Oliver Tolentino celebrates 10th anniversary of Beverly Hills boutique, showcases Fall/Winter RTW

It all started with a dream.

Oliver Tolentino was only seven years old when he dreamt of becoming a fashion designer. Born in Orani, Bataan, he recalled how "all of my school notebooks were full of sketches of dresses."

Inspired by his mother, Lydia Sioson Tolentino, who encouraged him to learn how to sew at age seven, now the fashion designer has conquered the world from Korea to Thailand, from Barbados to Vienna, from Paris to the British Virgin Islands, and more.

When we asked him in an earlier interview how difficult it was for him to break into Hollywood and what he did to succeed, he told us, "I was a boy whose dreams would have been laughed at, to be honest. First, I think creativity is something you're born with. I was blessed with that gift, but what you do with that is your choice and determination. I worked hard and continued to learn, grow, and improve – not just my fashion creativity but also my business operations. Through hard work and constant focus, I reached the point where I delivered quality clothes on time, not always an easy thing to do in fashion. I also tried to treat clients the way I'd want to be treated. Over time and by word-of-mouth, I built my business. All of that is the basis, but of course, the fashion has to speak for itself to attract clients. I offer high-quality couture – RTW and custom – that can only be found in my boutique. These days, that's very appealing to women because shops carry a lot of the same things in multiple cities, and showing up in the same dress at an event is more common."

Recently, the international fashion designer, who has dressed almost 100 Hollywood celebrities for everything from the Oscars to the Golden Globes, from the Grammys to the Emmys, among other awards shows, celebrated the 10th anniversary of his Beverly Hills boutique.

In a very competitive and challenging industry, Tolentino revealed to us in an exclusive email interview how he has survived with flying colors.

He said, "I opened my first US boutique on Melrose Avenue in 2009, 16 years ago, before transferring to a larger boutique on Robertson Blvd in Beverly Hills 10 years ago. They tell me I was the first couture designer to expand successfully from the Philippines to the US. Many have tried through the years, and it's not easy. The biggest challenge at first was just convincing Filipino Americans of my integrity and that I'd deliver as promised."

Known for his couture designs, the humble and talented designer this time showcased a sneak peek of his RTW Fall/Winter 2025 collection at the Beverly Hills anniversary bash for selected clients and VIPs that included former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner, film and theater actress Joan Almedilla, actress-singer Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, and film-TV-stage actor Reggie Lee.

He revealed of his RTW collection, "Many times there's pressure to do dramatic collections when you're invited to fashion weeks. This was an intimate salon show where I could do a simpler collection for my boutique's RTW inventory that people can walk in and purchase."

Aside from his Beverly Hills boutique, Tolentino also has his Manila boutique and his San Francisco showroom. So how does he manage all his shops, we asked.

"I love what I do so it makes it easier when you work around the clock," he replied.

As for his future plans, Tolentino is gearing up for a gala fashion show in Manila later this year. "I hope to announce details this month," he said.

So, what would he advise young aspiring fashion designers who would want to follow in his footsteps?

Tolentino said, "Study every aspect of design, work hard, and be honest and ethical."

—MGP, GMA Integrated News