Paul Cabral: Touched by Tita Cory's humble & loving style

Fashion de-signer Paul Cabral still shivers when he recalls that day in January when he attended the wake of former President Joseph Estrada’s mother, Doña Mary.

Former President Cory Aquino asked him: “Paul, maganda ang ayos ni Doña Mary. Sino ang nag-ayos sa kaniya?”

“Kami po ni Jackie (Ejercito-Lopez),” Paul replied.

Then his Tita Cory told him: “Paul, pag may nangyari sa akin, ikaw na ang bahala, ha?”

“Huwag po kayong magsalita nang ganyan,” Paul told Cory.

After that came months of sleepless nights for him. He worried that his beloved president and most special client was ill and in pain. He worried that she would feel great discomfort.

The first thing Paul did was make dusters for Cory, made of the softest fabrics, using no material that might cause itchiness.

“How are you feeling, Ma’am?” he would ask.

“There’s a little discomfort, but I cannot complain. Kung iba nga diyan, mas worse pa. But this is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, not even on my worst enemies,” Cory said.

“She is like that,” Paul explains. “She never complains. She suffers silently.”

Paul still remembers the time when Cory was his first caller at 7 a.m.during his birthday. Cory wanted to see him, Paul said he couldn’t because he was not feeling well.

So shocked was he to find Cory knocking on his door to deliver her gift personally. Cory was such a thoughtful person, always showering him with motherly love and attention.

One Christmas three years ago when Cory knew that Paul’s mother was in the US, Cory invited him to spend Christmas eve with the Aquino family.

He didn’t go. “She knew I was too shy. The only time I accepted her invitation was during her 75th birthday.”

Once, Cory noticed that the hardworking Paul looked tired. “You look stressed,” Cory told him.

After two weeks, Cory sent him a painting which she titled “One Stressful Day.” That made him smile. Another time, she him sent him a lacquer box from Japan, saying, “Baka nagsasawa ka na sa paintings ko.”

“No, Ma’am, I love receiving your paintings,” he replied. Right away, Cory sent him an additional gift — another painting!

In turn, Paul says he would send Cory her favorite strawberry shortcake by Mrs. Yulo, or Costa Brava’s caramel cake which she loved, or Arce pistachio ice cream. “Cory was the type who called to thank right away even for the simplest of gifts.”

To show his love for her, Paul would speed up work on her clothes right away, even if she would say “No rush, you can finish it anytime,” whenever she sent fabrics to be sewn.

The first time he made her a dress, Cory exclaimed, ‘Wow Paul, you’re so good, one fitting only!” She would also praise him for his neat and impeccable workmanship.

Paul credits his meticulous style to his idol and mentor, Joe Salazar, a generous and selfless friend who shared tricks of the trade with him. ”I would marvel at his gowns and say, “Joe, your gowns are so clean and creaseless, it’s as if they were untouched by human hands.”

Joe showed him the trick: His beaders would wear gloves that covered their arms till the elbow, exposing only their fingers to allow dexterity.

Truth is, Paul possesses the same traits that made Joe Salazar stay at the top for decades: humility, finesse, creativity, dedication and perseverance.

Perhaps the very same traits that made him so loved by Cory.

“Cory was so humble, she would even come to the shop herself when I could very well go to her for her fitting. I think she felt relaxed whenever she came to the shop.”

Paul says that the first garment he made for Cory was a red dress which she wore for a date with the Pink Sisters in 2003.” But my favorite was the red dress I made for her when she was named one of the Asian Heroes two years ago in Hong Kong. “I love red on her.”

But for Cory’s funeral, Paul made a beaded yellow blazer with a long dress.It was the dress he dreaded making for her.

”I couldn’t sleep the past two weeks.I felt so depressed.And I wanted to be awake all the time for her.”

Paul is now getting some sleep. And yes, he does dream of his beloved President Cory.