A day with fashion designer Oliver Tolentino

We conducted the interview and photo shoot a day before Oliver's scheduled flight to the U.S., where he will showcase some of his creations at the Golden Globe Awards.

The "Valentino of the Philippines" tag was bestowed on Oliver by fashion critics who noticed the Filipino designer's penchant for handmade meticulous creations.

Oliver doesn't mind the comparison as he is a fan of the popular Italian designer-entrepreneur.

"I started designing when I was 19-years-old," said Oliver.

But his interest in designing actually started much earlier, he confessed.

"Actually, 7-years-old pa lang ako I know how to sew na. Instead of playing with my friends, what I do is I play with a sewing machine."

The opening of Oliver's shop in Los Angeles, California in 2009 made him the first Philippine-based fashion designer to branch out into a foreign market.

"Si Monique [Lhuillier] naman kasi started na talaga sa States," explained Oliver. "Ako naman, I started here in the Philippines before opening my own boutique overseas."

Oliver has always been an advocate of eco-friendly materials, which means he uses  natural fibers for his creations rather than animal hide.

"I don't use leather," stressed Oliver. "Siguro if I would incorporate leather, leatherette lang or like a strip of leather, but not real leather because I love animals also."

Oliver plans to venture into retailing soon. The Bataan-born designer currently has boutiques in Makati and Los Angeles, California.

Opening more outlets, said Oliver, will enable his creations and designs to reach a wider market.

Oliver's good friend, actress Pinky Amador, dropped by at the boutique that day to ask Tolentino to create a gown, which she will use for an upcoming formal event.

liver joined Pinky at the counter to sketch the design she wanted.

Pinky originally wanted a yellow gown for the occasion, perhaps influenced by the fact that President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is slated to grace the affair.

Oliver recommended, "Mag-green ka na lang." 

Oliver proudly showed us one of the gowns he will bring to the U.S. for the Golden Globe Awards.