Ito grew up in San Pablo, Laguna and worked his way through college, taking on such jobs as usher at the CCP, and a little later on, as a personal assistant to Celeste Legaspi. After some years in the local retail scene, he moved to Jakarta. After some years there, he decided it was time to go home. He set up Urban Effects with Joby Belmonte, which became a destination store in BF Homes in Parañaque. When Glorietta opened the Home Zone section, he set up a more modern store and named it Kish. It was another big hit, and when a chance came to set up a bigger, brighter store, he grabbed it.
But my favorite story about Ito is how he covered his room with giftwrapping paper. When he saw how the new walls brightened up the mood and look of his room, he stumbled upon his vocation.
Shopping at Kish is not just retail therapy, it is a multi-sensory experience. Each lifestyle section comes with its own soundtrack and distinct feeling. Recently, Ito introduced the "Artist in Residence at Kish," enabling design practitioners, artists and creative minds to stretch their wings and come up with window displays and home products. The last two commissioned artists were Archion (Dan Lichauco’s design firm) and painter Kiko Escorra. The next will be Ernest Santiago, the living legend of Malate night life and avant-garde fashion. Indeed, Ito has come a long way from wrapping rooms in paper.
And what comes next for this maverick? "It’s my dream to be mayor of San Pablo. Do you know that San Pablo was the model city of Laguna during the Marcos time. I want to give back to the place I grew up in." Retailer as local government official? Now that’s another story.
If you think of it, hanging Persian carpets from the ceiling sounds so weird, but when you see how they do it, it just looks so fabulous.
2) Guggenheim Museum, 5th Ave., New York
I don’t know what it is, but just standing in the middle of that swirling white space is just so inspiring.
3) New York in general
I will always love Bali. The mystery is still there. And the people are just so kind and friendly. They make offerings to their gods five times a day, and you can see and feel that their religion is really in their hearts. When you’re there, you can really say that you are away from the city.
2) Paris
The way Francois Mitterand planned to put modern structures like La Defense and the pyramid at the Louvre side by side with the classic structures, and make it blend is something else. I love the museums in Paris. And let’s face it, that katarayan of the French that "kami lang ang magaling" is also quite an attitude.
3) Budapest
Budapest is the only city I’ve been to that when we asked for directions to our hotel, the man even accompanied us there. It’s like old Paris, a Paris in need of renovation. But I still want to really go back there.
I show these to all my visitors when they come to my house. I just think it’s nice to see how you grow, how you look at different stages in your life. Like sometimes I think, "I was so ugly pala in Kinder but I was cute na in Grade 2." And then in Grade 5, I had a very fashionable teacher who spoke English well, and I really tried to copy him.
2) Ella Fitzgerald CD
That’s the first CD I ever bought, at the CD store in Unimart. I didn’t even have a CD player but I knew that I would eventually get one. When I heard I Get a Kick Out of You, I knew I just had to have it. Plus, did you know that Celeste Legaspi did a Tagalog version of The Lady is a Tramp called Ako’y Baduy? Well she did, and I used to work for her, so I had to get it.
3) I-Book laptop
What’s there? Movies I make of friends’ birthdays, my e-mail, music I download to put on the iPod. But I just think it looks really good.
4) Eau Savage by Christian Dior
That’s the only cologne I pack with me when I travel. A sosyalera, well-traveled lady once told me she liked the smell when I wore it and she even bought it for her husband, so that has stayed with me.
5) Sony Ericsson P8OO
On buying trips, I use it to take pictures, then I transfer them to the computer. Plus I don’t need a Palm anymore.
6. Peppermill
It looks like there’s an alien in my kitchen. It’s just so funny.
7) I-Pod
I have 800 songs in there, for every mood I have. I guess I can’t live without music because I’m a frustrated singer.
8) Rosary and Our Lady of Perpetual Help novena
My mom gave that novena to me 15 years ago. The rosary was also given by a very special person. I have to pray the rosary every morning. What’s 15 minutes a day to spend in silence, talking to God? It gives me so much peace.
9) EKO by Jokipin Pellara linen towels
It exfoliates as you dry.
10) Tonfisk coffee and tea set
I just feel it’s going to be a classic.
11) Good watches
The only accessory a man should have.
12) White beddings
Skin looks so sexy against white skin. Plus it gives that resort feeling. I always like to imagine that I’m going home to a resort.