Our backyard’s trees are growing fruits, 2021 we only had calamansi, this year 2022, we have figs, avocados, persimmons, calamansi, pears, oranges, kumquats and blooming plumerias.
They are cared for by our green thumb gardener @enriquedlz who uses compost from his weekly juicing of vegetables and fruits. We tease him that he should have made it a business ten years ago. He makes enough for 3 households’ needs for a healthy, vibrant life.
I enjoy the calamansi the most and bottle the kumquats, yielding four pint jars a year.
This year the cuttings of dragon fruit which @ana_burog gave us years ago are now flowering. Let’s hope these trees give us delicious fruits.
“Celebrating creative brilliance through art is a direct celebration of the core spirit of diversity. By its very nature, art invites and transports us to places beyond our current state of being – whatever the medium, whatever the realm. Art leads us to expand our hearts, minds, and souls and to explore the reset boundaries that now encompass the new ‘me’ – the ‘me’ that sees and feels more than before – more reality, more possibility, and more of what might be within our reach. And the magic of art is the way in which it blends difference, variety, and representation with the commonality of shared interests, hopes, and dreams. In short, it unifies through differences. This is certainly the case with television and film, [even a book] where our collective fondness and attachment have long proven to be deep, with the impressions profound, transformational, and lasting.”-Neil Phillips, HFPA
The author, @janetrnepales the photographer, @sthanlee the digital artist @bessiebadilla, who laid out the book and some of the featured designers @theolivertolentino @michael5inco @alandelrosario1231 and more, whose collective fame resonates around Hollywood and the globe.
“I like how she created a book bringing all these talented fashion designers together, who are otherwise disparate and single-handedly pursuing their craft. Together, they illustrate their best impact.” – An author.
I am getting ready to write a piece, and I am getting inspired by all of these photos. Please say a prayer for me for my writing juice to keep flowing.
“It is the Lord Jesus whom we meet in the faces of our marginalized and discarded brothers, in the migrant who is despised, rejected, put in a cage, but also in the migrant journeying toward hope, toward a better life.” –Pope Francis, Dec. 4, 2021
As I write this, June 28, 2022, BBC headlined forty-six folks who died in the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, found in an abandoned truck, along with survivors “hot to touch,” and suffering from heat stroke, some of whom had come from Guatemala.
I could hear the birds tweeting, as it is dawn, while the sun peeks out to give colors to the gray sky. Notice the pink plumerias have bloomed, as also the dragon plant. Will it bear fruit when left to simply self-pollinate? Could we nurture our growth, without our divine pollinator guiding our paths? For me, not.
The pandemic has claimed six million plus folks, worldwide, while a million have died in the United States. Did they actualize their dreams? Was God’s dreams for them, realized in their lifetimes?
God’s purpose served by His life, travelling from Congo, LA, to Guatemala
A wood sculpture captured my attention, with etched wrinkles, a chiseled jaw and a bearded Jesus with a crown of thorns placed on his head. The art conveyed worry to me, and I couldn’t help the contrast I saw then to Fr. Melanio’s face with a reluctant smile. That was 2011.
Ten years later, his face radiates an inner contentment and a broad smile that perhaps God’s purpose is being served by his life. He is looking forward to his trip to Guatemala.
He was first assigned to Congo by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM), a Belgian-run religious organization, whose theme is “One Heart, One Soul.”
To get to the Catholic Congolese, he travelled through rivers, forests, and fields and learned French and Lingala.
He heard confessions early in the morning, next to a trap for tsetse flies (which caused the sleeping sickness disease, Tripanosomiasis). By sunset, he had ministered to hundreds.
He ate like the Congolese who harvested their produce and caught their game, whether it was antelope, squirrels, deer, alligator, crocodile and snails as big as turtles and catfish from the rivers. Caterpillars were ixed into cassava leaves, now enriched with protein and iron. Cassava flour was mixed with corn flour.
He saw how people made salt: banana peelings were gathered, dried, grass added, burned, filtered, then water evaporated, until only the potassium salt remains. Salt was added to the cassava leaves that have been boiled and red palm oil was added. This became their primary source of food. Given the lack of iodine, the common ailment was goiter, including amoebiasis, Tripanosomiasis and AIDS. He transported medicine for AIDS, purchased in Europe by CICM and benefactors. He traveled 3-4 days, through rough roads and riverbanks and various military checkpoints. That lasted seven years.
