Cielito “Honeylet” Avancena has said that she and her team are now busy preparing to give her common-law husband President-elect Rodrigo Duterte a fashion makeover in time for his inaugural on June 30.
Avancena said she is happy that many fashion designers from Davao have volunteered to dress up the 16th President of the Philippines during his oath of office.
“I appreciate that. May grupong fashion designer na nag-volunteer para damitan s’ya sa June 30,” said Avancena, who is in charge of Duterte’s outfits during an interview on “TV Patrol” on ABS-CBN.
“Meron din from Manila pero talaga ang gusto ko Davao. May list na ako ng mga fashion designers na ang forte nila ay barong,” she added.
The Davao Tourism Board has also chosen 10 designers who were invited to submit their creations and the kind of fabric they will use.
Duterte will make the final choice on what he will wear during the oath-taking ceremonies, Avancena added.
She also said that Duterte has avoided several fabrics because he simply does not feel good in them.
“Sa cloth pag medyo rough hindi sya pwede.Tapos binabasa nya ng dila nya ’yung tela para maramdaman n’ya ’yung cloth. Noong isang araw may nagbigay sa kanya ng tela kaso hindi pwede ’yun sa kanya,” Avancena said.
“May mga specific length sya na gusto.Tapos ’yung shoulder nya kasi iba ’yung kurba. Minsan hindi nakukuha ’yung tabas kaya naka-angat ’yung damit nya. Tapos lahat ng damit nya walang etiketa,” she said.
Hermie Balagon, tailor of Duterte, said that the weight of Duterte has been changing lately. “Noon tumaba sya at pumayat naman ngayon. Pero ngayon back to normal na naman sya. Siguro nakapag-pahinga na sya sa kampanya.”
Davao City Tourism head Lisette Marquez said that Duterte’s wearing of local designs will boost the fashion industry in the city.