WHILE the Criselda brand in Rustan’s is associated with a certain kind of woman (a society matron, full stop), the label’s current 2024 Cruise-Holiday collection has big shoes to fill.

After all, the two women behind the brand have since passed. Founder Criselda Lontok died in 2021, while the brand’s top patron, Ms. Lontok’s friend and boss, Rustan’s head Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco, died earlier this year. The brand is currently headed by designer Inno Sotto as creative director.

“The team has been working with Ms. Lontok for say, 30 years,” said Reah Castro, merchandise manager for womenswear at Rustan’s. “They know already the designs and staples of Ms. Lontok. With the help of Inno, they already elevated the current styles of Criselda Lontok.”

The collection was shown through an intimate salon show at Rustan’s Makati on Nov. 19. The audience was mixed: the society matrons who knew Criselda as a young woman, and the younger women who probably called her “tita” (aunt).

Trumpets from a recording of a French song opened the show, with an orange tunic color-blocked with pink, then a rich plum shift with a LARGE (capitals mine) pussybow. There was a floral dress the color of orchids, its petals outlined in gold, with trumpet sleeves.

The collection got younger with black coordinates splashed with silver sequins, its pattern resembling snakeskin.

There were robes in black lace and white, perfect for a yacht; then a yellow coatdress with another LARGE (almost covering the torso) bow, followed by a cropped silk jacket with flared collar. This had huge buttons where buttons shouldn’t be, followed by a white silk coat with large buttons (where they should be), and a yellow pantsuit with the same huge buttons — the playfulness in the placement seems like a game.

A gray silk tunic had buttons on the shoulder, followed by a rich iridescent grayish silver shirtdress. This was opened as a seaside robe, the exact color of a black pearl.

Other younger options are silver coordinates, a sequined set (the scattered glitter forming the spots of a cheetah), a black sack dress with pockets cleverly cut along the skirt’s waistline (think early Balenciaga).

We also liked a translucent cream coat with puffed sleeves and flared at the lapel, a white coat with golden flowers on the lapel, concealing an overall golden floral motif in the shift dress underneath it.

The show ended with a black dress with bell sleeves. But the black and white gazar multi-panel long patch gown (looking like Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian dresses, devoid of color, like wearable works by Arturo Luz) that came before it was even more stunning.

“Right now, we’ve already shifted a little,” Ms. Castro said, noting the middle-aged look of some of the pieces (as opposed to powerful senior). “Still, the heart, the design, is still Criselda Lontok.”

“Right now, the customers of Criselda are like, (in their) 70s to 80s. We want to capture Gen X and (older) Millennials,” she said. “These Millennials also grow old. Their bodies will change. They (would) like to dress their age.”

“We can still continue with the brand… with everything of Criselda Lontok — intact, but improved.”

Criselda is available at Rustan’s. — Joseph L. Garcia