Through the years, the public has reacted to Gretchen Barretto in only two ways—either they love her or they hate her. But even those who hate her remain glued to her every move, keeping track of news about her and asking for more. Admit it, the lady is fascinating. But whatever the hate-Greta crowd thinks of her doesn’t matter one bit to La Greta. Her many years in show business have taught her one thing: you can’t please everybody. And she doesn’t even try.

ON LA GRETA: This champagne bouffant-layered top-and-ball-skirt ensemble—plus five more gowns in the following pages—are from the recent collection of prized fashion designer Inno Sotto, Gretchen Barretto’s designer of choice. Gretchen’s satin purple pumps are by Pedro Garcia of Spain.

(YES! January 2007 issue)

The lady is open about wearing gowns by other designers who are contemporaries of Inno Sotto. But she still keeps going back to Inno.

We ask if she has tried the new designers. “I mean, new to me, new in the industry?” she asks back. “I’m still in the classic. I’m an old soul, you now. I don’t know why I tend to favor the older ones but they are the ones who attract me.”

While checking herself out in the mirror before this shot is taken, Gretchen says of the gown: “Ang ganda naman nito. Galing talaga ni Inno.”

ON HER: Floral appliqué white gown by Inno Sotto

(YES! January 2007 issue)

Gretchen cannot remember how long she has been an Inno Sotto devotee. “Hindi ko ma-afford si Inno noong araw,” she admits. “On my own? I cannot. Inno is very mahal.”

But now that she can afford him, she has “a place for all my Innos” in her dressing room. We gather that the place is located just across from the master bedroom of her and Tonyboy Cojuangco’s Dasmariñas Village home.

Needless to say, she has lost count of the Sotto gowns she now owns. “Honestly, hindi ko nabilang,” she laughs. “Hindi ko naman kasi binibilang, e. So I really can’t keep track. Siyempre, order ka nang order.”

Does a loyal client like her ever ask for discounts? “No, I don’t,” she says. “Because parang tinatawaran mo ’yong talent noong tao. ’Tsaka Inno is different, e. Kita mo naman, di ba? With his outfits, you can never go wrong.”

ON HER: Silk leopard-print dress by Inno Sotto

(YES! January 2007 issue)

Gretchen says Inno can make her a gown in less than a week. “He knows naman my measurements, e,” she smiles. “And he always knows what to do.”

She doesn’t even specify the colors. In fact, when Inno decides on a color for a gown, he won’t even tell Gretchen. And that’s for a good reason.

“Sa kadaldalan ko, minsan hindi nga niya sinasabi ’yong color,” she laughs again. “You know, baka masabi-sabi ko. Ayaw niya noong ganoon, di ba? Para may surprise. So talagang when people ask, ‘What color is your gown for, let’s say, the awards night?’—talagang hindi ko alam. Minsan, itong Inno gagawa ng tatlo, apat, e. And then we choose.”

Patrick Rosas, her makeup artist cum fashion consultant, selects which of the new gowns she should wear for the particular occasion. “Para walang kapareho ng color sa iba,” Gretch explains. “So, ganoon na ang ginagawa namin—three to four at least.”

Although she wears just one, she gets them all, she says.

Cotton-candy-pink ballgown
by Inno Sotto

(YES! January 2007 issue)

What if, we ask, after all her efforts to dress up for an event, she still gets harsh criticism for it? How does La Greta react?

“Well, that’s not my problem,” she shrugs. “One thing that I realized in life is that I don’t have control over what people say, think, feel... whatever their hangups are, whether they appreciate or don’t appreciate. The only thing I have control over is how I feel.

“So you know, I do my best, I give my best, I live life to the fullest. How you feel is your problem, not mine. Parang ganoon.

“You know, life is too short for me to be stressing over people who have hangups about how I do things. You can’t please everybody. You can please some, and some, you can’t. Fine. That’s still fine with me. I can’t stress over them. Well, maybe for a while, it may probably bother me, but that’s it! I mean, life will go on for me. It’s just clothes.”

Gold strapless ballgown by Inno Sotto; satin red shoes by Valentino Garavani

(YES! January 2007 issue)

Initially, Gretchen doesn’t know how to answer this question: “How did you know that you have fashion sense?”

“Do you know that?” she laughs. “I know I have many talents!” And she laughs some more. “I just know that I love clothes and people would give me that name, ‘Hey, you’re a fashion icon!’ I always like clothes, I always adored women who would dress nicely…

“I make mistakes even when it comes to dressing. Looking back now—looking at the pictures, looking at the videos—I know that, ‘Oh, that’s a no-no.’ But it doesn’t matter. It’s just fashion. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s an expression. So that’s it.”

