When fashion icon Maria Beatriz ‘Patis’ Tesoro was recently proclaimed National Artist for Design, Filipino-American visual artist Loisse Ledres was instantly elated by the news.
The Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion, after all, was Ledres’ No.1 influence in her multifaceted approach towards the arts. But most of all, the Cebu City-born multimedia creative was drawn to Tesoro uncompromising stance to being limitless across all her platforms.
‘She (Tesoro) is not limited by just one medium. She’s a very strong cultural figure,’ the 28-year-old New York City resident said.
Tesoro is a key figure in fashion design, particularly of Filipiniana couture as could be seen in her intricate embroideries and the unique textiles she uses for her creations.
Both Ledres and Tesoro enjoy quirky designs and vibrant colors and details on their artwork. Think bright pinks interspersed with tangerines and splashes of greens and blues, forming abstract figures or women faces and whathaveyous.
Ledres said she made it a point to stay true to herself but at the same time show interconnectedness and warmth in her works, where each tells their own story. As much as she can, she tries to push Filipino women forward in the creative process, knowing that it is a generally male-dominated industry.
‘I believe there is more room for Filipinas in these fields. Apart from it being a costly process, it is very limiting to women because then some of them would have to stop their career to be able to pursue their art. I myself have to assert myself and strive for respect,’ she said, referring to when she enrolled at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan.
But she kept to her art. Some of Ledres’ artworks landed on the Hollywood teen series ‘High School Musical: The series,’ including her famous creation, ‘Keep Growing,’ which depicts a woman with long, flowing hair with her teardrops helping grow a plant. She could still remember that time because the occasion marked a tumultuous moment in her life.
‘I remember getting the call post-heartbreak. The piece was called ‘Keep Growing,’ It helped heal me,’ she said.
In 2024, she created a music poster for Chapelle Roan, whose aesthetics, she said also reflected her own.
Ledres also expressed admiration for Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala who is ‘setting the bar high for Filipinos abroad.’
From an early age, Ledres knew that she wanted to be an artist. Coming from a family of teachers did not at all dampen her aspirations to become a visual artist, but complimented her desire to connect with others through art.
‘I’ve always had a hard time defining myself as an artist because I’ve always teetered between graphic design, commercial illustration and fine art. I hope in this learning process, I find deeper roots and understanding of who I am as an artist = separate from its ability to be marketable or not,’ the free-spirited former advertising arts major said in an earlier Instagram post while on hiatus.
But if there is one thing that she wanted to emulate from Tesoro, it is that she also wants to give back to her community as much as she leans on them. After holding art exhibits in New York City and Las Vegas, Nevada, already she is hoping to set up workshops and an exhibit in the Philippines, where proceeds would go fund her outreach programs.