When billboards of Zac Efron for Penshoppe began to unfurl all over the metro, we knew the homegrown brand was on to something good. So when they leaked that a certain Queen B (aka Leighton Meester, if you've been living under a rock for the past few years) was visiting Manila in time for Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012, we couldn't help but speculate. Would she be walking in the show? Or would she coolly reign over the front row? The former, as it turned out. Leighton, along with male endorser and Thai actor Mario Maurer, were the special guests at Penshoppe's latest show, where they capped the extravaganza by ramping down the runway.

Even without the big-name faces, however, Penshoppe certainly delivered. The Holiday 2012 collection was a smorgasbord of hip and cool looks perfect for the fashionista on a budget. One segment was a denim deluge, with blazers, tops, and dresses reimagined in the classic fabric. Another featured dark ensembles that reminded us of Hailee Steinfeld's plucky character in True Grit. But if we had to play favorites, we'd go for the delicious pastel pieces and two-tone platform pumps worn by a bevy of big-haired catwalkers. There's nothing like a cotton candy palette to make us swoon.

(Photos courtesy of Buensalido & Associates Public Relations)