Top: spaghetti-strap cotton tank by Banana Republic

Blazer: puffed-sleeves coat by Inno Sotto

Pants: skinny pants by Inno Sotto

Shoes: red satin pair  by Valentino Garavani

Accessory: gold ball drop earrings, which Gretchen borrows from daughter Dominique’s jewelry collection.

(YES! January 2007 issue)

Gretchen admits that, when she goes out shopping, whether here or abroad, she doesn’t work on any budget: “Tony once said, ‘You know, I realized that creative people have no sense of budget. They don’t know how to budget.’”

Giggling, she adds: “And I said, ‘Yeah, I’m really creative!’ I told him I’m very creative. I know nothing about math!”

Strapless black-and-champagne gown with pleated hem and large bow detail by Inno Sotto

(YES! January 2007 issue)

“’Yan na ’yong pinakabisyo ko,” Gretchen says of her huge collection of branded fashion and beauty must-haves. “Like a lot of people, di ba, they have bisyo? Mahjong, or gambling, or night out. I just like clothes. I mean, It’s a girl thing. I just like make-up. It’s all girly, it’s all kikay. Like shoes, clothes, you know. I just really enjoy them. They really make me happy.”

Top: scoop-neck long-sleeve top by Balenciaga
Pants: skinny pants by Maison Martin Margiela
Shoes: leopard-print wedge by Giuseppe Zanotti
Belt: gold leather wide buckle belt by Fendi

(YES! January 2007 issue)

When it comes to her clothes, shoes, and fashion accessories, Gretchen doesn’t have a particular favorite. She can’t even name her favorite fashion color.

“I really don’t go for favorites kasi,” she smiles. “I cannot. With clothes, paiba-iba ’yan, e. So, paano ka magpe-favorite, di ba? Even with colors, you go by season. Kung ano ang uso for the season.”

She does have one complaint about fashion trends.
“Ang bilis ng fashion, nakaka-frustrate,” she whines. “Kung minsan kasi, kakabili mo pa lang ng bag, one week mo pa lang ginagamit, umiba na ang uso! Arrrggghh! Parang it passed you by so quick. There’s always something new that’s a must-have for the moment. You just want to cry! ‘What!’ Ang bilis! Ang bilis-bilis-bilis. Nakakaloka! Even the colors for the season, biglang nagtse-change.”

Black dress with gold trim by Prada
Black suede platform shoes also by Prada

(YES! January 2007 issue)

“I’m really proud of this outfit,” she says of the mannish ensemble she’s wearing on this page.

“Kasi eleven years na itong suit na ito—noong nag-uso ’yong boy look? I had it, and it’s back. And it’s hard to find a good suit. ’Yong talagang maganda ang cut, maganda ang fall. So there! What I’m wearing inside is a Gucci. Ten years old na din ito.”

Gretchen has her friend Patrick Rosas to thank for constantly reminding her not to part with her branded items.

“I used to give them away,” she admits. “But I don’t anymore. Because Patrick tells me that, you know, they come back. And true enough, a lot of the outfits come back—a lot of the Prada and Gucci pieces. I have a Prada outfit as old as twelve years old, eight years old. I brought some of them [to the YES! shoot], and I wanna wear them to show people that, hey, ’yong mga kasya noong araw, kasya pa rin ngayon. Yeheey! That’s an achievement!

“You know, they say kasi, pag mahal, sayang, ganyan. Hindi sayang, kasi it’s something you can pass on. Like Dominique, she always tells me, ‘Mom, don’t you dare give them away, because I’m gonna wear them when they come back.’”


Suit: blazer & pants by Maska
Inside: cotton long-sleeve shirt by Gucci
Shoes: metallic copper pointy shoes by Gucci

(YES! January 2007 issue)

While being made up for the shoot, the high-energy Gretchen assumes the role of stylist. She shoot-produces this particular shot herself.

“Hey, let’s start shooting muna ’yong mga shorts,” she tells the YES! team. “Mga everyday outfit. Magso-short-shorts ako with heels—parang Hollywood. ’Yong mga hanggang dito [points to her thigh], ’tapos nakakikay, ’tapos naka-scarf-scarf.”

Top: cotton baby tee by Gap
Pants: 7 for all mankind shorts with frayed hem
Scarf: Emilio Pucci (Firenze)

(YES! January 2007 issue)