Liz Uy: Premiere celeb stylist dishes on her fave stars

CEBU, Philippines - There’s that Filipino saying about how sometimes, flies who find themselves atop a carabao eventually feel equally as mighty like the bigger creature they’ve attached their tiny selves to. While top styling maven Liz Uy has definitely not ridden the coattails of her famous friends to achieve fame for herself, the world she navigates in, the company she keeps, and the adulations she receives are dizzying enough for someone else of lesser values to cultivate an aura of “untouchable star.”

A quick sit-down with the 32-year-old stylist to the stars reveals a chatty, unassuming persona who can put other people easily at ease.

In town recently for the awaited Cebu launch of her style tome StyLIZed: Liz Uy’s Ten Style Essentials published by Summit Books, the chinita charmer drew a mixed crowd of the well-heeled and aspiring fashionistas as she dished out tips during a talk and book signing at The Gallery of Ayala Center Cebu.

The handy book shows readers how to build a fashionable and highly functional wardrobe — each one modeled by some of Liz’s famous celebrity clients: Anne Curtis, Bea Alonzo, Marian Rivera, Georgina Wilson, Bianca Gonzalez, Sarah Geronimo, Julia Barretto, Isabelle Daza, Toni Gonzaga, and Kris Aquino.

Dubbed as the Nina Garcia and Rachel Zoe of the Philippines, Liz is currently on a nationwide tour to promote the book and personally touch base with her fans that she says surprisingly range from 8-80 years old.

Here, Liz shares the brainchild behind her publishing venture, the unglamorous side of her glamorous world — and of course, we had to ask her to dish on some of her famous clientele…

How did the idea to come up with a book come about?

It was Kris Aquino’s idea. When she told me about it, I thought, ‘Why not? Maybe I should.’ So that more Filipinas will be inspired, more Filipinas will dress appropriately, and in the process, we become a more beautiful country. It took two and a half years to complete. The feedback so far has been good, so I’m happy. They usually say that it’s very helpful, it’s an easy read and they understand the points right away.

Now that you have a best-selling book to your name, what major project are you working on next?

I’m not sure yet what’s next, and I’m keeping the next venture a secret for the moment. For now, I’m just enjoying and welcoming all the love I get while promoting the StyLIZed book all over the country. I’m concentrating on this one first. Papalaguin ko muna ito. For next year, I might do a men’s edition of the book.

What have been the most memorable comments you’ve received from fans, especially when you do a talk or a book signing like this?

Natutuwa ako when I see kids and senior citizens who line up for hours just to meet me and get their books autographed. I’m like, ‘Talaga, gusto niyo pang matuto?  It’s also really something when kids tell me that I inspire them. Natutunaw talaga ako, because I never thought that in my lifetime, I could inspire children. As Tito Boy [Abunda] had told me, if you inspire even just one person, that’s already enough. So what more, seeing an eight-year-old to an 80-year-old who look up to me as their role model?

You’re under the VIVA management of contract artists. Any other plans in front of the camera?

Actually, they invited me to sign up but only to handle my endorsements. Not even for styling. I really don’t know their plans for me, but I do have offers from a lifestyle channel, though nothing is final on print yet. I’m not sure if I can handle doing a talk show or a reality program.

For someone who navigates a world of glitz and glamour, how do you keep yourself grounded?

I don’t know who invented that, or where that perception came from, because in reality, my life is filled with hard work. Most of the time, when I style, it’s unglamorous. They see me all dressed up in events, but daily, the behind-the-scenes job is not glamorous at all, and I’m not dressed up everyday. When I’m on set or on location styling, I don’t want the spotlight on me. There can only be one star in the shoot.

But there’s no escaping the spotlight, as you have become a star in your own right.

I’m just happy that my celebrity and non-celebrity clients are very supportive of me and everything that’s happening in my life.

You recently got a Twitter shout-out from Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton, who was impressed with how you styled her.

Yes…it was Century Properties who got me to style her for their marketing campaign. She’s the first Hollywood celebrity that I styled. I only have good, kind words for Paris. She has her own sense of style, so her trusting me was a big thing. She was very easy to work with since she knows her stuff. She’s not a diva at all. And I was so happy, because she posted the cover of my book on her Instagram! When I read her tweet saying ‘Liz Uy, I love your style,’ wow! I almost died!

Who would you consider the sweetest star you’ve worked with?

Kris Aquino. She treats me not as her stylist, but as her own little sister.

The most generous?

Again, Kris Aquino. She showers me with so much stuff! I can’t tell you the most expensive she’s given me so far, but I tell you, she is the most generous out of everyone.

The most conservative?

Sarah Geronimo. She is very conservative, because she grew up in a family that is conservative. When styling Sarah, aside from her, there’s also her mother to consider. But I like it, because at least, she knows what she wants. She knows that her style is this way. She would say, ‘Hindi naman ako ito eh.’ The sexiest I had her wear, I think, was something backless.

The most intimidating?

I think there’s no room for me to be intimidated, because I have to talk to my clients. It’s inevitable for them not to be open to me. The relationship becomes personal in a way, because they have no choice but to show me all their flaws and their body structure so I could determine what to highlight or hide. So most of the time, the relationship can’t be purely professional. I can’t think of any celebrity who made me nervous…maybe Paris Hilton at first, since I didn’t know her ugali.

Have you ever made an excuse not to work with a certain celebrity you’re not fond of?

No, because work is work. No matter how someone is so hard to work with, at the end of the say, it is work.

With such a successful career and a blessed life, how do you pay it forward?

I’m a Globe Tattoo ambassador, and recently, we went to Ormoc together with Gawad Kalinga, where we helped rebuild houses. So that’s one thing. I was also involved with Rags2Riches. They invited me to do a collaboration with them, wherein we came up with a collection called ARTEsenal Luxe. We turned scraps into something fashionable and functional. I’m glad there are advocacies like these related to fashion, and at the same time, can help out a community.

You’ve been linked to famous men and so far, you’ve handled the media and public attention that comes with those associations well. Did that come naturally or did you have to learn how to handle the spotlight?

I had to learn. I must say that when I was younger, they say I was a snob and very elusive. The press would tell me that. But really, I was just very private. That was really my life; I was a private person. When I was in an event, of course, I wouldn’t say hi to everybody and wave – that’s what a normal person would do. But I was thrust into this position, and I decided to embrace it. Not everyone is given this privilege, so might as well enjoy it. (FREEMAN)