When she took to the stage in Dubai on Sunday, Kathryn Bernardo showcased more than just her voice and dance moves.
The Filipina actress and singer shone a spotlight on two of her homeland's emerging designers during her performance at Dubai World Trade Centre with her co-star and real-life love, Daniel Padilla.
The Hello, Love, Goodbye star took to the stage in a patchworked denim two-piece by up-and-coming designer Kristine Ordinario.
Featuring high-waisted, flared pants in three shades of washed denim, with a cropped, matching jacket, the effect was both statement yet minimalistic in approach.
Ordinario, who has an atelier in Manila, is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of the Philippines and was named their Designer of the Year in 2018.
The Dubai gig isn't the first time Bernardo has sported this namesake label, having worn a leather crop top custom-made for the star last month.
While in Dubai, the 23-year-old also donned a khaki, military-inspired ensemble for the World Trade Centre concert.
Comprised of belted commando-style pants, a matching coat worn nonchalantly off-shoulder, and a simple vest, the look came courtesy of Neric Beltran.
The Filipino designer, who has also dressed Nadine Lustre and Anne Curtis-Smith, held his first Mega Fashion Week show, a stalwart of the Philippines' fashion calendar, last year.
Bernardo and Padilla, who have starred together in films such as The Hows of Us and It Must be Love, performed a number of songs – both solos and duets – on stage during their Sunday concert. The duo, who have been together since 2012, were also joined on the night by Filipina actress and TV host Kakai Bautista and DJ Jhai Ho.
The Filipino couple have not shared many snippets on social media from their time in the UAE, but did stop by Last Exit Mad X on Sheikh Zayed Road, a food-truck park located on the drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, ahead of their show.
The singers and actors posed against the dining destination's Instagram-worthy wall, decorated with distressed posters.
"Excited to see you all tomorrow at Dubai World Trade Centre," Bernardo captioned the shot.
Bernardo was previously in the UAE in August, promoting Hello, Love, Goodbye with co-star Alden Richards. The film marked her first romantic lead outside her usual "love team" pairing with Padilla.
“It wasn’t easy for me. It’s really hard for both of us because, for six or seven years, we’ve been together, we work together. Even if we work abroad we’re always together. This film is totally different,” Bernardo said of her experience shooting without her real-life partner.
In an open letter to the Philippines' Preview magazine in March, Bernardo also revealed that she and Padilla would not be taking on any projects together on screen in 2019, although their off-screen romance remains healthy.
“Late last year, we made a mutual decision to not accept projects together this 2019. We both know it’s going to be tough for both of us and maybe even tougher for our fans, but we really gave it some thought, and while there’s nothing we want more than to make you happy, we’d appreciate if you can give us this year to pursue our individual growth this time around.”
