What’s the yarn behind Randy Ortiz’s rise in the fashion world? Maria Vita Tan Rodriguez unspools this fashion force.
For the past 10 years, Randy Ortiz has been carving reality out of this daydream of the perfect wedding, and has fixed himself as one of the favorite wedding couturiers in the country today.
He took center stage recently at the Waterfront along with 22 other Cebu and Manila-based designers in a celebration of creativity with the spotlight directed on the terno. “It was a follow-up to the movement that was started late last year by the Metropolitan Museum and Bench, which was to promote the rebirth of the terno as a tribute to [designer] Joe Salazar. For us young designers, it’s really a big challenge. We did not really reach the era of the golden days of the terno.”
From food to fashion
Preceding the last 10 years that he’s primarily dedicated to doing weddings, he gave some oomph to men’s wear by mixing colors and prints. This was his fashion breakthrough in the early 90’s. Eventually, he ventured into women’s wear and continued to bowl Manila’s fashion set over with his designs.
Whether he’s in the mood for simplicity or for complexity, Randy’s style reflects much of his personality. “The details and the type of clothes that I make for men in my shop are [along] my taste. Sometimes, I really go to the extreme - all white, black, and even pink.”
Interestingly, he once wanted to be a lawyer and follow the footsteps of his father, a judge. But in college, he took heed of the popularity of the hospitality industry and finished hotel and restaurant management instead. While taking on a managerial position at a fastfood chain that ran all over the Metro, he and his friends also started a backyard business that sold made-to-order and ready-to-wear clothes.
A few years into it, he decided to put up his own backyard business at the lanai of his parents’ house with two sewers, a cutter and a finisher. “I got so engrossed in it. I enjoyed getting orders from my mom and making clothes for my classmates in college. And I earned more at that time than what employees doing 8-to-5 jobs were earning.”
Potential must have been written all over Randy that one of his friends, fashion director Jackie Aquino, “classically pushed him into the profession”. Lots of creativity and a couple of shows later, fashion store Sari-sari got him to do their men’s wear collection. That was Randy’s cut into this highly competitive industry. From a clientele that only included his mother and his former classmates, he is now a favorite among celebrities such as Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres, Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid.
Pursuit for improvement
Observance plays an important role in developing his craft. “There is so much for a designer to explore in other avenues and do experimentation for the design concept to evolve.” But he cites that the inspiration he gets from other designers goes a longer way in his pursuit for improvement.
As many occupations do, fashion designing also poses a challenge for an artist to remain healthy physically, mentally and emotionally. “I also get burned out.
It happens in every profession.” These moments make him resort to shopping, which acts as his therapy. “I go to the mall and buy little things. Since I love fixing my home, I mostly buy things for the house.” Like a true shopping pro, he also enjoys scouring bargain stores and sales.
For him, traveling doubles as a tool for enhancement and as a de-stresser. When the need calls for it, he flies to Cebu, Baguio or Boracay. If not for time constraints, he would go abroad and visit his sister who’s now based in the US.
Passion for fashion
There is only one sure thing that has kept Randy on the pedestal where he belongs: passion for fashion. Having lived by these words since then, he becomes living proof that one does not really need formal studies in design to last long in the field.
And now, a little over 40, he has yet to show that the phase he’s now in could be the prime of his career, as he continues to make fashion out of passion and princesses out of brides.
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