Over a week ago, we have seen the yearly descent of the stars, garbed in their fabulous dresses and sharp tuxedos, in what is dubbed as the biggest and most glamorous celebration in the entertainment industry, the Star Magic Ball. A myriad of celebrities took on their annual parade at the red carpet in celebration of years of stay in a home that nurtured and in a word, made, them.
Now on its 11th year, we continue to be enamored by the who-wore-what-and-who of it all, transforming us –admit it or not—from mere news bystanders to household fashion experts with the authority to make our own lists of who came in their best and those who are just mehh and of course, those who, for us, came in absolute disaster.
In celebration of Star Magic’s 25th anniversary, Rank talked to 27 year-old ace fashion stylist Perry Tabora to get an in on the basics of dressing a celebrity with an illustrious lineup of clients—including one of the most talked about this year (and probably in all of her Star Magic Ball outings) Liza Soberano.
Tell us how you got into dressing/styling celebrities?
I originally wanted to pursue Fashion Design, which is why I took up Fashion Design and Merchandising at the De La Salle – College of St. Benilde. While studying, I got introduced to styling when I was hired for a styling job. I ended up loving it so I decided to follow this path.
What considerations do you take when dressing celebrities? For Star Magic Ball?
When I style my clients, there are 3 things that I consider: the occasion that I’m styling them for, the current trends, and the unique fashion aesthetic of the client. I try to integrate these three things, along with my own aesthetic, to create a unique look.
For the Star Magic Ball, since this is undoubtedly one of the biggest events of the year, you really have to up your game. You need to create a look for your clients that are new, unexpected, and will stand out of the sea of stars who will also be upping their fashion game for that night.
For the Star Magic Ball, how big is your influence on the celebrities that you style in their overall look? Do you work around their directives or do you tell them what would look good on them for the occasion?
When I create looks for the Star Magic Ball, it is a collaborative and creative process between my clients. They tell me what look they want to go for this year and I tell them my opinion on how we can take that look to the next level. I’m very fortunate that I have clients who trust my taste and worldview as a stylist and who are also adventurous when it comes to trying new styles. This makes the whole process of creating a look fun and exciting.
What inspired the looks of your celebrity clients for the Star Magic Ball?
The overarching theme that I always adhere to for the looks of my clients, especially in the Star Magic Ball, is understated elegance for the women, and clean and crisp looks for the men. With these in mind, we create a look that is aligned with his/her image and own fashion direction, guided or influenced also by the current trend of the season.
How do you feel about being responsible on the overall look of these celebrities? For the Star Magic Ball?
It is both an honor and a privilege to be able to work with my clients in styling their overall look for different events. I’m very lucky that I have clients who I genuinely enjoy working with because they trust me with what I do, they are always willing to experiment with fashion, and it’s a collaborative process.
All images photographed by Josh Ke. Images used with the permission of Perry Tabora.