Fashion house
May 11, 2007 | 12:00am
Ever wonder what happens when the runways dim and the after parties draw to a close? Fashion is believed to be an industry that never sleeps. Photo shoots at 2 a.m.? No problem! Pre-production calls at 5 a.m.? Expected! Last-minute wardrobe changes? De rigueur. However, the mighty must also rest at some point. Here, YStyle takes a peek at fashion’s most in-demand insiders’ homes.
What for you is home?
I consider my home a place where I seek refuge. It’s the only place in the city I can go to recharge so I also call it my sanctuary of sorts. It has also remained as one of the constants in my life  grounding me in this dizzying world of fashion where every day brings an array of a gazillion changes. It’s the balance in the equation. Outside there is visual chaos and gauche sterility; I counterpoint that by creating a beautiful place with softness and glamour.
What’s your favorite part in your house?
It would be a toss-up between the dressing area and the library. As a glam veteran I’ve set up my dressing area as a sort of "stage" where prepping is elevated into a luxuriously decadent experience I can enjoy. I’ll play a CD of soprano Anna Netrebko and dab on some decadently rich perfume before I go to bed just for the fun of it. Nowadays, most people have TV rooms. However, as I absolutely abhor television I set up a library for de-stressing. Growing up in the publishing industry has endeared me immensely to books. I’ve already amassed thousands of books and magazines, which I’ve had to rotate from storage. Curling up in a cozy nook of the library with one of my favorite books and a pot of tea instantly relaxes and soothes me no matter how stressed or agitated I may be feeling beforehand.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
My sleighbed. I’ve set it up as a reward after a long workday. The luxury bedding is from a couture collection of the French brand Yves Delorme in Egyptian combed cotton. I had to ship everything  from the down featherbed, pillows and duvet aside from the bedding. The hilarious thing was, when I put them all together, I started sweating so I needed to install a three-ton air-conditioner! But it was well worth the effort and I feel like a queen whenever I get in.
Favorite memories in your house?
Definitely the sound of my son’s laughter filling the house. Although, since he has hit puberty, they have become less and less, there is nothing like a dose of children’s laughter echoing on the walls. My favorite memories are of Mito as a toddler running through the rooms like a little angel flitting about.
Is your home a cocoon or a party pad?
Definitely a cocoon!
What makes a fashionable home?
Taste is the only requirement.
Any tips for apartment hunters? How can you transform it from being a box to an elegant home?
The foundation for any elegant home is the structure. Elementary as it may seem, many seem to forget the important things to consider that form the essential groundwork where the treasures one decorates a home with will eventually fill. The whole process of transforming one’s home takes time  creating an elegant home is similar to wine. You can’t rush things, you’ve got to let things age. Acquire a patina, grow character, create a distinct style that embodies your version of "soul." Interior designers are there to assist us in our quest for building an elegant home, but in the end, it’s the personal take we add to the equation which will signal the difference between kitsch and true elegance.
How did your first real home (the one you could call your own) look and how has your current home progressed in terms of style?
This is my first place! So I really can’t talk about progression, can I?
What’s your favorite part of your house?
My bed. I love to sleep. Zzz...
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
A pair of chairs that look like they belong to dwarves.
Favorite memories in your house?
I remember the first night that I slept there, they had delivered my bed that day but didn’t assemble it, I was so upset I had to sleep on the floor! I felt like I was camping. But it was also a great feeling of independence.
What makes it special?
I went crazy with color, I have bright yellow and orange walls. I like the way it picks me up, visually, in the mornings. I put some whimsical touches which are a subtle reflection of my overactive imagination.
What makes a fashionable home?
I think you just have to have a good sense of how to put things together and it should reflect your personal taste so that when people come over it feels warm and natural.
What was your first home?
My first real home is in the heart of Kawit, Cavite, beside the 400-year-old church of Mary Magdalene. It was a Filipino-Spanish-inspired home, with capiz ventanas and mostly antique furniture and stuff. Coming from a religious family we have religious icons mostly around the house. Now that I have moved to Makati, my current home, which is a loft-style apartment, has a bit of a bohemian flair with a touch of Balinese. I still have a lot of antique decorations, which I inherited from my dad. I also like collecting stuff from places I visit.
What’s your favorite part of the apartment?
My apartment has a lot of comfy areas. Aside from my workspace, I like this certain spot where I can see the whole loft, the spiral staircase and the balcony... I truly appreciate the space and the details. I love it.
What’s your favorite item in house?
I don’t think I have any particular favorite. If there’s one very valuable item, though, it would be my antique violin from Germany which is actually just lying on one of my shelves, but now that this will be published I might have to hide that. Ha-ha!
What has been your most memorable moment in the apartment?
I packed the whole place with 50 people! It was sooo crowded! I loved it! I love the crowd! I am relatively new to my apartment, so it’s mostly happy times with friends, and times that I’m just alone enjoying it!
Is your pad a cocoon or a party pad?
