I swear Niko will kill me for this heheheh
Clients usually ask me where I met Niko and how I got him to work for me.
Well here’s the story…
One of my closest friends in college used to teach garment construction subjects in UP. Two of her students qualified to compete for the search for the Philippine representative to Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode (International Competition of Young Fashion Designers). My friend asked me to assist them in making the clothes. One of the students was Niko’s errr partner, did I mention Niko is a proud gay? 🙂 Opo, hindi sya talaga girl! hahahaha!
He was graduating from La Salle then and since they made my shop their official tambayan for more than 2 months, we got to be close. He was into shoes so I offered him the job to be my accessories designer when he graduates. He was happy, I was happier 🙂
Since that time, its been five fruitful and productive years. Niko has since expanded the business from shoes and bags to include pillows, headpieces, brooches and cuffs. I’ve seen him transform from an artsy guy with a hellish artist attitude to someone I will trust to make my prom gown. ay! anuvah!! hehehe 😉 Niko is fitting a shrieking prom girl as I write this. Hey! surely every girl knows how important THE prom gown is! 🙂
I’ve taught him how to fit, embellish and be organized. Believe me, I am not the kindest mentor. Naku, sermon ako ever! There were moments when he’d cry from sheer frustration and I’d let him. Custom making gowns is not all glamour, it’s more hardwork and passion – a lot more. He has always been passionate about high fashion clothes and accessories, but was he willing to sweat it out with the mananahis and the liliperas? Was he willing to scour the dirty streets of Divisoria to look for the right fusible and the right tulle? Ayaw ko naman yata ng tumitili because he gets putik on his legs!
Niko was able to prove himself. He genuinely loves our brides and my brides looooove him!
He’s been handling our entourage and mommy gowns for more than a year now. And I believe he’s now ready to handle brides, even bridezillas! 🙂
I asked Niko to make two Niko for Veluz wedding gowns for this weekend’s bridal fair, and pwera yabang, they’re beautiful! I went there yesterday, stayed on just to see how people will react to his display, and like a proud mommy, I got high when people started getting his calling cards.
But you should’ve seen Niko the night before the bridal fair! He wasn’t able to sleep! He texted me at midnight, thanked me for the opportunity. And just like Niko, I replied – chos! 🙂
See, I learned something from him too! hahaha!
Love you Niko!
Oh by the way, in case you’re wondering, they’re not together anymore 🙂
His ex-beau won on his 3rd attempt and was sent to Paris to compete.
Yes, we made the outfit for that competition and it was awesome! I could’ve hired him too as a design apprentice, he is an extremely good designer. But it’s not just talent, it’s the attitude.
February 16, 2008 @ 2:55 pm
Hi Veluz and Niko! We liked our gowns for Jovy’s wedding! Namimiss ko na nga kayo eh, hahaha. Arlene and I had fun during our fitting sessions. The gown Niko made was the only bridesmaid gown that fit me well, no complaints about it…sexy, hit-on-able and not malaswa or bastusin! hahahaha. Miss you guys!
February 16, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
OMG!!! Im so proud of you niko dear! 🙂 shucks… sobrang tuwa ako as in!!!
super galing galing mo! you made my mom wear a gown – that’s saying a lot considering na gusto nya mag pants at first!!!
shucccksss!!!! mag rerefer na ako now na 😀 hahahaha
miss you!
Ms V!!! miss you din. hahaha post naman kayo pics ng fab gown ni niko. hihihi
February 17, 2008 @ 2:23 am
wow naman niko! your own line!! i can’t wait to see your designs! 🙂 i’m sure mas magiging marami ang inyong clients hehe!
grabe niko you remind me of christian siriano of project runway 4, heheh! 🙂 dapat fierce lagi ang designs.
anyway miss V! can’t wait to work with you again! next time kwentuhan niyo ako ulit hahaha.
and niko good luck kay mama! hahaa!
i can’t wait to fit my gown again! gusto ko ma-impress mga guests sa gown ko para they’ll know i made a great decision in you guys! 🙂
February 17, 2008 @ 2:24 am
oops, stephanie lau here. HEHE.
