JANINE GUTIERREZ
Girl Boss
From attending exclusive shows in New York Fashion Week to doing shoots for Carolina Herrera, Janine Gutierrez is gradually making strides in the international fashion scene. The world is starting to take notice.
Text by Jansen Ramos
Photos by Jayme Vista and Janine Gutierrez (IG)
Fresh from her New York trip, Janine Gutierrez welcomes GMANetwork.com into her humble home in San Juan City where the GMA ArtisTakeover shoot is taking place.
Despite nursing jet lag, the doe-eyed beauty maintains a bubbly composure. She shows no signs that she came from a 20-hour flight.
No wonder why it's easy for her to build her own name in local Tinseltown without relying on the popularity of her family comprised of showbiz giants.
Despite her showbiz roots, Janine proves that she can stand on her own and create a path for herself.
Aside from portraying various roles on the big screen and television, she is also visible in the international fashion scene collaborating with luxury brands and attending fashion events.
Janine recalls her experience of attending her first-ever New York Fashion Week with fondness.
"It’s only my second time in New York pero iba rin talaga 'yung experience ng Fashion Week kasi lahat ng tao naka-porma tapos nakikita ko 'yung bloggers, influencers na pina-follow ko online. To watch the New York Fashion Week was a super fun experience."
With her piercing brown eyes, svelte physique, and impeccable charm, Janine is the kind of beauty that easily stands out in a crowd.
In fact, she was recognized by such international news sites as The Independent, BuzzFeed, and E! News for her edgy street-style looks during the prestigious fashion event in New York—thanks to her glam team composed of makeup artist Anthea Bueno, hairstylist Mark Baquiran, and fashion stylist MJ Benitez.
"Super kilig kasi every time may fashion week ginu-Google ko din talaga 'yung best street styles,” she says, her luscious lips forming into a wide smile.
“Tinitingnan ko kung ano 'yung mga napo-photograph sa Fashion Week sa New York or sa Paris. To have been able to attend, super honored for me and then masuwerte lang kasi ang galing ng team ko.
“They really helped me prepare for Fashion Week and then super duper laking bagay na Anthea was there to do my makeup kasi isa rin 'yun sa mga napansin din, 'di ba, na nag-complete ng look."
Gratitude seems to be Janine’s greatest trait. She is well-aware that she could not have done it by herself so she is giving all the credit to the people behind her looks.
"They really helped me and ang dami kong natutunan sa kanila,” she shares.
“My makeup artist, my hairstylist, my stylist, lahat sila they really took care of me and taught me everything. Akala ko 'pag babae ka, dapat naka-dress ka lang at kulot lang 'yung buhok pero they open a whole other world for me.
“I'm so lucky kasi siyempre naging friends ko sila dahil sa work and kailangan mo rin talaga sa buhay na magsasabi sa 'yo kung pangit 'yan, 'yung hindi ka bobolahin. Gano'n sila. Hinayaan ko lang sila sa kung anong trip nila like hindi ako nangingialam talaga kasi art nila 'yun e.
"Parang they really know what’s best and if they wanna try something new, willing din ako na maging guinea pig.”
Janine also feels lucky to have been invited to Paris Fashion Week, which in the fashion world, is the most awaited event of the year. Paris Fashion Week happened on Sept. 23 until Oct. 1.
In a Sept. 23 e-mail interview, a day before she flew to Paris, Janine shared with GMANetwork.com how she and her team would plan her OOTDs.
"I'm pretty involved when it comes to choosing the final looks but I'm really lucky because I work with the best stylists, MJ Benitez and Qurator.
“They really have known me for the longest time so they also know my style, what I like and they lead the way. Together, we choose the final looks. It's also more exciting that we will get to showcase these looks at my very first L'Oreal Paris Fashion Week this year.”
In the same e-mail, she also talked about some of the designer pieces that she wore for Paris Fashion Week.
"I brought a few pieces from one of my favorite Filipino designers like Vania Romoff and I have a few international pieces from Dion Lee and other designers.”
Janine’s international profile is rapidly expanding.
Aside from Louis Vuitton, Rimowa, and Jo Malone, Janine has also caught the attention of another global brand, Carolina Herrera.
“I've had the chance to wear some Carolina Herrera pieces before and they asked me na rin to do a shoot before kaya lang 'di ako nakaka-tiempo sa schedule so last September 16 super saya kasi na-meet ko na 'yung team.
“'Yung ibang nag-shoot, style idols ko rin talaga like Mari Jasmine, Pam Quinoñes, si Mond, so exciting."
When asked if there’s any luxury fashion brand that she dreams of working with, she replies, “Gusto ko rin Dior, dream ko rin na mabihisan o maging muse no'ng brand na 'yon."
Before she earned the approval of fashion editors and influencers, young Janine enjoyed playing dress up using the clothes of her mother, Lotlot De Leon, and paternal grandmother, Pilita Corrales, whom Janine fondly calls Mamita.
She recounts, “Hinihiram ko kay Mama ‘yung mga jacket n’ya. Si Mamita lahat ng damit niya pati ‘yung mga formal dresses niya nagagamit ko, mga suit n’ya, mga coat n’ya, lahat.
“So natutuwa din talaga ‘ko sa mga hiram-hiram and nakakaaliw din na magamit mo ‘yung nakita mo na dati sa lumang picture.”
Janine has developed a love for anything vintage.
