GMA proudly wears ‘Janilyn’ to APEC Summit

She displayed her flawless Spanish and her American-education. But in a world where packaging is everything President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was Filipino from head to toe.

To wear to a power session, a top woman executive would normally pick out Ferragamo or Jimmy Choo pumps from her shoe arsenal. In the world stage, she knows that the brand of the shoe she wears could make her win a confidence war.

One of only three women leaders attending the 21-nation high-powered Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, GMA wanted to stand out with her Pasig-made Janilyns. And she clutched like a trophy her Carbon bags, designed by local Raul Francisco of Carbon bags in Greenbelt. And if the press would notice her flawless Spanish, maybe a well-heeled lady or two (US First Lady Laura Bush perhaps?) would also probably notice her shoes and bags and wouldn’t it be a shining moment for all Filipino manufacturers of leather goods if someone asks GMA: "I love your bag. Gucci?"

And GMA answers, "No, Carbon."

Now, it would not be uncommon for Philippine women leaders or for the wives of Philippine government officials to wear outfits made by the country’s noted couturiers. But I bet you they all wore Italian leather to international fora. I would have.

Perhaps GMA wore Janilyns (purchased at an average of P1,400 per pair) and Carbons (about P2,000 apiece) not just for the world to see but for all brand-conscious Pinays to realize this "shoe for thought"–in the corridors of power, Philippine brands are no longer kicked out of the red carpet.

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"The President wants us to promote Philippine-made products, so I’ve been in touch with the Marikina shoemakers," says Joanne Zapanta-Andrada, Mrs. Arroyo’s wardrobe consultant. "They now have the technology to equal the one they have in Europe."

For the Hawaii, Mexico and San Francisco trips of the President, she coordinated with Janilyn, which custom-made a shoe mold for the President’s size 5 1/2 feet. Joanne says, the mold, made out of fiberglass instead of wood, can identify which part of your foot bears down on your shoe the hardest, and so they make sure those pressure points are cushioned properly.

"The President likes wearing three-inch-heels, and she wears them all day, and so we had to make sure she had shoes that were both stylish and comfortable," says Joanne. Because the President is very busy, Joanne sent three of Mrs. Arroyo’s most used pairs to Janilyn so they could construct the mold.

Joanne specified the designs and Janilyn delivered. Upon the advice of Inno Sotto, Joanne specified flesh-toned pumps for the President to "sort of lengthen her legs."

For the group photo with all the APEC leaders, GMA donned a sleeveless mint green pants suit by JC Buendia and wore strappy sandals by Janilyn. The strappy sandals were her own idea, as protocol dictated that one wore shoes that did not expose one’s heels. Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark both wore pumps.

But GMA wasn’t the only one who broke protocol. US President George Bush took off his coat at one point and rolled up his sleeves because of the intense heat in Los Cabos.

GMA, whom STAR reporter Marichu Villanueva said was "easily the standout among three women leaders who spoke before the APEC chief executive officers’ summit," also dared bare her arms.

That was a first for the convent-bred Mrs. Arroyo as far as an international gathering was concerned.

"She was very conscious of the heat, and so she asked us to make her some sleeveless numbers for her trip to Hawaii and Mexico," says Joanne. Inno Sotto made the red sleeveless shift dress, which had a blazer. The boat dresses were by Ito Curata and the Filipiniana gowns for the formal dinners are Jose Salazar numbers. Her hair and makeup stylist Gener Miranda gave her hair that sleek, neat look so she looked corporate even while retaining her femininity.

A no-fuss type of woman, President Arroyo just made one request to her designers: "No outfits that crumple easily!"