FILIPINO DESIGNER MAKES
IT IN HOLLYWOOD

David Tupaz has always wanted to dress up famous movie stars. Now he is living the dream.

By Tet Andolong

WHEN the Philippines is talked about in international circles, it is almost always for the wrong reasons. Political instability, poverty, graft and corruption—these are but a few of the unflattering images that are associated with the country and its people.
 
Luckily for the nation, bits of good tidings do arise from time to time, giving its citizens something to be proud of. Unknown to many Filipinos, they have another reason to cheer because one of their own is making it big in the American fashion world.

David Tupaz was born and raised in the Philippines and is the first grandson of the late Filipino artist, Don Jose J. Tupaz of El’ Oro Engravers fame. He went to New York City in 1993, where he studied fashion design and trained in haute couture tradition under Milanese designer Marco Delli. It was during this period when he developed a sense of tailored femininity with a mix of romanticism that has since become his signature.
 
It was during his stay in the Big Apple that Dave, as friends call him, made many acquaintances and supporters. One of them, the late Elizabeth Tilberis, former editor of Harper’s Bazaar, encouraged David to be on his own and start his own atelier. “You can’t be an assistant forever,” she told him. With those words, it didn’t take much for another client to convince David to cater to the entertainment industry and he moved to Los Angeles in May of 1997.

“I needed a change in my environment. I loved New York but I wanted more,” says David. “Hollywood dictates fashion in America. New York might be the center of fashion but Hollywood is the window. People want to wear what they see on the stars. That’s the reason why I wanted to be in Los Angeles,” he added.

In 2004, the City of Los Angeles held the annual Los Angeles Fashion Week, which showcased the creations of budding designers in the area. One name featured in the show, which was held at the Saint James Episcopal Church, was that of a Filipino: David Tupaz.  It was the beginning of his rise to fame.

Out of the 10 designers invited to the event, it was David who was given the distinction of doing the finale, wherein he showed his Spring and Summer collection showcasing a wide variety of looks that underscored his fascination for Old Hollywood. The collection included daywear of natural and white linens for men and women, Asian-inspired evening ensembles in checkered and black-and-white floor-length skirts and kimono-like jackets, and, for the final segment, a gold silk number with a bronze sequin bustier that drew raves from the crowd.

“I was always fascinated by the glitter of Hollywood and that’s what inspired my collection,” says Tupaz.

Because of his creations, Tupaz was invited to be a member of the prestigious CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) by the council’s chairman himself, Stan Herman. There are only three Filipinos in mainstream American fashion: Josie Natori, Monique Lhuillier and David, who says, “We are all friends and support one another.”

Catering to the entertainment industry, Dave was commissioned by Movieline to dress actress Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels and 50 First Dates) for a shoot.

Working out of his design studio on fashionable Topanga Canyon Boulevard, David’s designs has caught the attention of Hollywood sophisticates, most of who live just past the hill in Malibu. Some of Hollywood’s big names who have worn David’s creations are Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Mariel Hemingway, Christine Baranski, Rain Pryor, Kelly LeBrock, Bo Derek, Cheryl Ladd, Annette Bening, William and Elizabeth Shatner, Trisha Simmons, Cris Jenner, Tonya Thicke, Tracy Hamilton and the legendary Jane Wyatt, to name a few.

One of his clients, Academy Award-winning director and former Miss Japan Keiko Ibi, wore a purple peaux de soix that he designed and created especially for the 1999 Oscar Awards night, where Ibi received the Best Documentary Film Award from actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. It was dubbed by People magazine as one of the evening’s most memorable gowns.

Just recently, Dave collaborated with local designer Rajo Laurel to execute a champagne-colored gown for the first Filipina Oscar nominee, Pia Clemente.  The gown, which was inspired by the Pintado tribe, featured intricate beading and embroidery work as well as a handmade beaded veil done by the cloistered nuns of the Carmelite Order in the Philippines.

Dave, who has designed costumes for television shows such as Malcolm in the Middle and Boston Legal, explained that Clemente’s gown was meant to show the world what Filipino designers are capable of doing. The creation drew plenty of attention and, Hollywood being what it is, word quickly spread around and his list of clients got longer.

When Dave recently presented his 2006 Fall/Winter collection fashion at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, which drew rave reviews from the press, some of his A-list customers took to the ramp to model his designs. These included the better halves of famous Hollywood stars Alan Thicke, Bruce Jenner, Scott Hamilton and William Shatner, who attended the event.

Wearing clothes specifically designed for them were Tonya Thicke, Cris Jenner, Tracy Hamilton and Elizabeth Shatner, whom the fashion media then collectively dubbed as the “Fabulous Housewives.” Seen at David’s red carpet fashion event were celebrity guests such as American Idol finalist Jasmine Trias, 2005 US Miss World Lizette Diaz, actor Gabriel Womack, actress Brie Larson (Hoot), actress Shani Rigsbee (Crash), Cris Judd, actress Bai Ling and diva Mariah Carey.

Despite his string of successes, David remains modest and is committed to continue making his mark in showtown. His near-future plans include holding a fashion show and opening a haute couture atelier in Manila. He also wants to invite all his celebrity friends and clients to experience the Philippines at its best and promote the country through tourism. “It is through art and culture that we Filipinos can show the world that we can be great. Fashion falls in that category,” says David, who cites this as the impetus behind his desire to succeed.  “We Filipinos have a responsibility to uplift our image in the world and be appreciated and respected internationally,” he adds.

David always addresses himself as a Filipino designer in mainstream American fashion. He is frequently interviewed by the American and international fashion press but when the Filipino media come to interview him, he always conducts it in Tagalog. “I am always honored to speak our language. It is my badge of loyalty to my country, and its values and tradition,” he says.