Gideon Hermosa gives new meaning to longevity in event styling
Acclaimed event designer Gideon Hermosa handles on-the-spot questions with the same sense of calm that has defined the course of his illustrious 15-year career.
“One is, of course, being grounded and humble. It’s a big factor I learned along the way. Another thing is to keep on evolving and discovering things. And then if you make mistakes, make that count as a learning experience,” he says when asked about his secrets to his longevity in the industry.
After all, when you’ve become the designer of choice of celebrity weddings that include Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes and Iza Calzado and Ben Wintle as well as important celebrations for the likes of Anne Curtis and Kathryn Bernardo, the thought of recounting the keys to a long-lasting career is but a drop in the ocean of a beautiful chaos of a profession.
So perhaps it also makes sense that his two-part milestone celebration reflects a kind of fondness for embracing the beauty in chaos. In his three-day “Gideonized” masterclass, 100 creatives from across the Philippines learned the ropes of his methods to transform events with flair—from vision to fruition and “all the chaos that goes in between.”
Their graduation rites, of course, was styling Marriott’s Grand Ballroom to set the stage for the Marry Me at Marriott gala where iconic Filipino designers Rajo Laurel, Michael Leyva, Vania Romoff, Francis Libiran, Mak Tumang, and Michael Cinco showcased their bold expressions of bridal fashion.
“Filipinos are very talented. My goal from the very beginning is to elevate the industry. That’s why we’re trying to bring trends worldwide here in the Philippines, and then eventually create trends that will go global,” he says.
In the end, Hermosa did just that. This is, in essence, what success looks like: “When you feel that you are well-loved in the industry and when you touch other people’s lives.”
Soak it all in Gideon.