On June 12, 2002, forty one religious members of CICM outgrew the organizational structure run by the Belgians, formed a new religious order, called Missionaries of Jesus, (MJ), who believed in being God’s dream catcher for folks in the margins, in the inner cities, in the hinterlands, and far-flung mountains.
MJ’s mission articulates seeing the Face of Jesus in the poor, migrants, in refugees, in the marginalized. One of the first supporters was Archbishop Oscar Cruz who helped raise funds for this new religious order, Missionaries of Jesus (MJ), amongst his base.
Fr. Melanio was then assigned to create a Missionaries of Jesus Promotion Office (MPO), a two year assignment in Precious Blood Church (PBC) in 2007, that lasted thirteen years, until his current assignment in Tierra Blanca, eight hours from Guatemala City. He went back for a short holiday break in November 2021 and I had another interview with him.
On a chilly day, we sat in the outdoor gardens of PBC, near a lima tree, full of hanging fruits, a breed of lemon and lime, with a mild lime taste, and a light green color. It was a lovely scent, until the ambiance was abruptly disrupted by loud swearing sounds, from a mentally ill homeless guy, screaming his grievances.
Fr. Melanio shared his belief: “it is to discover, to recover, to uncover the hidden face of Jesus in every person scarred by impoverishment, indifference, and injustice.”
I wondered if we saw the face of Jesus in this homeless guy, what would PBC do – would they disrupt his street living conditions and call LA City Hall to touch his life to get him off the streets, provide mental health services and perhaps help him in the process to find himself?
Pete Avendaño, a musical director of St. Genevieve, and prior, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles and PBC, shared: “Fr. Melanio has dedicated himself to being a missionary of the Catholic Church. He has given his life to be a spiritual father to a lot of people wherever he is assigned.”
I wondered how one becomes a father to many? What cultural skills did he use?
A Culture’s Iceberg: Accessing Doors of Language, Food, Shared Stories
If culture were an iceberg, and the tip is touched by sharing food, how do we immerse in another’s culture, I asked? Without losing a beat, Fr. Melanio spoke of entering the first door of language: “I need to brush up on Spanish to reach the Spanish-speaking villages, twelve of them, much later an Indian Mayan language, spoken in thirty eight villages, Q’eqchi.”
Ma sa salá chool?– How are you, is about asking if there is contentment in your heart? It is not a simple hello, it is a greeting connecting one’s heart to another.
He conducted Advent retreats in twelve Spanish speaking villages. After, one notices their smiles and a sense of satisfaction in receiving a certificate of completion, and now validated, they are tasked with a mission to evangelize others.
Tierra Blanca’s (TB) weather is 86 F, with 65% humidity. Intermittent rains degrade roads, mostly unpaved, muddy, and bridges washed down by floods. As motorbikes daily traverse, pockmarked surfaces are common. While on a motorbike, he carried his mass book, the vessels for the eucharist, vestments, and on the way back, generous gifts of rice, coffee beans, produce, and sometimes, chickens that he has to balance in his lap, so as not to suffocate them on transport. Kindness becomes lap luggage. But he is a passenger, dependent on others’ schedules, which prolongs his day into night.
Not only must Fr. Melanio prepare his homily, he wants to teach them how to read and write, and uses the Bible as the instrument of learning. His principle is “Yes, they are poor, we accept that, but what can we do to address basic needs, like reading?” He was certain he could find enough leaders amongst those who had returned to TB, who worked in the US, saved dollars, and now have farmlands.
Aside from celebrating masses, hearing confessions, he and Fr. Arsen, the parish priest fluent in Q’eqchi who ministers to the 38 villages, divide up their daily chores of marketing for fish, coffee, cooking, and laundry. Exposed to the elements, clothes stay wet and do not get dry, from intermittent rains.
He told PBC’s parishioners about TB’s conditions and parishioners were moved to donate generously. Within months, the space was built that now doubles as a hall for bible studies, and a space for drying clothes.
With that first door of language opened, it is now easy for Fr. Melanio to enter the second door of sharing food with families.
