By Robbie Pangilinan
Former senator turned school owner and administrator Nikki Coseteng is always “in,” that is, she is always available when needed. But being “in” can mean another way for the two-term senator, because she is “in” when it comes to dressing up, accessorizing, and displaying her fashion sense.
Classic and adventurous, traditional and innovative, edgy and toned down. Nikki’s fashion style is all of these. She is open to new trends and does not limit herself to what she is used to wear. She likes sticking to the classics because she realized that the classic clothes she bought 20 years ago are still “in” and even of much better quality than many pieces around today.
Having gone through several fashion eras, Nikki says that each one has its own “best of the times”. “I’m happy when fashion is loose more than when it’s “tight fitting,” she says. Her own fashion sense, she admits, has not changed much over the years, except that her wardrobe now is more “age appropriate.”
The youthful lady legislator likes today’s fashion because, “It doesn’t have too many rules. Not stiff. Today’s fashion is very wearable! Catwalk stuff can easily be adjusted to street wear,” Nikki, who does not have a fashion icon, shares.
The still beautiful Nikki is always at her best, be it at work where she wears two-piece outfits in comfortable and natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk, or in a formal gathering where she dons elegant pieces in hand-made fabrics like abaca and piña.
“I like traditional textiles, especially those that are hand-woven by women from all over the world—Mindanao, the Cordilleras, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, India, China, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and even Nigeria!” the classic Nikki says. When on a night out, she can be seen in long wrap skirts, Japanese traditional jackets, and kaftans (Moroccan dress that can be casual to formal depending on the materials used; traditionally worn at dinner parties, baby showers, engagement parties and weddings). She also adores pieces from The House of MaxMara, a luxury Italian fashion house known for its ready-to-wear clothing and British India, an Asian clothing brand with timeless designs, natural fabrics suited to the tropical climate and superior quality.
The administrator of Diliman Preparatory School, who admits to being a perfectionist, says she can wear the same fabrics many times and still look different each time. The secret, she reveals, is in the accessories.
“What’s important also are the jewelry, bags, shoes, scarves,” she beams, exclaiming that Filipinas should wear hats. “I love hats! But it’s weird if am the only one wearing them. They make women look glamorous and regal,” she continues.
For accessories, Hans Brumann is on top of Nikki’s list. Brumann is a critically acclaimed master jeweller known for his handcrafted pieces. He is is one of the country's trusted jewellers whose reputation is based on quality of service and superb design. He designs most of the jewelry himself, specializing in diamonds, platinum, south sea pearls, mother of pearl, rare colored stones, and silver. Nikki finds the designs very creative and tastefully put together. “Excellent craftsmanship! And even a bit pricy,” Nikki shares.
Nikki likes creating her own jewelry, using silver, gold or metal components, old glass beads, and art deco stuff. Sometimes, she even uses feathers, animal bones and horns, clay beads, shells, stones, and whatever will make a piece interesting. She has talented women who string and design as well.
She meticulously picks her bags, mostly made of leather, suede and abaca. Though she admits that sometimes, she regrets buying beautiful bags of genuine leather. She says they are exquisite, but can become too heavy when stuffed with her things. Her favorite shoe brand is Ferragamo because she finds it classic, comfortable, available in wide sizes and different colors.
It sounds complicated, but surprisingly, the senator can put together an attire in less than 5 minutes! Maybe because she has mastered the art of dressing up during her many years in public service, or because she has memorized all the pieces in her wardrobe, or because she knows by heart how she wants to look.
“No one helps me in choosing my attire. Nobody can tell me how I should look. Because I dress for myself primarily, I should be the best judge of what is best for me” she says. #
