Who is the real Inno Sotto?

They say a fashion designer’s image is the result of many things: talent, dedication, hard work, and yes, hype. We are referring to the kind of hype produced by publicists who are paid to paint a good picture.

So who is the real Inno Sotto? Before he presents his show tonight entitled "Inno Sotto on Red Carpet" at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, let’s hear what friends of Inno Sotto have to say about him. Here’s Inno beyond the fashion ramp and the glossy pages:

MARGARITA A. FORES, chef and owner, Cibo/Cafe Bola: Inno’s work through the years has always been timeless and classic. He focuses equally on design and workmanship. He enjoys creating for women and men who know themselves well, are confident and self-assured. The industry watches his work like a hawk, and is usually inspired by his style...this is perhaps the best form of flattery.

On a personal level, because he and I are always on the same wavelength, his creations for me always enhance and never overwhelm. When he creates for me, it is effortless and always so focused and pointed, because he knows me so well and knows my taste. Only two words best describe all that he has done for me — pure magic.

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LULU TINIO: Inno Sotto has elevated fashion into an artform. Inno has evolved with the times but at the same time he has retained his classic elements. His is a fashion of the times. As a person, he is gracious and thoughtful.

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LIZZIE ZOBEL: Inno is such a sensitive gentleman. And this is reflected in his art. His clothes are beautifully and gently elegant. I am honored with his friendship.

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Former First Lady AMELITA M. RAMOS: I like him because he designs clothes which fit the person. I like simple clothes and he makes clothes for me which are simple yet elegant. I know that if I wear something that is full of frills, it will overpower me since I am short and small. The simpler, the better.

I enjoy talking to Inno. Sometimes we can talk for hours because I can let my guard down. He’s very intelligent so we can talk about different topics.

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CHARY V. ABOITIZ: Even if Inno Sotto’s life depended on it, he wouldn’t do grunge...or perhaps a new hybrid called "grunge elegance" could be born.

Inno’s deeply-rooted influences come from a period in his youth, when glamour and elegance were bywords, not only in dressing, but in the way of life. His mantra has remained: glamour and elegance. Timelessness is another word often associated with Inno’s clothes.

To call his designs simple would be to undermine Inno’s enormous talent. His genius lies precisely in his seemingly effortless pieces. A true love and mastery of his craft, control and discipline, are some of the secrets to his success. Constant innovation and reinvention keep him fresh and always au courant.

To own an Inno Sotto creation is to own a piece of Philippine fashion history.

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SAM EDUQUE: Inno is one of my best friends. He has seen me through the best and worst of times, always giving the best advice. He is fiercely loyal and protective of me.

As a designer, Inno is a purist. His style is classic and timeless, his lines are clean and never over the top. Just like Inno—who he is and what he designs are one and the same. If you are blessed with even just one friend like Inno, as I am, in your lifetime, you should be so lucky.

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JOSINE ELIZALDE: Inno’s not only a real friend, he is family to me. He has a big warm heart that you can confide in and you know it stays there. Compassionate and caring.

He is meticulous about details and that includes friends. He is funny and is very witty. He loves good food and he’s not necessarily ostentatious. He has exquisite taste and can sense a person with it a mile away.

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MANDY DELA RAMA SANTOS, entrepreneur: I have become quite cynical about fashion and couture here in Manila. Anyone can take a piece of cloth and turn it into something. Inno is beyond that, he gives a piece of cloth intelligence. He extracts from the cloth what it can give and more, until it goes from being a diamond in the rough to the gem that it truly should be. This process is then conveyed to the wearer. That is why when you don an Inno, you know you look your best, because you have the confidence that you’re wearing the best.

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LULI MACAPAGAL ARROYO, First Daughter: I like Inno’s designs because they are very classy, timeless, very fino and he seems to make sure the design fits not only one’s body type but one’s personality and character as well. He is always on time and very professional. As a person I like him and find him very simpatico. He doesn’t put on any airs, which to me means he is confident in his art. He puts one at ease immediately and is very easy to talk to.

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BEATRICE P. VALDES: Because of his dedication to his craft, he has become the standard to which younger designers aspire. His designs are timeless, memorable and in the same breath exciting. They have always been more sensual than overtly sexy; skimming over skin rather than clinging. In the same manner as light, his softer pieces fall and drape...a shimmer of beads, a trail of feathers. His architectural pieces follow the structure of light piercing dark...in dots, in lines, in play of direct contrast. He comprehends what is most luminously feminine, and I believe this to be because he is a true gentleman.