February 17, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
Niko!!! Grabe na ito. =) Star ka na talaga. =) Good luck and more power. Hehe!
We’ll drop by the shop sometime soon. May utang pa kaming malaking pasasalamat sa inyo ni Miss V. =)
February 17, 2008 @ 10:05 pm
Ms. V, please extend our Congratulations to Niko!
And I agree with you that your bride loves Niko too.
Actually, even Brian loves Niko.
Especially when Niko said that Brian is cute in suit! Initially kase Brian doesn’t think he looks good in suit! 😀 so now he is convinced because of Niko! 😉
See you guys in December. Miss yah!
-Cleo
February 18, 2008 @ 10:42 am
hello kagandahan v and kagandahang niko,
musta na?! ay grabe na-miss ko kayo ni niko… congrats kay niko… hay am looking forward to our 25th anniv… please please please, kayo pa rin ang gagawa ng gown ko ha… i-reserve nyo na… july 9, 2030…
sa debut na lang pala ng daughter ko… 😉 feb 6, 2025… haaay…
wish i could always wear veluz gowns everyday of my life… kaya lang ang gastos!!! hahaha!!!
love you miss v and niko…
kagandahang odha
February 18, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Wow, a Niko line for Veluz… so does that mean he designs too? Or, execution is his forte?!!??! That’s a great partnership you got there, guys. Kudos and congrats!
February 19, 2008 @ 3:19 am
Congratulations Niko and more power to you Ms Veluz 🙂
It’s been a year since our wedding pero every now and then I still bring out my gown and daydream 🙂 Haha!
– Jean & Sammie
February 19, 2008 @ 11:53 am
HI Veluz,
Congratulations to Niko.
I miss you both!
Christine Superio
February 19, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
Ay grabe nato!!! THE DUO tlaga kayo promise! =) Congrats to NIKO!!!
Miss you both so much! =) mwaaah!
February 20, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
niko!! galing galing! super congrats! im sure kayang kaya mo ito. if pwede ako magtrain sayo.. malay mo magkaron tayo ng Ads for Niko for Veluz.. ching!
miss you both! *hugs*
God bless! =)
malay mo on my buddhist wedding, sayo naman ako papagawa.. sa lahat ng simbahan nga eh.. literally.. 😉
February 21, 2008 @ 3:54 am
hi ms veluz & niko! i saw the gowns by niko at the bridal fair! and both looked so fab! i esp like the lacey thing with tulle skirt.. ang sexy!
i agree with steph, you remind us of the project runway! chos =)
congrats niko! ambilis maubos ng calling card mo ha.. can’t wait to see the shoes you designed for me..
and thanks ms veluz! can’t wait to fit my gown! ang lapit na!!!
February 21, 2008 @ 8:35 am
nabanggit ang “bridezilla”, i just want to share this article:
Can I be controversial? I think Bridezilla is a totally manufactured concept created by the wedding industry so that they can get away with doing less than the best job they can.
When I was getting married, I can’t count how many times I heard; “Oh, I’m so glad you’re reasonable. So many brides want everything to be perfect — which of course is impossible — and are very difficult to work with.”
And do you know what, they said that everytime they noticed I saw something was not quite right. It was only after all the work was done that I felt manipulated, ripped off and deeply sorry that I let people get away with that.
I should not have had to cry at the state my dress was in the night before my wedding. My sister should not have had to re-alter it with the hotel sewing kit. I should not have been left a message and asked for extra insurance for the hall two days before the wedding.
Weddings are celebrations that couples pay for. While the wedding industry might be huge, couples aren’t anyone’s cash cow. Bridezilla is an insult to women who demand sound work from reputable companies and professionals.
