Explorations on texture and form

Photos by Regine David

In the flurry of our vibrant culture, movement is the norm. From the bustling metropolis with people all getting from one place, one task to the next, to the buzz of energy in our communal celebrations, even in the natural ebb and flow, the Filipino experience today—wherever you make look—is one charged with a dynamic spirit.

Our culture is rich with celebrations of opposites: marriages between tradition and modernity, structure with free spirits. If the energy could be distilled into something more tactile, one we could see and touch, fashion would be its best reflection.

Creative execution

CJC x University Volume II is one such expression, taking familiar silhouettes and reinventing them, with plays on texture, color, and form.

For this collection to come to fruition, Univers partnered with renowned designer Carl Jan Cruz (CJC), who is known for weaving together what he calls “an honest dialogue between personal past and present,” by evoking “nostalgic emotions, strongly manifest through consistent attention to the fit, make, and feel of the garment.”

The Volume II collection follows the heart of Carl Jan Cruz’ approach, as seen in this collection’s pieces that are designed to adapt—not just with the way the contemporary Filipino dresses, but to also evolve with each individual wearer’s style. It’s a fusion of volume and versatility, with pieces that play with both structure and flow. The shapes, familiar, flowing, and easy, are grounded by details. This can be seen through their balloon trousers with darts and pleating, trapeze tent dresses with corset fronts, sleeves rounded by pleats.

In a release, collaborators Cruz and Univers detail the collection. “Volume II foregrounds tactility: washed tencel, chambray, cashmere moss wool, Italian cotton, and Japanese denim The contrast of crisp poplin and heavy pique jersey sits beside the fluidity of silk linen and sueded silk.”

“Fabric manipulations in forms of eskosesa, gusot, tupi pleating carry forward Cruz’s vernacular of craft. Oversized topstitching, godets, and gathered panels define silhouettes with both restraint and exaggeration. Recurring stripes, pinstripes, and subtle checks appear throughout, while reversible constructions and convertible details (poncho coats, jumpsuit dresses, tie-up polos) underscore the collection’s ethos: clothes that live, move, and evolve with their wearer,” it says.