The 25 muses of Inno Sotto

Inno Sotto has an aversion to fashionistas.

While the women who inspire him are stylish, they certainly aren’t trendy. The fashionista is a whole other creature altogether.

“I think they’re in captivity,” he says with a laugh. “They’re caricatures of the moment. Five years from now, they’ll be asking themselves, ‘God, what was I wearing?!’”

It isn’t just that they’re lemmings when it comes to trends, but some women do tend to become enslaved by what’s current — whether it actually appeals to them or suits their figure.

“Fashionistas are clones,” he says. “Their mentality is: if you don’t notice me, maybe you’ll notice my bag or my shoes.”

He dislikes the cult of conformity that’s taking over society — what can easily be dubbed the plague of the fashionista. The slack-jawed smile as they pose at red-carpet events, the overdone looks, the sameness, the devotion to “it” labels all make them victims of the moment.

“I don’t consider them fashionable,” he says. “The fashionistas are overkill for me.”

The females who intrigue him have more going for them than a nice pair of shoes and an impressive closet. Some, as you will see in this list, don’t even care a whit for fashion.

Character, strength and determination are some of the characteristics shared by the women he admires.

“Usually when designers list their muses it’s someone they dress which I find so shallow,” he says. “I like to look further — at women who challenge the world, who are interesting. Some people are so isolated by their industry, they keep turning to the same women. But I’m fascinated by women who have opinions.”

His list of muses is an eclectic mix of society figures, celebrities, politicos, business titans and the odd reformed party girl — some of whom he’s never even met. A few, he’s admired from afar. “Like Winnie Monsod or Tessie Sy-Coson, I don’t really know them but I’ve always appreciated their spirit.”

“These women are naturally curious. They have convictions. They’re very adamant about certain things. They’re not stubborn but there’s a sureness about all of them. They’re not conventional in many ways.”

The late PCGG chair Haydee Yorac, lawyer Winnie Monsod and filmmaker Marilou Diaz-Abaya are some of the few figures who stood out for being outspoken.

“What I like most about these women is that they have balls,” he says baldly. “I wish more men had them.”

“They’re independent thinkers. They don’t do things to please people. They’re not ma-PR, you know what I mean?”

Inno likes the interesting mix of females who fill this list — though there were plenty more women he holds in high regard who weren’t included (for the sake of space as this lifestyle section only has so many pages) — and the qualities that set them apart.

“The creative women on this list, whether consciously or unconsciously, were never satisfied with the ordinary,” he says. “That’s why they’re so extraordinary.”

For the designer, it’s their verve or pluck that makes them worthy of admiration.

“These women are interested in life!” he explains.

“It has nothing to do with the bag,” he says deadpan, “or the shoes.”

Imelda Cojuangco

“I’ve known Meldy Co for quite a while,” he says, “but even though we’re not constantly in touch, she keeps abreast of what’s going on in my life. She knows what’s been happening. And that’s a sign of a good friend.”

The society figure, according to Inno, is very generous, very giving and fiercely loyal. “She belongs to that certain breed of women — like Chona Kasten, Celine Heras, those privileged women. She’s a leader in that sense.” But hardly a diva. “She tells me she’d like to have some clothes made, then she comes to me for a fitting with no fuss. One of the easiest women to work with.”

Nedy Tantoco

The Rustan’s matriarch impresses him for her attention to detail and her dedication to the business she grew up in. “Nedy’s always conscious of how her mom pictured Rustan’s to be from the time she started it,” Inno says. “She’s taken it upon herself to be the guardian of her mother’s vision.”

The two have worked together closely since Inno’s entry to the department store as creative director. During long, tedious meetings, he’s noticed that she never takes the shortcut, patiently taking in what everyone has to say. “She takes pride in perfecting everything — from the gift wrapper to the service to the merchandise. You’ll see her hand in everything in the store.”

Virgie Ramos

“She has this childlike fascination for new things,” he says. Inno thinks her youthful spirit is the source of her success. “She just doesn’t think old!”

“It’s an important quality and element that fashion always needs,” he explains, “that no matter how much you reinvent it, fashion always needs a new gloss or finish. And Virgie always has that — whether it’s Sanrio, Hello Kitty or Swatch.”

Bea Valdes

The accessories designer is undoubtedly stylish. Tatler magazine dubbed her the most stylish woman in Asia. But it’s Bea’s work ethic and visionary spirit that Inno respects. “I’m fascinated by her creative mind,” he says. “She reads a lot. She writes beautifully. And she’s not fussy. She makes beautiful things that have to do with fashion but it’s not primary with her.

