A night of glamour and generosity
“My style is about ease and the feeling of it.” – Rhett Eala
After months of meticulous work and detailed preparations, the Red Charity Gala (RCG) delivered another outstanding event to highlight fashion and philanthropy. Year after year, co-chairs Kaye Tinga and I continue to elevate the gala to new heights while keeping the vision and passion from beginning to end.
The Peninsula Manila lobby was transformed into an elegant dinner setting for executive chef Remy Carmignani’s menu of salmon nicoise salad, halibut fillet and prawns, US beef short ribs, and raspberry chocolate for dessert. For live entertainment, the AMP Band delighted all the guests with a full big band musical. My fave signer Gail Blanco was exceptional and truly entertained everyone.
Our event stylist Robert Blancaflor outdid himself and created the most elegant tablescape with touches of red and beautiful flowers. He also arranged the logo wall at the cocktails area and the setting for the fashion show at the Rigodon Ballroom. This is the first time that the fashion show and dinner venue were in separate locations of the hotel.
During dinner, a live auction was held to generate more funds for charity. This year, my co-auctioneer Tim Yap was busy performing in the musical “The Bodyguard” so I called for backup friends like Kaye Tinga, Ferdi Salvador, and Small Laude. From artworks of Artu Nepomuceno, Ivan Acuña, Dominic Rubio, and Jigger Cruz and jewelry from DiaGold and Jewelmer to airfare packages from PAL and Emirates, guests generously participated in the exciting bidding where each winner bid higher than the value! The generosity that evening was beyond expectation.
Total donations reached around P8 million including the silent auction from The Peninsula Bangkok, Manila, New York and Shanghai, Uratex bed set, Omega Constellation watch from Lucerne, coral brooch from Riqueza, and Crate & Barrel. SM Group donated cash and Globe donated generously to the Philippine Eagle Foundation. The special package of Heavens Portfolio was won by Virginia Lane. Other major sponsors include Arthaland, Bench, Globe Platinum, and NuStar Online and table donors.
The main event took place at the Rigodon Ballroom where the couture collection of Rhett Eala was showcased with dashing Piolo Pascual as the finale. The show was an elegant display of bold fashion, Filipino creativity, and design genius of Rhett. His creations were a well-curated mix of vibrant colors and whimsical structures.
The collection of Rhett, RCG’s featured designer, is his personal exploration of creative freedom and design evolution, showcasing his ability to blend couture and wearable fashion. The 56-piece collection features new textures and reconstructed signatures, weaving his autobiographical fashion thread of 35 years of design.
Over the years, Rhett has built a reputation for designing wearable pieces that look good and feel comfortable. “My style is about ease and the feeling of it. I don’t want the dress to outshine the person wearing it,” he says.
He further adds that his collection is also an updated version of looks he became known for. These include poncho pieces, and references from his Filipino roots such as hand-painted Tipos del Pais prints on some of his pieces.
Rhett was particularly excited to present a section of the collection called “Bright Young Things,” which is “a series of structured cage dresses in covered beautiful fabrics sourced from my travels,”
The after-party at The Conservatory kept the festive spirits until the wee hours. Truly, it was an event of generosity and celebration that marks the essence of RCG. I partied with my friends from IQOS and talked about their recent collaboration with Jefre. It was great that IQOS supports art and keeps life exciting.
RCG was presented by Bench, together with Arthaland and Globe Platinum in cooperation with DiaGold, Emirates, Jewelmer, Nustar Online, SM Supermalls, and The Peninsula Manila. With the participation of Landco Lifestyle Ventures, Philippine Airlines, and Uratex. Additional support from Crate & Barrel, Drivania, Heavens Portfolio, Lausanne Palace, Lucerne, and our media partners Lifestyle Asia, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Philippine Star. Special thanks to Adworks Manila, Estee Lauder, Fuentes Manila, Gardenia, McDonald’s, Nice Print Photo, Oh Holiday Fine Restorative Tea, Organique, Robert Blancaflor Group, 18th.ph, and Tintara.
To know more, follow Red Charity Gala on Instagram (@redcharitygala). So who is next year’s Red Charity Gala 2026 designer? Get ready… JC Buendia! You are next! It’s your time to shine and show the world your creative genius. Good luck!
And lastly, the Likhang Habi Market Fair is happening now from Oct. 10 to 12, 2025 at The Space, One Ayala in Makati City. This 15th edition features over 90 exhibitors showcasing local arts and crafts, including textiles, garments, bags, home decor, and jewelry.
