When some of the designers use “avant-garde,” “cutting-edge,” or “revolutionary” as a catchphrase to describe their works, Puey Quinones, local fashion savant of the moment, just lets his works speak for themselves. They are, to put it simply, out-of-the-loop: fabric loosely falls on the sleeve or crumple at the back, the silhouette slants, hems drape back to the point of origin, swatches of fabric jostle together in comfortable chaos. But amid these conflicting elements is an undercurrent of well thought-out design. Puey is definitely not your fashion brat obsessed in wielding his scissors.

And to think that he initially thought that he would not make it. “During high school, I really wanted to be a fashion designer,” he reveals. “But, I thought if you want to be a designer, you have to be rich. Ay wala na siguro (I thought it was a lost cause).”

Armed with a determination characteristic of the young and his dream tucked neatly in the pocket of his soul, Puey, who was only 19 years old then, left his hometown in Samar and traveled to Manila, wanted to test his resolve.

Dennis Lustico, one of the eminent fashion designers around and Puey's kababayan, took the fledgling designer under his wings. “I was an apprentice for Dennis for three years. I was already happy answering the phone for him.”

Working for the designer and observing him gave Puey a hands-on training and a crash course on the intricacies of fashion. Soon, he was doing his own pieces. “When I began, I didn't have a sewing machine of my own,” he says. “All of my works were hand-sewn and draped on a mannequin. Only when Dennis' sewers have left at night that I could sew.”

An apprenticeship with Dennis proved to be a boon. Puey received assignments from retail giants Bergamo and Bench, inching towards his dream. His creations for Bench's first Understatement show made the crowd take notice, including Celine Lopez who featured them in Philippine Star's Y Style section.

But Puey desired to do more. “I wanted to create my own look...I didn't want to be hand-tied to the look of what the company purports.”

It seems that establishing his atelier no longer involved the requisite birth pains. Puey, early in his career, would get a steady stream of clients that includes celebrity KC Concepcion, fashion writer Jenny Epperson and Irene Marcos. Regular exposures in fashion magazines and newspapers, coupled with the referrals of his loyal clients, keep him within the metro's style radar.

“Practical” and “global” are the two words which Puey describes his works. “You can wear the clothes in a different way, for different occasions,” he explains. “A jacket transforms into a pair of pants, a blouse into a skirt, a skirt into a jacket.”

Though his creations are decidedly cutting-edge, Puey clarifies that he does listen to his clients' opinions and makes revisions if need be. He elaborates, “My client and I meet halfway. I develop a look and then the client tells her ideas. From there, we create something we both like.”

It's no wonder that Puey, famous among die-hard fashionistas, has been attracting the 40 and above market as of late. Foreigners too are taking notice, mostly Japanese and Koreans who find familiarity with his loose, unadorned design philosophy.

Puey is ready to take his dream further. Currently on the planning stage is a boutique to be set up at the Manila Peninsula which will feature his wedding gowns, with a smattering of prêt-a-porter pieces and accessories. His wedding gowns, though “classic,” will have an edge, a “Puey touch” as the designer calls it.

Now, Puey is content. “Yes, I'm enjoying a certain level of success, but I know I have worked hard for it,” he says. “I started from scratch. I'm not a designer whose family is rich. I was just a 19 year-old from Samar who wanted to try his luck.”

We're happy he did.

Contact Puey Quiñones at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , mobile 0916-7763098

Photographed by BENHUR ARCAYAN; Hair and Make-up by JOEL ACEBUCHE FOR L'OREAL PARIS STUDIO LINE; Model: RIA BOLIVAR; Clothes by PUEY QUIÑONES, assisted by IRVIN FUA