In TB, corn and cassava are grown. Prayers were offered to thank for a bountiful corn harvest, from which tortillas were made. Daily staples are beans and corn, and for guests, like the priests, they are served caldo de pollo with cilantro, onions, and other spices. If three villages are visited in a day, that would mean three bowls of caldo de pollo, multiplied by several days, one ultimately desires fish, pescado for dinner.
With two doors opened for him to enter, a third door of sharing life stories comes next.
Fr. Melanio came across a family with two teenage boys, whose life is spent on a wheelchair, helped by their mother. Another sibling is Livni, a 14yo girl whose life’s dream is to help out her father, the only worker in their farm, and for her to quit school, go to the US, and work. Livni was offered a scholarship so she can go to school full time, but the family’s dreams of helping their plight by Livni’s migrating had been set in motion. Can you imagine perhaps the fear of Livni travelling by herself, connecting to the coyote, the transporter, from one border to another?
It got me looking at wabi-sabi art of the Japanese where they find beauty in things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete, of things modest and humble and unconventional. If we apply these same eyes of seeing the face of Jesus in these migrants, seeing beauty in these poor families who live off their farmlands, to support their families, would we perhaps volunteer to train them in better sharecropping so that the farmlands are devoted to more than two crops of corn and cassava, to grow higher value crops like coffee, and high value produce like agave for sugar alternatives? All of course would require agricultural training and technology to generate these high value products. Consider even a motorized wheelchair so the two boys are mobile and can assist with some chores or field work?
Could reflecting on God’s favor as one ministers to poor folks turn their lives into sustainable, prosperous ones?
Pope Francis wrote on January 23, 2022 to let us try to excavate our memories. Instead of simply looking, look for signs of God’s presence in our lives.”
“What are the hints of his presence, “ Pope Francis asked, “that God has allowed us to experience His love,which he has allowed me to feel His tenderness?”
Might even the poorest of poor see themselves as with potential to develop?
I asked Fr. Melanio to share God’s favor in his life. He had three examples, two favoring him with what matters to him most, and one for MJ.
While on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, near the border of Croatia, he was stopped by Dubrovnick’s immigration officials. He was asked to return to Vienna, his last destination, accompanied by two policemen, he gave his passport to the pilot and exited the plane, to return to Vienna.
When he reached Vienna, he got back his passport and sought lodging at the first hotel he found. The front desk staff inquired as to the group he was travelling with, a usual pattern with priests travelling. He explained what happened. The staffer consulted his supervisor, and said: “your stay for three days will be 50% off and all your food in the hotel will be on the house.” He then remembered that a fellow pilgrim called out, as he exited the plane: “Look for Nenita Reguinding.”
Vienna has a population of close to two million, which would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Nenita happens to be this hotel clerk’s godmother. The long and short of it, Fr. Melanio got a tour of Vienna, celebrated Sunday mass and the community gave funds to benefit MJ’s needs.
When God gives you a detour from what you had planned, accept it, as who knows – it just might be a shower of unexpected blessings.
Several days later, Fr. Melanio got reconnected with the group of pilgrims that he was to lead.
Second God’s favor – he was invited to go to the US, after studying in Rome, he had a three year religious R1 visa. He was travelling back and forth. By the third year, with six months to spare, he came from the Philippines, passing through Guam, to go to the US. In Guam, he was stopped, and advised by an immigration officer who explained the rules, including his qualification to have another renewal, provided he goes back to the Philippines, seeking visa renewal there, before coming to the US. He got a tourist visa to go to the US, but went back, lined up at the Philippine Embassy, and his visa was renewed for five years. That renewal qualified him to be petitioned by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’s Cardinal Mahoney for a green card, and ultimately a path to US citizenship.
Third God’s favor – MJ has a goal of having a center at the border to Guatemala, but in Texas. Missionaries of Jesus’ nuns already have a center there but, the institution requires sustenance for the future, with staffing and funds. A plan is now in place to nurture this God-given gift of collaboration and for the center to be sustained. God ultimately finds you to do His plan.
Do you get a sense from Fr. Melanio’s reflections that God’s gifts are overflowing in kindness, generosity, and tenderness? Could we perhaps do the same reflections in our own lives, open our hearts and say, “How are you? Is your heart content?” to the strangers amongst us, and invite them to enter our hearts?
