Fit to Flatter (Excerpt)

Love Lucy/Lucy Torres Gomez
Sunday Lifestyle/Philippine Star


Personally, the two hardest thing to shop for are jeans and shoes ---the former because despite their solid claims, there is no singular brand that would cater to all body types (never mind if they have many different styles and cuts)…

Now, Ino is another story.I first saw a small feature on him in Mega magazine, and I even clipped it for future reference. Months passed and the night before Valentine’s day, Richard and I were out at Swiss Inn with some friends when Randy Ortiz pointed that one of the guys seated on the table behind us was Ino Caluza himself, the man behind Viktor jeans. Turned out Randy had also been meaning to see him. Well, to cut a long story short, off Richard and I went to his shop to be measured. Suffice to say that we are very happy with the finished product. See, Ino does not just make jeans that look good on the hanger. Chances are, they will look even better on your body. Not just any body, specifically your body. He specializes in cuts that hug perfectly. Minimize this, show off that, Ino can and will do it for you. No matter which way your body curves, he will analyze (and yes, troubleshoot) to give you a fit that flatters. He has a huge swatchbooks with a dizzying variety of fabrics to choose from. Over and above that, you get to pick out the color of thread you want to be used, the little design details that are exclusively his own, such as stitching on the back pockets, the finishing on the hemline, the lowness of the cut. You can bring your favorite pair of jeans and he can copy the cut, the basic structure and he will customize with his own design elements. I tell you this shopping for pants, has never been this much fun. Wearing it and looking good as you do so becomes just icing on the cake. (Ino can be reached at 09178504543. Please set an appointment. He needs time to measure you carefully.)

It is great to have cult favorites and branded clothes hanging in our closet. But it is also a wonderful gift to have such talented people in our local shores, whipping up one delightful product after another. The next time you shop, make sure the fit flatters. If not, then why bother?