CLINT HOLTON P. POTESTAS talks to a certified fashionista about fashion and the weather over a plateful of Cebu’s famous lechon.
“Is there a storm?” she asked, gazing up at the gloomy sky through the clear glass
wall of the lounge.
The rain poured hard the entire morning, and yet, she headed straight to her 6:30 a.m. television appearance on a local channel in Nivel Hills before she dropped by at a radio station in Banilad, then off to another outlet along Gen. Maxilom Avenue. Her lunch? A platter full of Cebu’s lechon.
Quite a schedule for her second day in Cebu, but 38-year-old Pauline Suaco-Juan made it appear as if she were just in flip-flops and not in a four-inch wedge shoes, which she actually wore for this cover shoot and interview.
She arrived in a green Victorian blouse paired with a black high-waist skirt she described as “70s “sekretarya” look.”
“I am supposed to pair this with shorts, but I packed the wrong piece – good thing it still went well with the blouse, very 70s “sekretarya” look,” she laughed.
When talking about running around in sky-high shoes, she’s the right gal to ask. As the editor-in-chief of Preview for 10 years, she has learned the art of dealing with stress and tight schedules poised in a glamorous fighting stance.
A day before the event, Pauline herself made the announcement, through different media outlets, that Preview, the country’s premiere fashion magazine, had chosen to celebrate its 15th anniversary in Cebu. The publication hosted the party at the Penthouse last Saturday, Oct. 16. The fabulous party gathered a crowd composed of the likes of television hotshots Bianca Gonzales, Raymond Gutierrez, and Tim Yap.
“During Ondoy (the country’s worst tropical storm in 2009), I was here in Cebu. When I left Manila, I heard there was a storm coming,” she went on, making herself comfortable on a couch at the lobby lounge of Radisson Blu hotel. “Are you affected here? I hope not.”
She was referring to the storm this week that has already left the country’s area of responsibility.
I replied, telling her that Cebu is not directly affected when there’s a storm brewing in the capital city, although scattered rain showers might sporadically occur. But she further remarked, “It’s always the rain. I have been to different clubs here, but I have not been to the beautiful beaches that my friends are referring to. I’d make time soon – but I made sure I had a bite of Cebu’s tasty lechon at lunch.”
“The beauty editorial for this month was supposed to feature Cebu’s landmarks as background, but the shoot was rescheduled late that day because of the rain. So when you see it in the magazine, you’d notice that the background is blurry,” she explained the magazine’s October issue that featured actor Kim Chiu, a Cebuana no less, on the
cover.
“Manila has become so predictable. We want to celebrate our anniversary in Cebu because we believe that Cebu has so many talented fashion designers,” she said. One surprise that the Cebuanos should look forward to is the first-ever fashion editorial on Cary Santiago and Furne One.
Beyond the visual element of the magazine, it reflects characteristics of a good editor: resiliency to carry on despite unexpected situations, and to adjust to the needs of the readers.
Under her editorship, the magazine has expanded online by launching stylebible.ph where fashion fans can get a dose of daily style and updates from their favorite designers. On the other hand, Behind the Bylines is a documentary program on Starworld, following a day in a life of a Preview editor.
“It is important to know what you want to achieve, but you should also keep an open mind for uncontrollable circumstances without losing the main gist of the story,” said Pauline. “Plus, I am working with a team who I believe are the best and the most creative in the industry – that makes my job so easy.”
“I don’t go out as much as before, but they (Preview’s editors and staff) are my eyes and ears,” she continued.
The night after, Pauline was already at the anniversary bash. I spotted her on a couch next to the DJ booth with fellow editors.
“Pauline, no rain,” I reminded her.
“Oh, thank God - I know,” she rolled her eyes and immediately changed the subject, sounding more excited. “I don’t know how it would fit on the plane, but I ordered one whole lechon that I’m sending to my family in Manila. I have not gotten enough of it yet.”