February 21, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
^ hmm that is really controversial. but, i think a bridezilla is NOT a woman who demand sound work POLITELY and ETHICALLY from what she paid for. well, just my two cents…
and knowing Veluz & Niko, from those 5 years, there’ll be times you’ll encounter such as, a bridezilla. =)
still, congrats to Niko! =)
February 22, 2008 @ 3:34 am
halu mag girls!!!!!
naku naman ang haba na ng hair ko sa mga comments ha?:)
thank you! thank you so much!
nakakataba ng puso…
jus ko eto na!! eto na!!
sa lahat ng pumiri at bumati sa akin, sa mga taong bumisita sa booth ko nung nakaraang bridal fair, sa lahat ng mga nag comment,txt at email sa akin…parasa inyo ito…(ay pang FAMAS ang dating!?!?! hahaha!)
symepre di ko makakalimutan si tita
thank you for tursting me…
and for sharing your blessings with me…sa samahan natin…sa ups and downs ng buhay at trabaho…for mentoring me…
-niko-
February 26, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Niko! Congratulations (siyempre delayed reaction ako as usual)! You really deserve this.:)
Miss ko na kayo, may ibibigay pa ako sa inyo.:) I promise to drop by soon.
Take care always!
February 26, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
late ang comment ko, natext ko na kay niko ang praises ko sa gown nya! hahaha!!! Anyweiz, congrats uli Niko and to you also Ms. V. Galing na mentor! I love the lace gown na nasa bridal fair! Naku you can ask gercel, gusto ko talaga sya iuwi! Sabi ko pampalit ko sa reception! I even asked her how much the gown was! hahaha!!! seryoso??! See you both sa friday! mwahhhhz!!!
February 28, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
and after shoes, bags, etc, niko just opened his own line of table cloth and curtains! whoa! haha
kidding aside, kayang-kaya ni niko yan. two years ago pa.
basta kayo ang pinakamagagaling na modista at sapaterong kilala ko! 🙂
February 29, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
niko! congrats! i-career mo ha! i’m happy for you..
1st fitting ko pa lang with you and Ms.V, i enjoyed the company.. it made me feel at ease 😀
congrats! congrats! naaliw ako sa inyo.. galing galing! 😀
March 5, 2008 @ 10:27 am
oh my God! “the Veluz Reyes” has visited my blog.
It’s such an honor for me. You must have read my post on cecilio abad. I admire you and your works as well. In as much as I would like to write something about you, too, I was not privileged enough to have you as my designer. For my posts kasi, I want to write something that I experience first hand.
do visit my blog again
http://idleinmakati.blogspot.com
i’ll be expecting you there! thanks again for dropping by. 🙂
March 7, 2008 @ 8:32 am
aww.. such a cute and heartwarming blog:) Indeed you sounded like a proud mamma!;) kakaaliw!:) i love love love your tandem… basta iba feeling talaga when you guys work.. with passion:) no joke you guys were my favorite supplier:) very professional! that’s why having to go visit your shop 5x in 2 weeks despite the traffic was hell worth it!:) i still owe you guys big time!:) -Claire C.
March 24, 2008 @ 8:25 am
congrats, Niko! you really deserve it. galing mo naman talaga and nandun talaga yung passion on your job at makikita mo na masaya siya sa ginagawa nya. though i seen him/her one time na pagod na pagod. hehehe… but still working pa rin.
March 27, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Ang galing, talaga! (kahit na po sobrang huli ko na)Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! I will never forget how efficient, supportive and funny you were on my wedding day. Love you Niko!
October 3, 2008 @ 6:00 am
Ey Niko!
Am actually looking around for my wedding suppliers.. then i bumped into Candy’s blog and saw some pictures… sabi ko panga… parang kilala ko to.. then… searched over the net… viola! Niko is the Nikolai i know from college… well.. friend siya ng blockmate ko.. si Noel Abellardo… hahahaha… Congratulations for a job well done!!! i would visit Veluz one of these days.. hope to see you there… More power!!!!