“She raises the bar in terms of design,” he adds, heaping praise on the designer who’s made a splash on the pages of American and British Vogue as well as a strong presence in films like Sex and the City 2. “She makes frail and delicate things but she’s very gutsy,” he adds. “She was a mentor for CITEM before, and she wasn’t afraid to be blunt. Her straightforward nature is one of the things I admire most about her.”

Josine Elizalde

“Whether Josine’s putting together a party for five or 50, it’s always amazing,” he says. Her entertaining skills are legendary — her attention to detail and ability to throw things together in an effortless, yet supremely efficient way, leaves him in awe. “She can run 10 restaurants the way she runs her house.”

Samantha Eduque

“I’ve known Sam since she was a kid,” he says. The former party girl grew up under the loving gaze of her grandfather Dr. Constantino Manahan, and was the apple of everyone’s eye in the family. “Like all the women I dress, she’s very picky and quality conscious — and she’s very sure of her style.” He laughs. “She’s very pintasera. Unconsciously, she edits things even when she’s just fitting a dress or trying on accessories.”

He has a definite opinion on her future. “She actually has all the makings of the perfect housewife. She can cook really well. I see her do the groceries by herself. People never think that of her but it’s true.”

Tessie Sy-Coson

Though Inno hardly knows Tessie, he’s well aware of her work. “You can feel her presence in the business world,” he says. “She’s capable of being so comfortable in a field very few women are in. With business, whether it’s real estate or retail, she’s a titan.”

He considers her sartorial confidence refreshing. “She has what I’d call a uniform. Always in black and white. It’s very chic.”

“That whole approach, wearing what appeals to her all the time, suggests sureness. She doesn’t care.”

Gretchen Barretto

Though her face is constantly plastered on the covers of celebrity-obsessed tabloids, Inno believes that the image displayed between the pages of Yes and StarStudio and their ilk don’t tell the whole story. “She’s one of the rare women you read about but who doesn’t obsess over her image,” he notes. “She’s not full of herself.”

Though her wardrobe is packed to the brim with designer labels — as Yes magazine has studiously documented over the years — she’s “not obsessed with acquisitions,” according to Inno. “She’s a bit of a mommy,” he says. “Always talking about her daughter. She’s really very protective of the people around her.”

Mandy dela Rama-Santos

Though Mandy’s been on many a best-dressed list, the children’s wear designer has been celebrated for her eye. Inno applauds her work. “You can tell her work is a little different. It has a point of view,” he says. “I like it when people make me see things with a different lens.”

Lizzie Zobel

“Lizzie’s Colombian,” he says. “She got into the country, married into a prominent family and didn’t get lost. Whatever she was about, she has stayed true to.”

Her advocacy is one of the things she strongly believes in and she remains devoted to issues such as birth control and education. “There’s a woman who’s not afraid to fight for what she believes in.”

Sofia Zobel-Elizalde

“Sofia’s involvement with the arts,” says Inno, “is what makes her a force to be reckoned with.” The two have collaborated together numerous times — whether it’s the ballet or the Ayala Malls projects with the Philippine Heritage library. “Her love for the arts and my passion for it is what draws us to each other.” He admires her perseverance and zeal.

“This is true of all the women on this list,” he says. “They are like their mothers. They are committed to their passions.”

Heart Evanglista

“I met Heart when she turned 18,” he says. He dressed her for her debut. Though she was already in showbiz at the time, she certainly didn’t act like it. “She’s not like those people on SNN,” Inno says, name-dropping the TV show that documents the lives and scandals that plague Manila’s celebs. “She’s not desperate to be on the radar. She’s not ma-showbiz, that’s just her work, not her life.”

“She’s also totally unself-conscious,” he says, “which is admirable because I think she’s one of the most beautiful faces in Philippine cinema.”

Gaita Fores

“Her passion, my God!” is one of the first things Inno says when Gaita’s name comes up. The renowned restaurateur’s inherent appetite for knowledge is what sets her apart. “She always wants to try new things, but she’s comfortable with what she can do and what she knows,” he says. “Because of that, she’s managed to go far.”

Socorro Ramos

“The ultimate wise woman,” Inno calls “Nanay.”

“She’s the kind of woman you approach with your problems because she always understands,” he says. There’s plenty of proof of that. As an advice columnist in this paper, she receives scads of letters from readers all over the country, asking for her opinion on everything from their spouse’s extracurricular affairs to personal business loans.

He admires her achievements, too. “It was such a simple journey for her, but it’s affected the rest of us so powerfully,” he says of her National Book Store empire.

“Advocating that knowledge is important, that knowing the world around you is always to your advantage,” he says, “is what makes her particularly impressive.”

