The Trü essence of Luis Espiritu

His name is synonymous with sensible and sophisticated fashion. His more than a thousand and one fashion editorials immortalized on the pages of magazines and dailies and even on the walls of style stores and billboards are proof enough of his passion and prowess in the fashion styling business.

He is Luis Espiritu, Allure’s imaginative, loving and jolly creative director. Outside our world in STAR, he is a fashion guru whose expertise is tapped by both homegrown and international fashion brands.

Because Luis loves challenging himself, his genius recently brought him — again — to designing bags for Trü, an all-Filipino company that’s been around for almost a decade and specializes in making authentic handmade leather bags. His collaboration with the brand started when Luis was introduced by his close friend Katrina Holigores to Trü owners Cristina and Lisa Tuason. He was impressed by their creations that he featured Trü in his Multiple Choice column in 2007. In return, the Tuason cousins were enamored with Luis’ impeccable style that they decided to collaborate with him for the first time in the same year.

Six years after their first collaboration, Luis is back in designing his Surface collection for Trü.

“The Surface collection is inspired by the idea of leather in modern textures. Classic shapes made contemporary through up-to-date hues, detailing and materials. It is my desire to create a timeless collection of forever pieces that go beyond forecasts and trends. The collection’s core lies in its authenticity — real leather, real fashion and real people. Though nothing in the world today is original, it has become a fusion of inspirations for me to reinvent the classics. It is a tapestry of style in personalities,” says Luis, who took up Communication Arts at De La Salle University.

For his collection, Luis made eight designs all named after his close friends — Lourdes, Isabel, Macaria, Pamela, Melaine, Katrina, Jenny and Trish.

He adds that the Surface collection of Trü took around six months to produce, noting that he became meticulous in design, function and form. “Choosing the right shape, color, materials and accessories is a tedious process of trial and error until the vision is realized,” he notes. The pursuit of perfection is  ingrained in Luis’ nature.

“These pieces of adornment are meant to be reflections of a persona but one should never be defined by them,” he adds while quoting the iconic Yves Saint Laurent who once said, “Fashion fades, style is eternal.”

Luis’ distinct style is something that was not born overnight. Since childhood, he says, he has always been keen on finding and discovering things that are beautiful. And he finds beauty in the most unexpected way or the most unexpected piece of clothing. Life, in his eyes, is beautiful in a thousand ways.

Luis, a former athlete, says, “My endless love affair with fashion is honed by my penchant for the arts, sports and home. Reading the encyclopedia and newspapers played an important role in what I do now. My early roots began when I started collecting fashion magazines at a young age. Thus I developed the passion for something new. As the legendary Christian Dior once said, ‘Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest’.”

“Growing up I was always fascinated and passionate about fashion. It is the art of living in style. I always believe that, though it is subjective, there is beauty in individual distinction,” he says, adding that he is blessed enough to have a family who encourages him to pursue the desires of his heart.

For Luis, it is always fashionable to look back to the teachings of his parents. “The greatest lesson I learned from my mom and late dad is the true value of nobility and honor. My sisters and I were taught that nobility is priceless. No amount of worldly attractions and distractions can quantify the real meaning of self-worth,” he says. 

His venture with Trü is a true index that he has an insatiable passion for fashion. More than that, it is a manifestation of his genuine love affair with style, something that he has a copious supply of. He has been in the fashion styling business for more than a decade now.

Behind his genius, however, is a generous heart. Yes, Luis has a big heart that knows how to beat for people who want to learn about fashion styling. This he gallantly proves to his students at the Makati-based SoFA (School of Fashion and the Arts) where he teaches the subject matter of fashion and style.

To some extent, he is King Midas with a heart because everything he touches turns into a golden opportunity. Or for many individuals — designers, photographers, fashion stylists, models, makeup artists, hairstylists — he has nurtured  under his caring wings, he is a star-maker whose keen eyes know how to spot a raw talent waiting to shine. He gently polishes them and allows the sun to speckle on their future.

That’s the Trü essence of Luis Espiritu.

 (Trü is located at the 2/F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. For more information, call 897-7573 or 0917-8429878.)

(E-mail the author at bumbaki@yahoo.com. I’m also on Twitter @bum_tenorio. Have a blessed Sunday!)