The Style Visionary Issue: The Resilient Artistry of Kirby Cruz
There are a lot of reasons why we absolutely adore young fashion designer Kirby Cruz. His wearable avant-garde aesthetic is distinctive, and it shows in his wide range of fashion offerings. His atelier in Manila, The Fashion Hospital by Kirby Cruz, is a dreamland for any fashionistas. The warm friendliness is one thing, but more than anything, the dynamic and brilliant pieces are just to-die for.
He’s got elevated street fashion pieces (our editor often describes this line as street fashion couture), as well as dazzling and sophisticated RTW jumpsuits and short dresses so stylish they’re red carpet-worthy. His fabulous atelier also houses Filipino-empowering creations made of really unique indigenous materials, and of course, exquisitely gorgeous couture gowns and stunning bridal dresses in ready-to-wear or custom-made segments.
“My clients open up to me easily about what body features they want to highlight, or flaws they wanna hide. And I always say in jest, it is like I am a fashion doctor! That’s why I called my atelier The Fashion Hospital. Because here, we truly want you to feel better about yourself through fashion- be it with our ready-to-wear lines, or customized pieces,” Kirby shared.
UNIQUE STYLE NEEDS
His vision to always make his clientele feel great about themselves through awesome style stems back to his own experiences as a young fashion dreamer.
“During my younger years, my mother would make it a point that the clothes she buys for us are unisex so that I and three of my siblings can pass around stuff in case it gets outgrown by one of us,” Kirby said. “Consequently, I always had hand-me-downs that were too big for me or were simply not my style,” he said.
As a child, Kirby knew that he did not want to be just another fish in the stream. “I eventually developed a fantasy of finding clothes that will make me stand out, something that is just so me,” he said, adding that typical clothes from malls did not satisfy his style whims. “I want to have something that I can say, ‘I am the only one who owns this!’. It became a dream for me.” This childhood desire would be monumental to Kirby’s flair in creating distinct, fashionable clothing pieces.
REALITY TV GIG
In 2005, young Kirby took Conservatory of Music, Major in Voice. “After I got my college degree, I learned about fashion design, and I just suddenly didn’t envision myself in operatic music anymore. I decided to go to School of Fashion and the Arts, and studied Fashion Design and Marketing,” he said.
“My fashion school exposed me to a lot of events that hone our aesthetic as students. I eventually joined the Mega Young Designers Competition, a TV show that showcases the talents of aspiring Filipino designers,” he said. “Luckily, I was able to make it to the grand finals and got a spot in the Top 6.”
Kirby’s run in the reality TV design competition has taught him a lot of lessons, and jump-started his fashion design journey and media exposure.
“After the TV show, I decided to apply as a designer for a huge clothing company, wherein I created RTW pieces for Filipino retail brands such as Penshoppe and Oxygen.”
“An unfortunate event happened that led me to resign from that job, as I had to focus on our own family business,” he said. “It opened the door for me to do sideline stints in designing again, which got me clients of my own. Eventually, I was able to establish my connections and by 2019, I found my way back to fashion design and picked up from where I left off in my career. That’s when I decided to launch The Fashion Hospital by Kirby Cruz, a brand that carries my name.”
FASHION REDUX
“My greatest milestone was when I launched my own brand Kirby Cruz, and opened my atelier Kirby Cruz: The Fashion Hospital,” he said. “My favorite thing about that was my grand opening fashion show in one of the busy streets of Sta. Cruz Manila, a very uncommon venue to hold fashion events.” The designer noted that he has always wanted to build a fashion house in his hometown. “It was like a new era for me as a fashion designer, and I couldn’t be happier to finally design for my very own brand, and cater to my own clientele,” he shared.
The fashion creator has been instantly loved by stylists, style insiders and fashion aficionados because of his unique aesthetic, which he describes as “a combination of wearable avant-garde and minimalist structure”. Kirby truly knows how to cater to the satisfaction of his clientele with his genuinely nice, friendly personality. He is like an instant fashion confidante whom you can easily share your innermost style dreams with.
RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY
The global pandemic has hit the fashion industry worldwide, and Kirby Cruz has not been spared from it.
“There was a lack of resources since imported goods were put on hold for a time. My employees couldn’t come to work because of the absence of public transportation,” he said.
Kirby shared his hardships and how his team adjusted to survive.“The hardest of all is that the production has slowed down naturally because all types of physical events have been prohibited. Everyone is just at home and does not need to go get dressed and be glammed up. The first three months of the global pandemic was a total shutdown, and it was hard for us. So when businesses were allowed to open again, we started producing essential items like face masks and selling them online,” noting that going digital is the only way to overcome today’s business hurdles. “It is actually where the trend is swinging towards now, so a lot of my advertisements and marketing strategies are executed online. With such, it is easier to reach a wider audience. Plus it is safer for everyone, given the situation with this pandemic.”
Kirby Cruz is one of the many Filipino fashion visionaries who truly stepped up to cater to the new clothing needs of the people. “Fashion designers here in the Philippines are giving all the help they can give during this time. A lot of us are creating PPEs in our own styles, making them available to consumers,” he said.
“Personally, I believe that PPEs can be visually pleasing too while serving their purpose. There was this one time when a school approached me. They wanted to have PPEs that won’t make children feel agitated.”
True to form, Kirby created clothing essentials that anyone would feel great in. Edgy and functional, still very Kirby.
He believes that fashion artistry still has a place amidst global crisis.“For me, it is important to keep the creativity alive especially for us designers, because it is through it that we can adapt better. As designers, I think we all learned how to be even more patient and be more adaptive, especially that the design industry nowadays keeps on shifting rapidly.”
In the coming days, there is no telling how societies around the world will react to the constant changes brought by the pandemic. If there is one thing that Kirby wants modern artists and aspiring style visionaries to engrave in their hearts, it is thinking of innovative solutions to problems, by embracing resilience in one’s craft and catering to the needs of the consumers.“You can always choose to keep your aesthetic, but learn to adapt to change. Always consider the comfort and needs of the client. It is up to us how we can make our style and their needs meet.”
“A style visionary for me is someone who envisions fashion and style one step ahead of the usual norm, thinking outside the box and creating innovative ways to systematically solve plights through self-expression and arts,” he said.
Indeed, Kirby Cruz embodies a truly inspiring style visionary.
Image Sources: Kirby Cruz’s Instagram
Profile Photos: Produced by Kirby Cruz exclusively for The Style Visionary Network’s Stylish Magazine.
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Fashion designer Kirby Cruz is one of the featured style creators in Stylish Magazine’s The Style Visionary Issue, with New York Club Kid and fashion designer Richie Rich as the cover. To flip the digital pages of this special edition, click here.
For bookings and style inquiries, you may contact The Fashion Hospital by Kirby Cruz on Facebook at facebook.com/kirbycruz.official and on Instagram @kirbycruz.official.
