LEGENDS

The '70s and early '80s were an invigorated time in Philippine fashion. Among its stalwarts were beauty architect HENRI CALAYAG and muse TINA MARISTELA OCAMPO who brought to every runway show, fashion editorial, and campaign a distinct brand of artistry, fire, and soul.

- BIANCA R. SALONGA

Within the space of hair and makeup artistry, Henri Calayag is regarded as a legend.

But years before opening his own salon, the Midas of Manila beauty was first, a Paper Doll in the 1970s. Along with Fanny Serrano, Angel Bautista, Benny Gamboa, Biba Varona, Boots Babushka, Edcel Reyes, Klakling, Mari Boquer, Micky Tanaka, Peter Estocado, and Xaviera Petelle, Henri ignited the drag culture movement in the Philippines, decades before Ru Paul's rise to global fame.

It was a natural progression for Henri to dive into the world of fashion and beauty by the early '80s. "Everything that I know about creative direction, styling, and beauty, stems from my experience in theater," he says. "In performance art, every detail counts from the tops of your head to the tips of your toes." After formal training at the Marinella School of Cosmetology, Henri immediately dabbled in fashion editorials and runway shows. "It began when I did the hair and makeup for the Fashion Design Group fashion show," remembers Henri.

The show presented season's looks from Philippine design luminaries like Auggie Cordero, Inno Sotto, Mike dela Rosa, Cesar Gaupo, Noli Hans, to name a few. Henri reminisces how there were only a handful of professional models at shows back then. "They would have to do several changes every show. Backstage, it was just me and my assistant, Yolly, working on all their looks. Our only tools were styling lotion and gel. We also had limited access to references, so we really had to tap into our imagination," he shares.