My place is a party pad, a cocoon and a sanctuary! I enjoy its flexibility. It’s nice that other people can also feel comfortable here, with nice lighting, music and booze... it can be very lounge-like!
What makes a fashionable home?
Finding your personal style and mixing it with practicality is probably the best way to transform your home. When I shop for stuff, I always think if I need it, I think about it more than twice. You can’t just add and add stuff because it will eventually look like a pile of junk instead of looking elegant.
What is home for you?
Home stands for love and comfort. Not even a storm or blackout could drive me away.
What’s your favorite part in your house?
The living room/dining area. It’s such a cozy place and an apt representation of my personality.
What makes it special?
Everything in it! It’s a labor of love. Can I make this a thank-you opportunity? Five people I want to thank  Jasmine Lisbona, my contractor Hubert San Juan, and interior designers Karen Soriano, Nadia Adarna and Lyka Policarpio for helping me get started. They had just graduated from UST when I met them and they were my little decorating angels.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
That’s a tough question. Can I give a collective answer? My art collection. My favorite artists are represented here.
Dream item for your home (nothing too crazy  something you can actually buy, even if it’s worth $1 million)?
Oh my God, I was in Tokyo recently and I absolutely fell in love with this absolutely spectacular Lucite Grand Piano at the Kawai Store in Omotesando. It was sitting by the window in all its transparent glory. I swear I will sell many, many, many outfits so I can afford it in the future.
Is your home a cocoon or a party pad?
Both. It’s pretty versatile. Schizophrenic, even. I work here as well.
Any tips for apartment hunters? How can you transform it from being a box to an elegant home?
I went through 70 (no, really) units before finding this one. I was on the verge of giving up, but when I chanced upon this one, I knew I’d found my home. It’s great to shop around before choosing  but be quick to make a deposit when you know you’ve found "the one." Hot properties go pretty quickly!
It takes a lot of work and passion to create a home. Don’t rush when you’re furnishing it  take your time and fill it with things that you genuinely like. Mix old and new, classic and quirky  there’s more personality in unpredictable combinations.
What for you is home?
Home for me is any place or anywhere I feel secure and comfortable with my loved ones and the people who matter to me.
What’s your favorite part of your house?
It’s supposed to be the dining area but I use it more as my personal work area. It has an eight- to10-seater black wooden table (actually a dining table but it functions more as my working table). This is also where I attend to my clients for design discussion, etc.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
My art pieces. I don’t have a lot. But I don’t mind spending my savings just to acquire one. Some are gifts from my artist friends, that’s why they are all very special to me.
Dream item for your home?
Maybe another art piece, but from one of "the Masters."
What makes a fashionable home?
Restraint is very important for me, that is why when I decided to get this place, I said to myself, "I love the space, I will not add clutter. I will only acquire pieces that can stand on their own."
I consider my home a place where I seek refuge. It’s the only place in the city I can go to recharge so I also call it my sanctuary of sorts. It has also remained as one of the constants in my life  grounding me in this dizzying world of fashion where every day brings an array of a gazillion changes. It’s the balance in the equation. Outside there is visual chaos and gauche sterility; I counterpoint that by creating a beautiful place with softness and glamour.
What’s your favorite part in your house?
It would be a toss-up between the dressing area and the library. As a glam veteran I’ve set up my dressing area as a sort of "stage" where prepping is elevated into a luxuriously decadent experience I can enjoy. I’ll play a CD of soprano Anna Netrebko and dab on some decadently rich perfume before I go to bed just for the fun of it. Nowadays, most people have TV rooms. However, as I absolutely abhor television I set up a library for de-stressing. Growing up in the publishing industry has endeared me immensely to books. I’ve already amassed thousands of books and magazines, which I’ve had to rotate from storage. Curling up in a cozy nook of the library with one of my favorite books and a pot of tea instantly relaxes and soothes me no matter how stressed or agitated I may be feeling beforehand.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
My sleighbed. I’ve set it up as a reward after a long workday. The luxury bedding is from a couture collection of the French brand Yves Delorme in Egyptian combed cotton. I had to ship everything  from the down featherbed, pillows and duvet aside from the bedding. The hilarious thing was, when I put them all together, I started sweating so I needed to install a three-ton air-conditioner! But it was well worth the effort and I feel like a queen whenever I get in.
Favorite memories in your house?
Definitely the sound of my son’s laughter filling the house. Although, since he has hit puberty, they have become less and less, there is nothing like a dose of children’s laughter echoing on the walls. My favorite memories are of Mito as a toddler running through the rooms like a little angel flitting about.
Is your home a cocoon or a party pad?
Definitely a cocoon!
What makes a fashionable home?
Taste is the only requirement.
Any tips for apartment hunters? How can you transform it from being a box to an elegant home?
