At the 2024 edition of the Sinulid Fashion Show, student designers from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde tapped into their inner eccentricities to craft their debut collections. Among them was Dhenyze Guevara, who designed five looks that stemmed from society's often unjust perception of the body.
Described as "a personal attempt to push judgment past our exterior," the collection utilized unconventional silhouettes to send a message about humanity in its most vulnerable form. "If I take away the part of me that I’m only seen for, if I take away the surface, will I be finally seen for who I truly am?" Dheynze pensively asks.
For someone who initially didn't see herself in the world of fashion, Dheynze shows promise. In an exclusive interview with Preview, she discusses her inspirations and what she aspires to achieve as a budding designer.
Preview Creative Spotlight: Dheynze Guevera on Her Sinulid Benilde 2024 Collection
Please tell us about yourself and your fashion brand.
"I’m Dhenyze Guevara, the designer behind DHENYZE, a brand specializing in avant-garde designs. Three words I would use to describe my brand are surrealist, unconventional, and free-minded. I create designs that are cutting-edge and surpass trends and conventionalities in fashion. My brand aims to use fashion as a medium to erase prejudices in all forms; creating wearable art that anyone and everyone can wear."
Did you always know that you wanted to be in fashion growing up? When did your interest in fashion start?
"I actually didn’t know that I’d be in this field at all, but I guess I could say that it was always a part of me, though never in the frontline. I was always into art. I was that typical art kid who stayed in the corner with my sketchbook while other kids were playing around. My imagination was always incredibly vast, and although often alone, I kept myself busy and entertained with my own mind. I also dabbled in different mediums and I would like to believe that I did well in those fields. But it was never something that I believed that I would be happily doing for the rest of my life."
"There came a point in my life where I was the living example of the 'jack of all trades; master of none.' I was a connoisseur of different roads, but somehow I couldn’t seem to find a path that best suited me. Then, I saw the likes of Alexander McQueen and Schiaparelli (specifically McQueen’s Savage Beauty Collection, dress No. 13) and I just fell in love. I realized that fashion was not just clothes—it was emotion. It was performance. It was art. That was the exact moment I knew that I wanted to be an artist that uses fashion as a medium."
How would you personally describe your designs? What pushed you to showcase this collection for SINULID 2024?
"The best way I could describe my designs is eccentric, structural with clean silhouettes, and overall, ambitious. I also consider it surrealist and still in-your-face. I want people to understand my designs and the concept behind them even without me even having to utter a word."
"I remember during the conceptualization part of creating this collection, I told my professor that I wanted to push myself to make something that was beyond my limits as a fashion student at the time, something that I designed but didn’t know how to execute just yet. I told her that I wanted to create something that would make me proud for the rest of my life, wherever field I may go. I definitely believe I’ve done that."
What are the main inspirations you pull from when creating your pieces? Can you walk us through your thought process when designing?
"Though I think it’s unorthodox for me to say, I honestly just consume as much media as I possibly can. If I’m not doing my projects, I’m usually on Pinterest or watching a film on Netflix, and more often than not, it sparks a new idea."
"Another thing that I am known for is my love for film. I can talk about it non-stop, and my brain almost always keeps a roster of obscure, notable details in each film, whether it be in the costume, cinematography, or simply the plot. When I consume film, my mind starts to wander on its own, and the films therefore become catalysts of new concepts and designs."
"I also make sure that everything I make has deep personal ties with my identity. I find that by creating my work as an extension of myself, I am most at ease and overall more passionate."
How long does it take to create one of your pieces? What special materials do you use to construct them?
"Actually, in creating my most recent collection, it took me two to three weeks per look, which is relatively not a short time. Considering that it was done purely by my own hands and my parents’ support, I am quite proud that I was able to accomplish such a challenging collection in that amount of time."
"Since I didn’t come from a fashion background, I honestly had no idea how to bring my ideas to reality, and on top of that, to make them wearable. But thanks to my experience in theater and DIY-ing, I was able to think outside of the box, using unconventional materials such as spray-on foam, chicken wire, bed foam, beach balls, and even lifebuoys to bring my structural designs to life."
Who is the muse you have in mind for your brand? What are their characteristics and how do they approach dressing up?
"My designs have always had the same market: the eccentrics. They're people who think outside of the box. The people who understand fashion not only as something they wear, but as an art form."
"Of course, no one embodies that philosophy more than Lady Gaga. She was always my muse in mind when creating garments that maybe the regular person would not appreciate. I always loved her for pushing boundaries in her own craft, especially when it comes to fashion."
Is there one rule or value you always stick to when making your creations? What pushes you to keep pursuing your craft?
"My family and I always say that 'good is not good enough,' or 'hindi pwede ang pwede na.' I don’t stop working and improving on a project unless I personally believe that it is the best I can give. I like to think that everything I do is attached to who I am as a person. And of course, I want my work to be seen as the absolute best of me."
"As time will pass, I will soon inevitably outgrow my previous achievements, and be able to curate new and better creations. That is what I strive for, and that is what keeps me going. [I aim for] continuous improvement and always pushing my own boundaries."
Where do you hope your career as a designer takes you? What are your goals for your craft?
"This is just the beginning of a very fruitful journey for me in the fashion industry. I honestly don’t have a set decision on what I want to do after this, but I just know that whatever I do, I want to let my eccentricity shine."
"I, like most designers out there, hope that my edge in design can make a notable difference in the fashion industry. Either locally, or hopefully, even internationally. Whatever the future brings, I’ll be welcoming with open arms. I know that whatever happens, I’ll finally be doing something I love; and something that I will always love."
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