Ezra has resided in Dubai since 1992 and opened his own studio in 2004, which clearly reflects his taste and personality. Each small room is even in strong, deep colours such as greens, dusty rose and soft blues, with large chandeliers, flowers and wall length mirrors. Windsor style chairs, brassy picture frames and floor length curtains make use of every inch of space. With a radiant smile and porcelain skin, Ezra is elegantly poised on his 1940’s style chair.
Obsessed with Cinderella's enchanting ball gown, Ezra’s infatuation began young when he started sketching at the age of 6. In high school, Ezra was constantly approached by school friends for his talent and he was able to design gowns to be worn at the prom.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Majoring in Interior Design, Ezra continues to take regular summer courses to keep up in the ever changing fashion business.
He moved to Saudi Arabia from his home country of the Philippines in 1987, focusing purely on work and less on life, possibly due to the extreme restrictions of the country’s culture. But even so, it was during these intense 5 years, that Ezra learnt the true art of Haute Couture.
“When I meet someone to design their dress, I sit down with them - I take their ideas, look at their personality and see exactly what is inside them. It has to suit the personality. She has to show more than the dress. This is Haute Couture!” He exclaims.
After deep consideration, he describes his designs as elegant, simple and luxurious. To hand make just one wedding dress, takes four to six months of planning and creating. So much preparation goes into any wedding, but especially in the Middle East, for it is the biggest celebration day to any Arabic family.
Unlike the Philippines where resources are limited, there is a vast supply of material available in the Middle East, making it easier to cater to a client’s desires and demands.
Ezra says,“If I, as a designer, were to choose what someone would wear, I would choose a simple dress with accent to show more of their personality. Sometimes you just see the dress; you don’t see the person anymore.”
Ezra ponders over what inspiration means to him and how he finds it in the simplistic early 1940’s Dior, where he believes the fashion revolution began and evolved. The 1940’s was frequently referred to as the ‘war fashion era’. The war had much effect on fashion, as clothes were in short supply and rationed. It combined style and practicality to achieve a lasting elegance. Those that lived through the era, remember it for its shortages, not a classic and traditional look that it has now become.
For the second time around, Ezra is taking part in a fashion show titled ‘Glamour in the City,’ held by Swarovski, in Dubai. Each designer is given a theme of a city and time of day or evening, and is challenged to re-create the wedding attire suited to that time and place. Among just some of the themes are Miami and Tokyo. Ezra was assigned a popular favourite - Rio de Janeiro after midnight.
“At 1am, it is the after party. So I have created a Carnival costume to be worn, then a samba dress that turns into a swimsuit where they end up at the beach. It will be very colourful and we have the opportunity to use the latest crystals that is not even on the market yet,” he explains.
Ezra offers a last piece of wisdom – “Always have a black dress. You can never go wrong with a simple, black dress.”
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