The foundation for any elegant home is the structure. Elementary as it may seem, many seem to forget the important things to consider that form the essential groundwork where the treasures one decorates a home with will eventually fill. The whole process of transforming one’s home takes time  creating an elegant home is similar to wine. You can’t rush things, you’ve got to let things age. Acquire a patina, grow character, create a distinct style that embodies your version of "soul." Interior designers are there to assist us in our quest for building an elegant home, but in the end, it’s the personal take we add to the equation which will signal the difference between kitsch and true elegance.
This is my first place! So I really can’t talk about progression, can I?
What’s your favorite part of your house?
My bed. I love to sleep. Zzz...
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
A pair of chairs that look like they belong to dwarves.
Favorite memories in your house?
I remember the first night that I slept there, they had delivered my bed that day but didn’t assemble it, I was so upset I had to sleep on the floor! I felt like I was camping. But it was also a great feeling of independence.
What makes it special?
I went crazy with color, I have bright yellow and orange walls. I like the way it picks me up, visually, in the mornings. I put some whimsical touches which are a subtle reflection of my overactive imagination.
What makes a fashionable home?
I think you just have to have a good sense of how to put things together and it should reflect your personal taste so that when people come over it feels warm and natural.
My first real home is in the heart of Kawit, Cavite, beside the 400-year-old church of Mary Magdalene. It was a Filipino-Spanish-inspired home, with capiz ventanas and mostly antique furniture and stuff. Coming from a religious family we have religious icons mostly around the house. Now that I have moved to Makati, my current home, which is a loft-style apartment, has a bit of a bohemian flair with a touch of Balinese. I still have a lot of antique decorations, which I inherited from my dad. I also like collecting stuff from places I visit.
What’s your favorite part of the apartment?
My apartment has a lot of comfy areas. Aside from my workspace, I like this certain spot where I can see the whole loft, the spiral staircase and the balcony... I truly appreciate the space and the details. I love it.
What’s your favorite item in house?
I don’t think I have any particular favorite. If there’s one very valuable item, though, it would be my antique violin from Germany which is actually just lying on one of my shelves, but now that this will be published I might have to hide that. Ha-ha!
What has been your most memorable moment in the apartment?
I packed the whole place with 50 people! It was sooo crowded! I loved it! I love the crowd! I am relatively new to my apartment, so it’s mostly happy times with friends, and times that I’m just alone enjoying it!
Is your pad a cocoon or a party pad?
My place is a party pad, a cocoon and a sanctuary! I enjoy its flexibility. It’s nice that other people can also feel comfortable here, with nice lighting, music and booze... it can be very lounge-like!
What makes a fashionable home?
Finding your personal style and mixing it with practicality is probably the best way to transform your home. When I shop for stuff, I always think if I need it, I think about it more than twice. You can’t just add and add stuff because it will eventually look like a pile of junk instead of looking elegant.
Home stands for love and comfort. Not even a storm or blackout could drive me away.
What’s your favorite part in your house?
The living room/dining area. It’s such a cozy place and an apt representation of my personality.
What makes it special?
Everything in it! It’s a labor of love. Can I make this a thank-you opportunity? Five people I want to thank  Jasmine Lisbona, my contractor Hubert San Juan, and interior designers Karen Soriano, Nadia Adarna and Lyka Policarpio for helping me get started. They had just graduated from UST when I met them and they were my little decorating angels.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
That’s a tough question. Can I give a collective answer? My art collection. My favorite artists are represented here.
Dream item for your home (nothing too crazy  something you can actually buy, even if it’s worth $1 million)?
Oh my God, I was in Tokyo recently and I absolutely fell in love with this absolutely spectacular Lucite Grand Piano at the Kawai Store in Omotesando. It was sitting by the window in all its transparent glory. I swear I will sell many, many, many outfits so I can afford it in the future.
Is your home a cocoon or a party pad?
Both. It’s pretty versatile. Schizophrenic, even. I work here as well.
Any tips for apartment hunters? How can you transform it from being a box to an elegant home?
I went through 70 (no, really) units before finding this one. I was on the verge of giving up, but when I chanced upon this one, I knew I’d found my home. It’s great to shop around before choosing  but be quick to make a deposit when you know you’ve found "the one." Hot properties go pretty quickly!
It takes a lot of work and passion to create a home. Don’t rush when you’re furnishing it  take your time and fill it with things that you genuinely like. Mix old and new, classic and quirky  there’s more personality in unpredictable combinations.
Home for me is any place or anywhere I feel secure and comfortable with my loved ones and the people who matter to me.
What’s your favorite part of your house?
It’s supposed to be the dining area but I use it more as my personal work area. It has an eight- to10-seater black wooden table (actually a dining table but it functions more as my working table). This is also where I attend to my clients for design discussion, etc.
What is your favorite item in your house and why?
My art pieces. I don’t have a lot. But I don’t mind spending my savings just to acquire one. Some are gifts from my artist friends, that’s why they are all very special to me.
Dream item for your home?
Maybe another art piece, but from one of "the Masters."
What makes a fashionable home?
Restraint is very important for me, that is why when I decided to get this place, I said to myself, "I love the space, I will not add clutter. I will only acquire pieces that can stand on their own."
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