Designer Brian Maristela’s first-ever runway show for Lizares this past October was one of the surprise highlights for us at Toronto Fashion Week. Maristela debuted an ambitious collection of fine suiting and shirts, that paired a modern silhouette and aesthetic with traditional touches influenced by his Filipino background (Lizares is his mother’s maiden name). We had a chance to grab drinks with Maristela a few weeks ago and were excited to hear about some of his brave and bold plans he has to make Lizares a household name. He’s certainly young and talented enough to make that happen. And with the help of his COO Lisa Harun (pictured above), the two are slowly building momentum to make 2010 a year in which they take their next steps toward fulfilling that goal.

We asked Maristela and Harun to take part in our exclusive online series about “Ten Things That Never Go Out of Style.” Here’s their list:

1. A crisp, white dress shirt
2. A well-tailored suit
3. A signature scent
4. New York
5. Karma
6. Handwritten letters
7. Sleeping-in
8. Russian Literature
9. A freshly shaved face
10. Honesty

 - TC