Photos 1 and 2 – Courtesy of Fr. Melanio at Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage trip on his bucket list, which he completed with a group from Texas.
Photo 3 – Fr. Melanio and his fellow brother priests from Missionaries of Jesus at their spiritual/renewal retreat in Guatemala
Photo 4 – Face of Jesus’ sculpture next to Fr. Melanio Viuya. The artist made several which were given as gifts to MJ’s donors
Photo 5 – Guatemalans decorate their streets with fresh flowers to receive the Sacred Body of Jesus enshrined and moved, while in a procession by the laity
Photo 6 – MJ’s priests attending the Corpus Christi procession in Guatemala
Photo 7 – MJ’s priests farewell get-together for Fr. Percy Bacani in Precious Blood Church’s hall in Los Angeles
Photo 8 – Fr. Melanio Viuya with his fellow pilgrims inside the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela
Imagine this gift from the Universe. I came to support Sophia N. Lee the first Simon and Schuster’s Filipina published children’s author, who chose another Filipina illustrator Isabel Roxas at a pre-order book launch at a 38 year old Filipina run Philippine Expressions Bookshop owned by @Linda Nietes-Little.
Linda shared the center stage to talk about my book, an anthology of distinct artistic Legacies, called Even The Rainbow Has A Body. I told the audience that the book cover design was done by a 19yo who drew a half face, to reflect we come from our parents’ genes, while half comes from ourselves designing our own lives, like Sophia N. Lee who is doing this book launch.
Sophia shared her childhood raised by her grandparents where she thrived in their love for her, her freedom to do what she wants to do and celebrated her birthday with the townspeople. She felt surrounded by that love that she is now writing about her lola with such love and generosity.
Same for me, I love writing about folks in our community designing their own lives around their own artistry.
One subject in that book is a 12 yo poet who grew up, and just graduated from GWU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications, Summa Cum Laude. The long and short of it, folks were gracious and bought my book, not just a book, but books and a special buy came from Nathan’s mom who bought it for him, an arts teacher in high school.
Gosh, when the Universe gives you a gift, be prepared to accept it with gratitude and grace. No wonder I was wearing my favorite t-shirt, a gift from a very generous friend who treated us to 2 cello tickets from the Hollywood Bowl.
Prior to leaving to go to San Pedro, a 44 miles round trip, I talked to my neighbors who loved the blueberry cheesecake I gave them from Max & Lucy’s and raved about it. But not just rave, they asked if they were Filipinos, I said yes, and they even gave me a beautiful orchid plant.
Yesterday, I came home to a beautiful card from my neighbor who enjoyed the treats from Max and Lucy’s and he wrote that he rationed it for three days to savor its sweetness. Imagine that coming from a very conservative Republican?
We can co-exist provided it is our loving hearts that we connect.
Lord, when you surround me with love and generosity and kindness, I am lifted up by Your love! Thank you po, Lord! The world is in Your good hands.-Prosy Delacruz
I was walking to my neighborhood market to pick up a baguette to go with an appetizer of Dagupan mild hot bottled bangus aka milkfish.
On my way, I was admiring the intense fiery red flowers and what look like gumamelas. You may need to imagine them as I did not bring my phone. It was a hot 80F day, not too hot to squeeze your lungs but just enough space to enjoy the flowers.
A block from the store, I was detoured by the waft of spices of curry, cumin, coriander, which invited me in, welcoming me to linger. I bought some Sriracha and Bay leaves.
I requested Shuri (beautiful, petite Indian woman whose name means sweet music) to keep my staples after paying for them. My plan was to pick up a baguette at the market and retrieve the staples on the way back.
I got my baguette, raspberries and proceeded to cross the street, all buckled surfaces on San Vicente – it as if I were in an underdeveloped suburb of Makati, except Makati’s BGC, aka The Fort, is quite a highly developed shopping mall, with high end European and American brands, but much better planned with bustling plaza, decorated with lights and of course, the inviting smells of pastries and long lines at the ice cream shop.
Each time I smell buttery pastries, they bring me home.
As I was about to leave the counter, Shuri hands me a paper tray with 2 egg rolls.
“For me, I asked?”
Shuri said, “Yes, just like in my country, I welcome you with food.”
“Just as in my country, too Shuri,” and I introduced myself to her.
