The Business of Making ‘It’ Look Easy
Georgina Wilson, Isabelle Daza, Solenn Heussaff and Liz Uy create a 60-piece signature fashion collection with e-commerce platform Zalora. YStyle reports exclusively on their most personal venture yet.
MANILA, Philippines — Collectively, and as individuals, the It Girls have sold us on a lot of stuff throughout the years. Some good things (from stints on reality television to the dream of destination weddings; from sunglasses to lipsticks, energy drinks and gym memberships), some weird things (ice cream bars, life insurance, and, um, bank accounts?), and then some, unsurprisingly, not-so-good things (and that’s that on that).
On the business of selling “It,” they’ve fallen into the habit of making things look easy. It’s been an inexorable stream of personality-based business, bankable deals, zillions of endorsements, not to mention the successful celebrity-turned-entrepreneur ventures.
And they’re about to do it again (surprise), and this time it’s for regional e-commerce platform Zalora. Georgina Wilson, Isabelle Daza, Solenn Heussaff and Liz Uy come together to launch their most personal project yet: a 60-piece fashion collection called “The_Edit.” Putting together the dresses, the shoes, the essentials and the staples for a co-curated wardrobe for the modern Filipina, The_Edit launches exclusively on Zalora Philippines on Oct. 11.
Solenn Heussaff in a button down midi dress from The_Edit.
And as the story goes — they schlep, we shop. But this time, should we really? YStyle takes the first look.
As stylish as these women are, in and outside of their professional lives, The_Edit, as a celebrity signature collection, is all too expected. And the timing is a surprise. Why only now?
“You know how they say it takes 10,000 hours to be an expert at something?” shares Georgina Wilson with a laugh, “I think I’ve personally spent 100,000 hours on clothes. And that’s just me.” New to the joys of young motherhood but deep in the throes of building a lifestyle empire, the model-turned-businesswoman knows the value of seeing things through, everything at its own pace. And for her, timing for a signature fashion collection seemed just about ripe.
“I think it takes a while for a woman to come into her own style,” says Georgina. “There’s newness and trends, don’t get me wrong, I love trends, but there’s something to be said about having a timeless, reliable wardrobe. And trust me when I say — it takes time to achieve that. What we did was go through our own closets and put everything we’ve learned in The_Edit — it’s everything we think the modern Filipina could use in her wardrobe.”
Echoing the idea of slowness as something to embrace, a fashion venture was always in the cards for Liz Uy. Spending half her time as one of Manila’s premier (if not, the top) stylist in Manila and the other half as a global style superstar represented by New York’s The Society Management (inside the same book as supermodels Kendall Jenner and Adriana Lima, as one does), Liz confessed that everybody always asks her the same question: when is she coming up with her own line?
Liz Uy wears a reverse deep-v dress in rust.
“I’m not ready for something solo just yet. But who knows?” demurs Liz. “And yeah, I thought this was a great opportunity to test the waters. Great design, great price points and easy access from Zalora. What’s not to love? And obviously, it’s always fun doing these things with your friends.”
On the topic of the pieces they created, actress and entrepreneur Isabelle Daza likes to compare The_Edit to that one, proverbial wardrobe of go-tos. The panacea equivalent to all your sartorial problems.
“It’s like the rack,” says Belle, “you know, the one rack of clothes and shoes you always go back to. These are the staples you’ll always need in your closet and we made these essentials with every Filipina in mind. These are the cuts we like on our bodies, and I think our clothes will be super relatable for a lot of women.”
And she’s not wrong. The_Edit, at a glance, is elevated, wearable chic — and the look is louche and lived-in. There’s particular focus on the wrap dress — albeit perfected, of a flattering cut and a drape that falls just right. Staples come in the shape of knit bodysuits, slinky slip dresses and a standout trench, in what felt like a weighty rayon. With 60 pieces split among styles, colors and the block-heel shoes, there’s a lot to love for every woman here. Inclusive in sizing, too, with dresses going up to a 2XL — “inclusivity was definitely a priority for us,” shares Belle. “We want to be accessible to different kinds of Filipinas.”
Belle Daza in a collared button down shift in blush from The_Edit.
The_Edit is easy; a dress-obsessed collection, all done up in minimal cuts and neutral tones. And there’s purpose behind that, shares artist, actress and TV presenter Solenn Heussaff: “Our purpose with these clothes is we wanted to show people that there are timeless pieces that will work on everyone. If you look at us, we’re four very different women with different personalities and different tastes, but we looked for what pieces we did share, what shoes do we all love? These are pieces you’ll still end up reaching for in 10 years’ time.”
“These clothes are timeless, but also now,” adds Georgina. “I need things I can wear from morning to night; and ease and being comfortable are big parts of that.”
“The modern Filipina knows the new rules of style — it’s anything goes, as long as it’s not boring,” Liz says playfully. “I want working women to know — or any woman, for that matter — that style is what you make of it.” And with just that, The_Edit sounds like a better place to start.
It feels easy for people to chalk up the It Girls’ enduring appeal to their collective star power; crediting each of their success to name and reach only. What’s invisible is the eight months it took to bring this collection together, from the thorough sampling process to the up-to-the-minute revisions. There’s thought behind each piece; there’s design in their process.
“I think it’s cool, and quite funny actually, when people think we just slap our names on things.” says Georgina. “I mean, if all of this looks easy to you then we’ve done our jobs. I don’t go around telling people how hard we work because that’s not me—people really think all of this comes easy? (Laughs) I love that.”
Georgina Wilson pairs a sleeveless trench with rayon trousers.
In both style and life, a sense of “ease” doesn’t come overnight but you can see it in these clothes; in the cinch of a wrap dress, the height of a heel or in the hug of a trench. It’s thoughtful, sharp, and made with an eye for indelible style.
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The_Edit will be available on Zalora Philippines by Oct. 11, 2018.
Photos by BJ Pascual
Creative Direction by Vince Uy
Stying by STYLIZED STUDIO
Makeup by Robbie Piñera (Georgina and
Solenn) and LALA FLORES (Liz and Belle)
Hair by Renz Pangilinan (Georgina and Liz) and Mong Amado (Belle and Solenn)