“I really like vintage fashion. Marami akong pina-follow na accounts online na parang Old Hollywood or ‘yung mga runway photos from the ‘90s kasi parang they say fashion is a cycle so umiikot lang siya.
“I think it’s always cool to re-invite ‘yung mga luma mong damit. Parang challenge din ‘yun sa ‘yo kung paano mo siya pagmumukhaing bago.”
While designer brands can easily set her heart aflutter, Janine admits that she's an ukay-ukay girl.
“Actually no’ng college, wala kasi talaga ‘kong pambili ng mga damit so lahat ng damit ko talaga galing ukay, pati sapatos ko galing ukay.
“I guess do’n din nanggagaling ‘yung pagiging resourceful ko when it comes to fashion and styling kasi limited talaga ‘yung choices ko. ‘Yung tube mo next week gagawing skirt, tapos gagawin mong dress, gano’n.
"Masaya din talaga na maka-tsamba ng magandang damit sa ukay lalo na kapag alam mong hindi ka gumastos ng malaki.”
Admittedly, her taste in fashion had not always been on point. Janine recalls the time she thought elephant pants—those pants with ultra wide legs—were cool.
“Elephant pants na pinagdaanan natin,” she says, giggling.
“Nakakatawa lang parang in that moment akala mo cool na cool ka pero kapag nakita mo ulit parang nakakatawa. But I guess that’s part of the fashion. Some trends end up aging graciously, parang pagtingin mo ng picture, ‘Ay, uso pa rin ‘yan ngayon.’
“‘Yung iba naman, ‘Hala bakit nagka-ganyan?’ Even with hair and makeup looks.”
Janine can tell the stylish from the gaudy. After all, she has an eye for fashion. In fact, she had styling stints for a number of fashion editorials for Preview Magazine back in 2014.
“I first did fashion editorials and shoots parang it was late 2014.
“Nag-editorial ako for Preview, do’n ko na-meet si BJ Pascual [the photographer], ’tapos nagtuluy-tuloy na. Do’n talaga ’ko natuto, on set, from the people around me, from the stylist. Meron akong stylist ever since si MJ Benitez and s’ya din ‘yung kumuha sa ‘kin for that editorial.”
Janine is not called a fashion muse for nothing.
From all these experiences, both the good and the bad, Janine has learned to embrace the truth about fashion: it has no boundaries and it follows a season-less cycle.
“I think what makes fashion beautiful and exciting is that anything goes.
“‘Tsaka no’ng fashion week na do’n ko nalaman na dapat talaga ‘di ka natatakot sa limitations na kung ano lang ‘yung nakikita mo dapat gano’n ka lang din.
“Nakaka-inspire din kasi ‘yung mga tao ding walang pake. ‘Yung tipong kahit sila lang ‘yung gano’n ‘yung suot, mas nag-stand out pa sila. Mas napansin pa sila for being unique kasi tayong mga Pinoy, or ako personally, dati mahiyain ako.”
She recalls, “I remember na meron isang event na it was one of the first showbiz events na na-attend-an ko, parang YES! 100 Most Beautiful Stars. Tapos nakalagay do’n sa invite ‘smart casual’ lang so gusto ko lang jeans.
“‘Yung Mommy ko sabi niya, ‘Huy, mag-dress ka,’ tapos sabi ko ‘Ayaw ko, baka ako lang ‘yung naka-dress.’ ‘Tapos ‘yun pala lahat ng tao, naka-dress!
“Do’n ko na-realize na my mom is always right. Pero do’n ko rin na-realize na kapag sa fashion, enjoy ka lang kasi parang nakakatuwa rin when you’re older kapag nakita mo ‘yung nakakatawang sinuot mo parang masaya din naman. Dapat go lang nang go.
“I think it’s also a confidence booster if you feel good about what you’re wearing. Gano’n din sa makeup and sa hair. It’s a way of expressing yourself. It’s a way of having fun.”
For Janine, life is not all about glitz and glam but a whole lot of hard work.
At the age of 30, she just ticked another item off of her bucket list and that is to launch her own nail salon located in Pasig.
“It’s I Do Nails. It’s franchise pero ‘yung owner is a friend.
“She’s a friend since grade school and then when she started her own brand, kinuha n’ya ‘kong endorser. So no’ng gusto ko na talaga ng negosyo, ‘yun ‘yung naisip ko na i-try.
“Gusto ko talagang mag-business pero I don’t feel na I have time yet and knowledge on my own so iniisip naming franchise na lang muna para matuto din tayo.”
Despite her busy showbiz schedule, Janine makes sure to be as hands-on as possible on her newest venture.
“Lahat talaga ginagapang namin. I’m doing it kasi with my two other friends tapos meron na kong nakilala sa fire station, sa city hall, so nilalakad ko talaga ‘yung papeles.
“Masayang experience s’ya and fulfilling lalo na kapag nakikita mo ‘yung progress.”
Bold artistry
Hard work pays dividends.
That's what Janine has learned from all the collaborations that she's done with international brands.
It is no surprise that she has brought the same level of dedication, enthusiasm, and pride into her role in Babae at Baril.
In this psychological thriller written and directed by Rae Red, Janine plays a lowly, timid saleslady in a local department store.
Her life takes a drastic turn when she finds a gun right on her doorstep. Suddenly, she can do anything she wants, talk back to whoever she wants, and even hurt anyone she wants after discovering how much power owning a gun can give her.