“I am happy you are in my neighborhood, Shuri”, repeating it so as to remember.
Tomorrow, I plan to walk again and try Shuri’s samosas and butter chicken.
Describe dress worn in Golden Globes 2023 made by David Tupaz. Bag specially made for Janet Rodriguez Nepales by Mercedes Jewel Brunelli
“Creative people are critical: they don’t stop with the given and the (supposedly) “obvious.” They are imaginative. They make a habit of thinking in more open and simple ways, keeping their minds two steps ahead of things as they are. They are inventive. They consciously seek to devise new ways of thinking. And creative people are disciplined and persistent – creativity can require a certain kind of playfulness – but it does not mean just letting go. Creativity takes work.” –Anthony Weston, Creativity for Critical Thinkers, 2007.
“I thought I was on top of the world.” Alan Del Rosario, 2022, in seeing the gown he made on a mannequin perched at the house’s rooftop in Hollywood.
Speaking of the world, our creative spirits were frozen from a million plus deaths of Coronavirus in America Dec. 4, 2021, and worldwide, more than six million perished.
That was enough to scare folks into hibernation, but not the brave ones, like Janet Susan R. Nepales. Little was going on in terms of public events, schools, offices, Broadway shows, movie houses, and school activities, except meetings on Zoom.
Janet Susan R. Nepales launched ‘FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World,’ on Dec. 3, 2021, while hundreds braved to join her outdoors, in compliance with Covid-19 protocols.
Janet envisioned a museum to house all these finest gowns made by fifteen Filipino designers around the world: Manila, Dubai, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and San Diego. Wondering how she would do it, two folks rose to the occasion.
Without any footsteps to follow, Lisa Lew and David Tupaz actualized her vision. Mannequins were shipped from Las Vegas, dressed with Janet’s haute couture gowns, and placed in the host’s home.
In keeping with the atmospheric plan of the author, even cookies were imprinted with Janet’s logo and artistry was predominant. She referred to Lisa and David as her “creative geniuses and her angels.”
Define Fashion!
Still my overthinking brain asks, “What is there to celebrate from single bolts of fabric? Is this my subconscious bias?”
Recall how ten ruffled yards of light-blue gown with a lavish train, wrapped Lady Gaga’s body with such elegance?
Much like her song, excerpted here:
“Step into the room like it’s catwalk
Fashion!
Singing to the tune, just to keep talking
Fashion!
Walk into the light
Display your diamonds and pearls in sight
Fashion!
Married to the night
I own the world, we own the world
Are these scholastic or subversive products from the imaginative minds of irrepressible spirits drawn to create, worldwide?
Is this what Bessie Badilla’s definition of fashion as composite of three elemental C’s: character – do I choose age appropriate or my mood for the moment?; confident – how I want to feel for a party, wedding or event; comfort – her first criterion in looking for in trying out clothes. Or a fourth C, did it connect?
‘Connected’
I was still looking for a writing muse until I attended the bridal shower of my niece, Jessica, who used the fourth element of fashion, the concept of being connected to the dress.
‘Connected’ was the descriptor Jessica used, how it made her feel. Jessica Del Rosario was dressed in an intricately lace with daisy flowered designs long dress, with spaghetti straps, with her well-kept hair, untousled, and tidy. She told us in a bridal shower that she tried on fifty dresses in three dress shops, to which I quipped silently, she had that patience? As she was about to give up, a darling bridal gown ‘connected to her.’ Even more meaningful was that her mom, Rachel, also got her bridal gown from the same shop, three decades ago.
She was raised as an artist with free flowing imagination. During childhood, she was drawing with crayons and pentel pens. Her creativity was visible in a ‘diy’ do it yourself bridal shower, save the date cards, invitations, flower arrangements with stems wrapped with lemon slices, and choices of registry gifts. Every little detail reflected her sensibilities and quality standards, including twenty-four framed photos of the bride and groom’s nine years journey.
My query continued, reaching down to recall memories of my mother.
Was that fashion that I saw from my mother, Asuncion, daily? She was confident, composed, and happy when she donned her street clothes, coordinated in patterns, colors from dress, bag and shoes. She was a diligent science and math teacher who commuted in Manila, and took three buses from Cerritos to Los Angeles to teach for four decades in Catholic private schools, public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Artesia, Bellflower, and Cerritos School District.
