Oliver Tolentino shines as first Pinoy fashion designer invited at Vienna Fashion Week

LOS ANGELES — Oliver Tolentino, who has become a familiar name among Hollywood A-listers especially for their red-carpet appearances, just added another feather to his hat as the first Filipino fashion designer to be invited to the MQ Vienna Fashion Week 2022.

Attended by the who's who in Vienna, the crowd of 500 plus previewed his Fall/Winter 2023 36-piece collection which included a couture gown made from a fabric mix of piña, abaca, water lily, and saluyot. The eco piece was covered with recycled beads and the skirt with hand-sewn petals of piña and abaca remnants. The gown was also a part of MQVFW's opening night runway show.

Organizers, who were familiar with Tolentino's couture collection, flew him in for a week as their guest. They previewed his collection in the Museums Quartier, a famous locale in central Vienna.

Tolentino presented a collection featuring strong silhouettes in bold colors such as blues, gold and black combinations, purples, florals, emerald greens, bright yellows, yellow and red combinations, and vibrant red closing looks.

Luxurious fabrics, beaded fringes, strong shoulder accents, detachable horsehair skirts were features of the collection, as were flowing opera jackets, inspired by Vienna's famous ball season.  Several of the shoulder accents featured voluminous tulle, ostrich feathers, and beadings.

Among a half-dozen green looks, one of the standouts was a labor-intensive haltered top cocktail dress with voluminous detachable train, all made from swirled hand-cut Mikado strips.

A red-themed segment closed Tolentino's show, including a high-low red and yellow silk print gown, paired with a red and yellow cocktail dress covered by a long red overcoat, and followed by an eye-catching geometric birdcage cocktail dress. Tolentino's second-to-last dress was a labor-intensive organza ball gown with lantern-patterned cutouts, and his finale was a stunning heavily-beaded silver corset with tulle and horsehair red skirt dramatically embellished with circular red strips and Swarovski crystals.

Philippine Ambassador Irene Natividad attended the event and luxury coffee table magazine book Aurum 999,9 MagBook sponsored Tolentino's solo show.

We were able to interview Tolentino in his Beverly Hills shop.

Congratulations Oliver on your participation at the Vienna Fashion Week. So please tell us how did you get the gig?

They saw my previous fashion shows and they liked my collection. They said "Your collection is so couture and that is what we need at the Vienna Fashion Week because Vienna is fashion forward. Plus, we have the biggest grand ball in the world, so your collection is perfect." I am the first designer to show couture pieces at the fashion week.

And you are the first Filipino to do so?

Yes, I am the first Filipino to do so, and I am so honored that I was featured in this fashion week.

Were you invited one week in advance?

Actually, this was planned way back in 2019. They already offered me this project. But because of COVID-19, it was delayed. But I think it was a blessing in disguise because it was during COVID time that the creative juices were flowing. I was able to think of different styles and techniques. So, they actually told me ahead of time.

And you had 36 pieces in your collection?

Yes, I had 36 pieces and 36 models.

You also featured an eco-dress.

Yes, I showcased an eco-dress in my collection. I usually promote our local fabric when I have a fashion show. As a Filipino American designer, I love doing that – to have a Filipino portion in my collection. So, this eco dress was made from the leaves of the pineapple plant or the pina, the water lily, saluyot combination. They don't weave the water lily and saluyot anymore, so this is really a one-of-a-kind gown which I also made into a modernized gown.

You were inspired by the Vienna ballroom in this collection.

Yes, that is why the title of my collection is called the "Queen of the Ball." You know that when you are in a ball, pabonggahan dyan. So, I incorporated a lot of jewel-toned colors that are rich and eye catching in my collection like emerald, purple, green, red. So masaya yung collection. Usually, a collection would only have the usual black and white, or silver or gold. Para maiba naman, I used a lot of colors. There may be different looks but there is still a theme. I focused on the nice fabric and embellishments. When you see the clothes, you can tell yourself that you can wear them.

You also have dresses that used Swarovski crystals.

You know Filipino designers, we use a lot of dramatic embellishments. We love to create something out of nothing. I also recycled some of my beadings that I made in the past and incorporated them into a new look. I am really happy with this collection because it is really me.

There were a lot of VIPs who attended.

The tent was packed with 500 plus people. Some were already standing. There were a lot of socialites from Vienna as well as our Filipino kababayans who attended to show their support to me. Philippine Ambassador Irene Natividad came and supported me. I am happy that wherever I go, all our Philippine ambassadors and consuls show their support to me. Sobra sobrang nakaka touch. I am more inspired because they show their all-out support to me.

You also had a meet and greet with your kababayans in Vienna, right?

Yes, I had a meet and greet at the United Nations office with my kababayans. We had lunch together and picture taking. I didn't realize there were a lot of Filipinos working at the UN. Nakaka proud din.

So how long did it take you to finish this collection?

It took me three months to complete. As a designer, when I am pressured to finish a dress, the creative juices come out.

—MGP, GMA News