Regine Velazquez, Carla Abellana, Dennis Trillo, and Solenn Heusaff – what do these famous celebrities have in common? Apart from being famous celebrities in the Philippines, these same individuals have worn the works of 2018 TFT Most Promising Fashion Designer of the Year Ryan Pacioles, a self-taught fashion designer who currently serves as the Creative Director and Manager at Atelier Zuhra.
Originally hailing from Leyte, Pacioles found his luck by taking the leap of faith from the Philippines to the UAE: “The turning point of my career was when I decided to explore my luck in the international fashion arena from my simple life as a designer in my home country.”
Since then, he has honed his eye for fashion and created many desirable gowns, coats, and garments to dress up Filipino celebrities, and fellow expats in the UAE. One of his most memorable moments was when he participated during the 10th season of the Fashion Forward event. “I had the chance to be a part of the most prestigious event in the world of fashion and my work was recognized by celebrities Bollywood and the Philippines. I am blessed to have people believe in my craft and got the rare chance to let some famous celebrities to wear my creations,” shares Pacioles.
He also shared that despite his many achievements to date – he also fails often. But with his inner resilience and drive to do better, he strives to continue pushing forward to meet and exceed the expectations of his high profile clients. “When you fail, it feels like everything you once hoped and dreamed for is now completely out of reach. It takes an emotional toll on you. But I came to realize that failure is not the end of the road. Although it hurt me more than what any word can describe, failure served me more than it hindered me and helped to build me up into who I am today.”
The fashion designer believes that having a positive, forward-looking attitude is the key to his success: “Possessing a positive attitude is the value that I will never compromise because it is the enthusiastic employee who creates an environment of good will which in turn, makes for a good role model for others to emulate. A positive attitude is something that is most valued by supervisors and co-workers, and that also makes the job more pleasant and fun to go to each day.”