I am seeing more connectedness. Might this be my divine push to write about what Janet’s book has achieved?
Jessica’s excited response: “How cool of a book that showcases Filipino designers!”
It is a collection of fifteen fashion designers’ work in a coffee table book: Alan del Rosario, Alexis “Bong” Monsanto, David Tupaz, Ezra Santos, Francis Libiran, Furne One Amato, Josie Natori, Kenneth Barlis, Michael Cinco, Monique Lhuiller, Oliver Tolentino, Puey Quiñones, Rajo Laurel, RC Caylan and Rocky Gathercole. They hail from Manila, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Diego.
The thematical categories are: Roots, Home, Imagination, Hollywood, Tradition, Culture, Femininity, Architecture and Beauty of God’s work in what we do.
‘Connected’ to a lifestyle is a criterion used by Alan Del Rosario, who reportedly can just sight see a woman as an example, Janet Nepales, a world-travelled journalist. From looking at her, he can design her fabulous clothes.
Colleagues in the Cannes Film Festival wondered how big Janet’s suitcase is. She showed them how small it is. Del Rosario’s gowns are packable, and unwrinkled, a fundamental for travelling public figures like Janet.
She wore an original Tiffany-blue colored dress, embossed with flowers and a cape by Del Rosario,when she accepted her multiple awards this year from the Los Angeles Press Club. Instead of Janet asking celebrities who made their dresses, she reversed this trend unwittingly when KCAL news anchor Pat Harvey stopped her to ask who designed her dress.
Did Alan create them with specific geometry of architectural forms, shapes, synchronicity of shifted proportions, given his background on civil engineering? Imagine how that mannequin, if an actual person, felt while perched on that rooftop? Secretly, I have a wish to have a dress made by this designer.
Ten years ago, Oliver Tolentino designed my sister Sion and her daughter Jennifer’s bridal gown. Both felt confidently beautiful, as I did. Oliver designed for me an off-shouldered muted red gown. I had broad smiles wearing the gown.
Tolentino will be the first Filipino American designer to join Austria’s fashion week in September 2022, held in Vienna, the site of 400 balls every year.
Novel or novelty awaits Austrians. In the meantime, let’s find out more about this uplifting passion project.
Immersion in Social Creativity and Diversity: The Process
Social creativity is a process of drawing in people, a rich set of interconnections, contacts and initiating many layers of dialogues. It is drawing in diversity, a multiplicity of perspectives to usher new ideas from and to receive them with cultural humility, a stance that I don’t have all the answers to.
With diversity, an openness to various ethnic perspectives, where in Los Angeles alone, 220 distinct languages are spoken, how do you do it when you are in Dubai, Italy, France and Hollywood?
How do you combine social creativity and diversity, I asked Janet in a one-on-one interview on Dec. 2021?
PD: Given this passion project of a coffee table book, from its conception, to planning, to execution, please describe the creative process you took.
JRN: ”You are the first one to know that. You are the first one I told even before you published your own book. Now, I am happy to share with you my book.”
Janet preselected the designers based on her interviews, and identified the fashion icon images she wanted included from decades of covering Hollywood celebrities, as an officer of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. She then had to contact all the designers, secure their permission, including all their photographers. The work was laborious. She chose her team of editor, her husband Ruben V. Nepales and her friend, Bessie Badilla as curator and digital artist. In a few months, they were ready to publish the book.
Bessie Badilla has a reputational title of Supermodel, earned from being on global magazine covers, as a Balenciaga asset. She is treasured by photographers for her ability to work with many cultures, easy going personality, a sense of humor, and camaraderie. I experienced that, while with her, taking photographs of the fog-covered Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise years ago.
I was curious as to the transition from supermodel to photographer and now digital artist and her creative design process.
On her creative design process as a digital artist/curator: “After a successful first coffee table book for Sir Ruben, I took some months off from lay-out designing and publishing. The adrenaline high and excitement of actually completing an ambitious project like, “Through a Writer’s Lens” needed to calm down before I could start my next publication. I told Lady Jane to continue to mold her ideas of a red carpet book while I took a short break. I needed to clear my mind so I could start fresh on the book. In less than two months, I asked Lady Jane if she had a title for her tome, she responded: “FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World.” I immediately went to work! If there were any low points, it was having to reject [hundreds of photos] that were too small that the program I was using (Adobe InDesign) would not accept.”
