CEBUANO GOLD! That Midas touch that Cebuano design can bring to Cebu Pacific’s new cabin crew uniforms, designed by Jun Escario in time for CEB’s 20th birthday. This year also marked the rollout of the new livery on the aircraft (notice the cheery yellow underbelly), featuring the streamlined new logo using the lowercase variation of a custom font.
NO one has seen me in more incarnations than Lance Gokongwei.
In the late 90s, I first met him in the boardrooms of JG Summit, the umbrella company of the Gokongwei group. I was always dressed in somber black, had mousy dark hair, and my face in my laptop as I took down notes of the meeting for the expansion of their Universal Robina plant in Cagayan de Oro. I was their terrestrial biology consultant, and my boss took me along on meetings to present our firm’s game plan for several environmental studies they commissioned us to do.
I met Lance again in the early 2000s, when he was CEO of SunCellular, then a newcomer into the telecoms game. At a company Christmas Party that I was flown in to host, I wore a sparkly dress, two wigs and heels two sizes too small. He was called upon at the end of the program to deliver his customary inspirational speech, and the energy was palpable.
The speech, riveting. Lance spoke of aspiring for number two at a time when they were ranked third behind Globe and Smart. I had also hosted the parties for both rivals earlier in the month, which gave me the unique perspective of having seen the complacency of 1, the plateau of 2 and this … the hunger of number 3. Years after Sun’s revolutionary text-and-call-for-free scheme within the network changed the game, the upstart he steered was eventually bought by Smart. Lance delivered on those words many Christmases ago, as he is wont to do, apparently.
JUN Escario flanked by the many variations of the new cabin crew uniforms for Cebu Pacific Air. The models, by the way, are real stewards and flight attendants of the airline.
Three years ago, I was asked to come aboard as one of the first adventure coaches for Cebu Pacific Air’s Juan For Fun Challenge, a travel contest for college students that gave 5 teams a chance to fly throughout the expansive route of the airline. I was already a writer for their in-flight magazine Smile, which somewhat qualified me for the job.
Although I owe the Cebu marketing staff (Agnes Gupalor and my tita Dina Garcia) for fielding me to host a marketing event for CEB, for that was where I first met Candice Iyog, VP for Marketing and Distribution. Candice is incandescent, and I feel guilty referring to her in an official capacity on any article I write, because our bond is built on a more personal level and tagging her with a prefix other than “my friend” feels like a betrayal.
PEPLUMS! A very forgiving design element that Jun Escario put in for the new cabin crew uniforms for the ladies, the ruffled design in front is a fun element that complements the modern zipper detail. The woven fedoras come out for extra shade and lend a very casual chic which is on fleek and screams now. The nude wedges (for ladies, to be worn outside the aircraft) and sneakers (for when inside the aircraft for both stewards and flight attendants are made in Cebu, too!) are functional and très, très chic, as only Jun can envision and deliver.
At Juan for Fun, I worked closely with the cheery Mich de Guzman (MarCom Manager) and Blessie Cruz (Director for Advertising and Promotions), both of whom have a knack of making work feel like play.
This will be my third year with the adventure, and one of only two returning coaches. Ushered into this interesting cabal, I became privy to many things brewing for the airline, often a year before they hit the press. In fact, the new uniforms for the cabin crew came about during lunch at a Japanese joint that Candice and Blessie had whisked me to.
“We’d like to have a Cebuano designer do the new uniforms, in time for the 20th year of the company,” Candice confided. I nodded a little too vigorously, visibly excited at the prospect. By the time the last of my noodles slid into my mouth, I had already mouthed off an interesting mix of names from the brilliant Cebuano design community: Protacio Empaces, an editorial favorite whose exemplary work ethic and attitude are matched only by his creativity; Edwin Ao and his capacity to surprise; Vania Romoff and Arcy Gayatin, because I was curious how a woman’s perspective would come into play in a major redesign that had comfort and functionality very high up on the priority list. My last call was to Jun Escario, who was on an elevator when I caught him on his mobile.
“Yad, will call you again ha kay walay signal,” he promised.
A few minutes later, I could practically hear the whirr in his brain as things went click, peppered with, “Oh this is perfect because I manufacture uniforms too!” throwing that advantage in with his luxurious aesthetic.
A few weeks after that call, they were all flown in and assembled at the spanking-new CEB headquarters for a presentation.
“Of course, there were sketches and mood boards and swatches, but Jun, oh my,” starts Candice. “Jun already had a prototype and models!” Impressed by his industry, he was eventually awarded the contract and thus began a hushed development stage, closely guarded by everyone involved in it.
I myself would only see glimpses of the design process when something slipped through the cracks, and what I saw had me wanting for more. Finally, a week ago, official photographs were released to the public in a cheery new yellow hue, and the universal leveler … denim. Both a working-class staple and a durable haute material that has gained serious style cred with the rise of designer labels specializing in only denim, it was an unexpected choice that ultimately made the most sense.
“It’s the same denim used for outdoor furniture, so it can withstand a lot,” reveals Blessie at another one of our lunches, this time a day after they flew me in to host the Eagle Wings Awards to recognize CEB’s partners in the industry (travel agents, tour companies, sales agents).
THE TITAS WHO LUNCH. From CEB’s future in the movies to Snapchat, I always enjoy these little get-togethers with Cebu Pacific Air’s (from left) Blessie Cruz, Candice Iyog and Mich de Guzman.
In between Creole’s good bites, even better sound bites. “Everyone’s talking about that letter we got to involve CEB in a movie with (name of a very popular young actor who may or may not be the country’s RomCom king and every thinking woman’s heartthrob, despite his everyman good looks and that infamous dad bod). Eighty percent of the movie will be shot on a plane or in the CEB office!”
“But the story involves a one-night stand between a flight deck officer and a member of the cabin crew.” Frowns around the table and then an interjection from Mich: “But it’s (name of actor)!” We all look to Candice, who considers it for a moment and then declares: “Well, if anything, it’s worth studying.” And just like that, the hope to see (actor) in a pilot’s uniform soars again.
OF COURSE the scarf, in bright prints featuring CEB’s official colors, is present. “Isn’t it a must for flight attendants?” says Jun. These come in a single knot design that involves only putting one end through a loop. Quick and easy!
Which brings me back to the resident CEB heartthrob, who also happens to be the company CEO. Lance raises a glass for a toast, surrounded by 20-year loyalty awardees at the Marriott Manila ballroom. “Twenty years ago, you put your trust in a then unknown airline. Many of you were family friends, like the Gos of Cebu.
But many of you didn’t know us from Adam and still gave us a chance.”
On his stage right, finally wearing the right-sized heels and Oscar-worthy makeup by Renen Bautista (who also does the covers for Smile), I quivered a little, recognizing this same sight. After two decades to the day, Cebu Pacific Air has grown into the Philippines’ largest flag carrier. And yet here was the man I had met years ago with an energy that felt strangely familiar.
Now arguably at number one, Lance Gokongwei still speaks with the same ravenous and inspiring hunger of Number 3.
