The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Not only is young fashion designer and musician Erick Valeña a townmate that he made the vestment of a saint and sang at a family reunion.
Being a son of Lopez town in Quezon Province, Erick is the most versatile artist the community has ever produced.
Erick, a graduate of the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and a protege of the veteran and polished haute couture designer Albert Figueras was able to combine music and fashion in one occasion.
Valeña went back to Lopez not only to oversee during Lent his Erick Valeña Fashion House along Maharlika Highway in the center town but to reclothe Saint Veronica—the religious icon who lived in Jerusalem as a widow and who offered to wipe the bloodied face of Jesus Christ while He is agonizing over His crucifixion to the Calvary and found His image miraculously imprinted on the facecloth.
Together with his teacher Figueras, Erick has been creating vestments for religious images for years. “Panata na rin po namin ni Albert ang gumawa ng damit ng mga santo at santa (It has been our vows to make clothes for saints),” volunteered Valeña.
In the afternoon of Good Friday, Saint Veronica was joined in the procession to recollect the passion of Jesus Christ and the biblical characters who were around during the torture of Christ to His death.
Erick’s Saint Veronica’s gown stood proudly and magnificently among the sea of faithful.
On Easter Sunday, Valeña graced the Villasanta Clan Reunion at Mom’s Backyard in Barangay Danlagan in Lopez not just to guest in the familial affair but to hold a bridal fair in one corner of the venue and to sing as well during the program.
Erick was well-applauded in his musical numbers to a rousing encore.
Meanwhile, no matter the absence of visual artist Jovert Ramos Gerella who displayed as well his art works along Erick’s, the paintings were ogled at not only by the members of the Villasanta clan but the outsider guests as well. (Boy Villasanta)