Patis Tesoro

What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from many diverse fields ranging from the obvious such as fashion design and textiles to related aspects such as sculpture, theater arts, painting. I also love to go to museums to take in the works of old and new artists. As often as I can, I take the time to improve my garden in Laguna. Communing with nature and seeing its natural designs gives me energy and a lot of new ideas.

What is your design philosophy? My philosophy when it comes to design is to just let the ideas flow. I like to keep an open mind and learn from others as much as I can. I find my inspiration, set my ideas, and structure it accordingly. My best designs come when I let the energy take me where it should go and organize the creation as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Who are the designers who inspire you?

I would say that there isn’t one designer that truly takes me. I’m more influenced by the works of many different artists… whether one of Valentino’s works, or Versace, or from designs made by artists both old and new. I’m a collector of inspiration and my scrapbooks are a testament to that.

Your greatest influence

My mother is my greatest inspiration. She is a dressmaker, and her influence on my craft is evident in all that I do.

What for you is beautiful? –

Anything that inspires or influences constructively is beautiful for me. It may be a new fabric with interesting properties, a form of embellishment that I’ve never come across before, or anything that strikes my eye and makes me stop to think … may it be in art or in life.

What is the most important lesson you have learned?

That hard work and perseverance is the key to succeeding in anything in my life and career.

What can you be proud of as a Filipina?

I would say that the ability of our people to imagine and create so many wonderful things is a point to be proud of. We have so much potential in this country and we just need to train more people to bring out their talent.

What piece of clothing have you had for at least a decade, and still love?

One piece of clothing I still have is a piña baro’t saya that I made over a decade ago to wear to the Philippine exhibit opening at the Musee’ de l’Homme in Paris. I’ve used it for a number of other occasions and I feel that it is one of my favorite personal creations.

What gives a woman style?

For me, what gives a woman style begins in her mind. Confidence, self-assurance, and bearing are the key to executing whatever style she has. The physical aspect of a person is secondary because if you do not have the right mindset, the best body and the most intricate designs will always be meaningless.