Ming Ramos

Inno met the former First Lady during her husband’s reign in Malacañang. “Ming was very nice, very motherly, very soft-spoken. You immediately felt comfortable with her.”

Her down-to-earth sensibilities appealed to Inno. “She did things herself. She would pack her own things, and during state visits would iron her own things. I was like, ‘Doesn’t she know she has aides to do that for her?’ Mrs. Ramos had no illusions about her place.”

“And she had vision,” he adds. The former First Lady was responsible for Elsa Klensch’s Philippine visit in the ’90s, when the then-influential CNN fashion correspondent profiled the design industry, covering fashion, furniture and more on her show.

Baby Fores

An intensely private person, Baby is one of Inno’s clients who always knows what she wants. “She’s very definite about her likes and doesn’t likes,” he says of her style. “If it looks like anything she’s seen on anyone, it doesn’t work for her.”

The original minimalist here in Manila,” he adds. “She loves clean and sleek lines.”

The celebrated figure who partied during the height of Studio 54 with folks like Halston is one of the most confident women the designer has met. “She has that I-don’t-care attitude, very sure of her style and herself.”

Glecy Tantoco

“Glecy had vision,” he says. “She’s done so much for the retail industry. She believed that we deserved good things. That we don’t have to go to Hong Kong to get it. She’s a pioneer in this industry and was one of the first people to highlight Philippine-made products.”

When Inno first entered Rustan’s, he wanted to familiarize himself with the department store’s brand DNA, hoping to get a more intimate perspective on what Tantoco desired for her company. He surveyed the staff, trying to find out what she wanted and what she liked. “Everyone I asked,” he says, “only had wonderful things to say about her.”

Cory Aquino

Though designer Auggie Cordero was known for designing the late President’s apparel, Cory approached Inno once to design something for a state dinner in Japan. “I could’ve gone to Times Street but she came to my studio instead,” he recalls. “I remember that I had flowers and potpourri all over the studio and I hadn’t known that she was allergic.” He laughs. “I freaked out and had it all removed.”

He remembers her strength, convictions and integrity.

“It wasn’t in her plan to be president but she handled it with grace.”

Haydee Yorac

The former PCGG chair used to be a mainstay on the news. “Haydee wore glasses and had frizzy hair parted here,” Inno says pointing to the middle of his head, “but every time I saw her on television she used to make such an impression.”

He refers to her as the tough chick you wouldn’t want to mess with. “I thought she was Dirty Harry:‘Make My Day!’ That sort of thing. I told her once I wanted to dress her and she said, ‘But why? I’m not fashionable?’ I said, ‘But you blow my mind!’ I never got the chance to.”

Rosarito Agustines

Rosarito’s curiosity and passion for life makes her an object of Inno’s esteem. “She’s interested in so many things,” he says. And she can throw an awesome party. “And the way she can orchestrate a dinner is fantastic.”

CheChe Lazaro

Known for her commendable work on The Probe Team, Inno considers her principles and integrity to be two of CheChe’s calling cards. “I admire her dedication to her work,” he says. “I remember watching her skydive or bungee jump for her show once and thought, ‘My God, this woman is crazy.‘”

“In hindsight, I realize that’s probably why she keeps her hair short.”

Marilou Diaz-Abaya

When Inno arrived from his long sojourn in the US way back when, he went to the cinema and saw Marilou’s films, Brutal and Mortal. “She was doing serious movies about women at the time of Guy and Pip,” he says. “Her choice of material, what she wanted to bring to people’s attention, was so striking,” he says. “She was ahead of her time.”

Gilda Cordero Fernando

A woman born to be a muse — if there is such a thing — Gilda inspires the designer because of her artsy sensibilities, her flair and her work as a writer. “She doesn’t look like she belongs to this time,” he says. “She strikes me as a romantic, but she is one of the most modern women I’ve ever met.”

Winnie Monsod

“Winnie has this mentality: If no one can do it, I will. If no one in this country will say it, I will.” He’s tremendously inspired by her no-nonsense attitude and success in her field. “She’s strong-willed, unafraid to do what she believes in,” he says. “Winnie is matapang.”

Ivy Teo

The dermatologist and Inno go back — way back. “I did her prom dress and debut gown,” he reminisces. “Even the whole entourage when she got married. I think her bridal dress was a Monique Lhuillier or Vera Wang.”

He commends her success and commitment to her field. “Ivy’s eager to learn, eager to know, eager to share,” he explains. “At one point, she was everyone’s secret. No billboards, no ads but everyone who was anyone went to her. Her client profile is amazing.”