What Slim’s National Artist award means to fashion designers
The announcement last week that Salvacion Lim Higgins, or Slim as she was more popularly known, had been posthumously bestowed the title National Artist for Fashion Design was roundly applauded by the fashion community. Since she had established Slim’s Fashion & Arts School in 1960, tens of thousands of students have passed through its doors, some of whom have gone on to make a name for themselves.“I’ve always taken pride in being a Slim’s alumnus,” said Dubai-based designer Michael Cinco. “I took up fashion design as soon as I decided to stop going to college back in the early ’90s. I took to design like a duck to water, eagerly absorbing everything our instructors taught us even with some challenges.” Bring respect to designers The designer, known for his extravagant crystal-encrusted creations worn by singers, actors and royalty, recalled how his limited allowance back then was barely enough to buy the materials needed for school projects and cover bus fare. “But looking back no...