Not only did Bessie take the time to learn a digital software to work with, but she also had a work ethic.
On her work process: “I worked on the book after dinner when our household quieted down. I would work until 3-4 in the morning in case I had any questions for Lady Jane, then she would be awake in Los Angeles. I enjoyed doing the lay out and design of this book because the topic was easy for me. I understood the aesthetics of a good red carpet photo wherein both celebrity and dress complemented each other. I know fashion. It was my life and I was successful in it.”
Note her confidence. Still, I was curious about the designers featured in this book. I asked Janet to share the first thing that comes to mind about each of them.
Alan Del Rosario is very structured, who followed his heart to become a fashion designer, after majoring in civil engineering. It is a dream come true to see him dressing up Michele Pfeiffer, Paula Abdul, Paris Hilton and Lea Michele.”
Michael Cinco has dressed up five beauty queens in the latest Miss Universe pageant. He is the ‘go to’ designer of beauty queens. “Everybody feels like a princess when they go to the red carpet. He has dressed up Hollywood stars like Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Sofia Vergara, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé. He is bold,” Janet asserted.
Oliver Tolentino exhibited his gowns in LA Fashion Week. Janet affirmed his creativity and said, “He surprised me, he went over and beyond,” it is as if his creativity stepped up to higher levels.” He has dressed up Pia Wurtzbach, Jennifer Lee, Debbie Reynolds, and Carrie Fisher.
This coming Sept. 14, Tolentino will showcase 30 Fall/Winter outfits in Vienna, Austria Fashion Week.
Janet on Rocky Gathercole, “I was the last journalist to interview him before he passed away. Including him is a tribute to his work. He is an avant garde. He dressed me up for a New York event, one of the fashion shows with Renee Salud.”
Kenneth Barlis – “This is what the future will be. His work is being copied too.”
Alexis “Bong”Monsanto – “His works are out of this world, [it] should be fantasy. Something you will want to wear if you want to be somebody else, daring, can stand out.”
RC Caylan – “He is daring, not scared of his critics, was on the Dubai runway and [he] showed his creativity and originality.”
Furne One Amato – “Think of fantasy, think out of this world, futuristic and spectacular.”
Monique Lhuillier – “You think of a princess on the red carpet. She started it all. She even dressed up Former First Lady Michelle Obama.”
Ezra Santos – “He is part of the respected trilogy, the top three designers in Dubai, all in Vogue. Yet, he is humble, soft spoken, simple and his works speak for himself.”
Puey Quiñones – “He recently got married and came out with a shoe line. He dressed me up, my daughter Bianca, the bride, my younger daughter Ella, the Maid of Honor for Bianca’s wedding. He created simple, feminine dresses perfect for the occasion, a garden wedding.”
Rajo Laurel – “Pia Clemente, the first Filipina American Oscar nominee in 2005 was dressed by Rajo Laurel and David Tupaz. Rajo is a pioneer, meticulous, and a perfectionist. He creates simple, daring, and classic dresses.”
Francis Libiran – “He supports Philippine fabric weavers and uses a lot of indigenous textiles from different parts of the archipelago. His favorite is jusi, a mixture of pineapple threads and silk; piña made from pineapple fibers and abaca made of banana tree fibers and abaca plant fibers. He has dressed up Darren Criss, Billie Porter, Tyra Banks, Gwen Stefani, among others. He has also dressed up Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray who are both Miss Universe holders and Megan Young, Miss World title holder.”
Josie Natori – “She was the first to bring fashion to the lingerie world.” Janet said that Natori shared:”After the Grammys. in 2019, you can see from our website, Lady Gaga came out with our bra…literally; she was just wearing a panty hose, a coat and a bra. Amazing.”
David Tupaz – “He was already dressing up Hollywood stars like Cris Jenner, Lisa Rinna and Christine Baranski and the like as early as I can remember. They were even walking the runway for David even before it became a trend.”
Confidence begets confidence, the feeling one is home. And in being home to oneself, one can confidently be fashionable.
