Fashion designer Vania Romoff is a creator. She makes beautiful garments that reflect a sensibility for modern romance and femininity. Her wedding gowns are what happily-ever-afters are made of, inspired by the distinct personalities and style sensibilities of her brides. Vania’s take on beauty, much like her irreverent style, is a blend of timelessness and forward-thinking.
Vania marked a decade in fashion last year, and it has been a journey paved with discovery, evolution and growth. Design is almost like a birthright of Vania’s. Her grandmother, mother, and siblings are all in the business of creating beautiful garments in Cebu. Viring Romoff, her grandmother, dressed Cebuano society in lavish couture dresses, while her brother Anthony made his name as a designer in their hometown. Her mother and sister, on the other hand, went into the manufacturing of garments.
Although it would have been easy for Vania to depend on pedigree, she chose to carve her own path. When she celebrated her 18th birthday, she independently mounted her own fashion show where she showcased a 30-piece collection. In her early twenties, she booked a flight to Manila, excited for the challenge the new terrain presented.
Vania has since then been the go-to designer of red-carpet regulars, A-listers and tastemakers, inclined to explore new-fangled ideas on romance. Bridal wear, more specifically, proved to be a niche that fits the design approach Vania proposed. She brought frill, flounce and fresh pastels into a more contemporary realm of impeccably tailored pieces that appealed to modern sensibilities. She shares, “I am inspired by the strength in femininity, and the way I express it best is through fashion.”
“I think beauty plays a really big role in how I feel from day to day.” The wearer is always the focus where designing for clients are concerned, says Vania. She embraces the same philosophy when it comes to beauty. Vania is a believer in letting natural beauty shine through, emphasizing the need for good skincare to create the perfect base. The daily regimen is pretty straightforward, punctuated by her signature Chanel lip for special occasions.
More recently, Vania ventured into unknown territory with the launch of her first athleisure line done in collaboration with Aura Athletica. The activewear collection is a reflection of the designer’s expanding range and versatility.
This summer, she looks forward to another new period of inspiration. As she gets ready for a new season, she shares with us the beauty essentials perfect for ringing in new romance.
Vania believes in the power of great skin, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s something she heavily invests in. “I just feel like great skin equals a great day. Waking up and seeing the results the next day, it’s very satisfying.” Products like the La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift and Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II are precious to her.
With a proper skincare routine to take away most of the stress of putting on makeup, Vania gets her chance to play around. “I think [makeup] is super fun and having great skin makes it easier to put it on.”
To create the perfect base, the Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Illuminating Primer is the first and vital step. From there, the soft powders of jane iredale’s GreatShape™ Contour Kit and NARS’ Afterglow Overlust Cheek Palette help bring out her features. Lips are where she feels the bravest to experiment, but the Tom Ford Lip Color in Casablanca is a current favorite.
Editor Bianca Salonga
Words Andrea Lam
Photography Floyd Jhocson of Studio 100
Creative Direction Alex Manlangit
Video Producer Fatima Esmero
Video Editor Nicca Tapang
Videographer Kieran Punay of Studio 100
Makeup Yciar Ledesma using Laura Mercier
Hair Francis Guintu
Shoot Coordination Em Camazuela
Shot on Location at Studio Vania Romoff
