BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT
AT A GLANCE
It was no less than Heart Evangelista, wearing a jaw-dropping modern terno by Filipino designer Cheetah Rivera. She had been first photographed in Rivera’s white and blue ombré “Santiago” dress exactly a year ago on the streets of Paris.
Heart Evangelista (Images courtesy of Facebook)
In the countdown to the highly anticipated Haute Couture Week, its official Instagram page (@hautecoutureweek) chose a Filipina to grace its teaser to mark D-3, or three days before the start of the global fashion event.
It was no less than Heart Evangelista, wearing a jaw-dropping modern terno by Filipino designer Cheetah Rivera. She had been first photographed in Rivera’s white and blue ombré “Santiago” dress exactly a year ago on the streets of Paris.
This time, it served as the backdrop for a “save the date” of the world’s premier fashion event for Fall/Winter 2023, bringing pride to the Philippines not just for her presence, but for also putting Filipino fashion in the spotlight at the biggest stage of couture and paving the way for the entry of other Filipinos to Paris, Milan and New York Fashion weeks and the international fashion scene as a whole.
The post did not bear her name – it really didn’t have to. Heart has risen to become a global fashion icon. And for the Philippines, she is a global fashion pioneer and a trailblazer, breaking into the scene at a scale no other Filipino ever has.
Heart’s face is familiar the world over from the pages of top-tier magazines, from Elle and Instyle to Bazaar and Vogue. Anna Wintour knows her by name. She has posed for a photo with Michael Kors. And she has shared a giggly hug with Christian Loubutin.
To brands, Heart’s face and poses are currency. With her impeccable personal style, head-turning looks, and eye-catching strut, she gets the front seat in high-profile runway shows, sought after by designers to lend her name to their brand. The luxury list is endless: Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balmain, Prada, Kenzo, Giambattista Valli, you name it.
Alongside, she champions Filipino brands – Neric Beltran, Cheetah Rivera, Maison Glarino, and Mark Bumgarner – making their creations known to the world and bringing global attention to Philippine textiles and design.
The fashion world craves more from Heart, and she is just getting started. The next time a fashion photographer’s camera clicks, whether in Milan, Paris, LA, or Singapore, it would likely be Heart, owning style, grace, and elegance in a single frame.
