Acessories Division), Vanessa Ang (Mega Young Designer Grand Champion 2008) and countless of runners-up and finalists in various national and internation competitions."

The CDO branch will start classes on March 7, and you can take up these courses: Basic Fashion Design, Basic Pattern Making, Advance Pattern Making and Haute Couture Techniques. Each course takes 8 sessions to complete and the prices are: 1 course = P8,000.00, 2 Courses = P14,000.00, 3 Courses = P18,000.00 and 4 courses (FULL PACKAGE) = P22,000.

Now really, isn't that just wonderful?! Our very own fashion institute! Yey!! If you are interested in signing up for classes, they are available March-April 2011, May-June 2011 and July-August 2011. Hurry over to the Fashion Institute of the Philippines-CDO at Jardiniano Building II, 3rd Floor, No. 1 San Agustin St., corner Rizal Street, Cagayan de Oro City. An easier way to find it? It's in Gaston Park, near the Cathedral :-) You may also call their phone number at 857.4884 or cell at 0917.701.2005.

Peace. Love. Dream. Create!