On being on the red carpet, Janet described that when she puts on the gown, “Being myself, but also a different persona is being expressed, the gown brings out something in you. You end up giving life to the dresses. It is like hidden personalities, the little Janets, the Miss Janets, putting on the elegant dress and you become yourself plus more.”
Janet described how Bessie Badilla captures the impact of walking the red carpet. She becomes a different Bessie on the runway. “She knows what would move folks, as she has the eye, the innate creative aesthetics, just like how she picked out Rita Moreno wearing an original Pitoy Moreno gown, a classic to be included in my book,” she added.
Thelma Sioson-San Juan, a lifestyle editor based in the Philippines, considered this fashion book as piercing the invisibility veil: “there is no pigeon-holing the Filipino fashion design, not even on the red carpet. It is minimalism one moment, maximalist next (without visual breathing space), restrained now, flamboyant next, classic now and cutting edge next.”
To me, this book was a brave shout out to the world-class artistry of Filipino designers from Manila, New York, Dubai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego. It gave folks upliftment, a source of connecting with friends from the community, and also for Hollywood mainstream producers to get a taste of sisterhood and coming together for Janet’s book.
It is also the first book to assemble the finest works of Filipino designers, with Janet and Bessie as critics with good eyes, capturing icons’ images taken mostly by Sthanlee B. Mirador, about who is leading the culture.
It is also a book that illustrated what’s functional, what’s beautiful, but also the embedded creativity, and hard work behind fashion, where sewn beads, crystals, sequins, lace, buttons, sashes are crying out to be seen as beautiful and appreciated as more than just the stereotypical debauchery of the rich.
Fashion is wearable art, a canvas where each designer left their valuable imprint and signature in stitches.
I have now come to terms with what I experienced with Jessica, my niece; Asuncion, my mom; and Janet’s beautiful book for Filipino designers. I look forward to her next book about her interviews with these designers and how their creative instincts were nurtured from home or nature.
Within a few weeks in December 2021, all hardbound copies sold out. There are paperbound copies now available on Amazon. Don’t miss taking this book home if to just enjoy the colors, textures, fabrics and the icons of Hollywood and their insights and humble beginnings against all odds.
Photo 1 : Sthanlee Mirador, courtesy of the artist.
Photo 2: Sthanlee Mirador, Bessie Badilla, Alan del Rosario, David Tupaz (back row); Janet Nepales, Michael Cinco and Alexis “Bong” Monsanto. Taken by Ruben V. Nepales at Lisa Lew’s Sunset Blvd.house.
Photo 3: Janet Rodriguez Nepales signing her book at Michael Cinco’s Dubai shop, taken from her Facebook post.
Photo 4: Janet Rodriguez Nepales at Michael Cinco’s Dubai shop, taken from her Facebook post.
Photo 5: Taken at Lisa Lew’s house by Ruben V. Nepales. The designers with Janet Nepales holding her book.
Photos 6, 7, 8: Janet Nepales inside Michael Cinco’s Dubai shop, taken from her Facebook post.
Photo 9: Janet Nepales at the Cannes Film Festival in an Oliver Tolentino original, taken by Ruben V. Nepales.
Photo 10: Jessica Del Rosario, the bride to be, in her bridal shower dress, taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz
Photo 11: Stunning Lady Gaga taken by Sthanlee Mirador, photo taken by Sthanlee Mirador via Bessie Badilla
Photo 12: Bessie Badilla, taken by Filbert Kung
“It is compassion that removes the heavy bar, opens the door to freedom, makes the narrow heart as wide as the world. Compassion takes away from the heart the inert weight, the paralyzing heaviness; it gives wings to those who cling to the lowlands of the self. “ Nyanaponika Thera
“Courage is the essence of faith. Only the brave can have faith. A wise person is willing to fight his battles within himself. He eventually becomes established in a higher state of mind.“ Swami Ashokananda
“To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life. But to feel the affection that comes from those whom we do not know, from those unknown to us, who are watching over our sleep and solitude, over our dangers and our weaknesses – that is something still greater and more beautiful because it widens out the boundaries of our being, and unites all living things.“ Pablo Neruda, Childhood and Poverty
“The writer cannot be a mere storyteller, he cannot be a mere teacher; he cannot merely X-ray society’s weaknesses, its ills, its perils, he or she must be actively involved shaping its present and its future.” Saro-Wiwa
