At 57, former supermodel Tweetie de Leon was chosen as Preview's 2024 Style Icon.
She accepted her trophy at the Preview Ball held at the Manila Marriot Hotel in Pasay City on Saturday, September 6, 2024.
Read: Preview Ball 2024 highlights: Awardees and September cover star
Speaking to PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Tweetie conveyed her gratitude to the Preview team for putting a spotlight on her iconic fashion moment 29 years ago.
"I'm so flattered. I was shocked. I never knew I would receive such recognition at this stage of my life.
"I'm happy to be still part of fashion, especially with Preview, whose birth I've witnessed," Tweetie exclaimed.
She added, smiling, "Preview is as old as my marriage."
Tweetie married her businessman-husband Mon Gonzalez in 1995.
It was indeed a full-circle moment both for Tweetie and Preview.
TWEETIE DE LEON: FIRST PREVIEW COVER
Former Summit Media editorial group director Myrza Sison, who was the fashion editor of Preview in 1995, was the one who handed the Style Icon trophy to Tweetie.
Myrza recalled, "Ako rin nag-interview sa kanya kasi tatlo lang kami sa Preview [back in 1995].
"That cover was groundbreaking kasi it ushered in a new way of fashion publishing.
"She had a very fresh look, not like previously overly made-up look...
"She wore an Armani suit and we shot it on the street in Dasmarinas Village [Makati]."
Tweetie also remembered how the team would pause and resume the shoot every time a car passed by.
"I don't think anything can top that cover. It's just astounding that up to now, people still refer to it.
"On top of the fact that I got to work with Myrza who's a pioneer in publishing. I got to work with her on her first [Preview] cover. It was an honor."
Another fun fact: both Tweetie and Myrza went to University of the Philippines Diliman in college. Tweetie studied Philosophy, while Myrza pursued Statistics.
"Same time, but we never met," said Tweetie.
Recalling her impression of Tweetie, Myrza recalled, "I used to admire her in the hallway kasi siya yung Anne Klein model.
"Nakasuot siya ng red shirt, red belt, red pants, red shoes. 'Oh my god, it's the Anne Klein girl!'
"I was worshipping her from afar. Little did I know na magiging friend ko siya."
Laughing, Tweetie remarked, "Were those my fashion choices ba talaga?"
Read: Standouts at Preview Ball 2024 (female edition)
TWEETIE DE LEON ON six-year SHOWBIZ STINT
Aside from her stint as a model, Tweetie also made a mark in the Pinoy entertainment scene when she starred opposite Vic Sotto in the popular sitcom Okay Ka, Fairy Ko! (1987-1993), and two film adaptations — Okay, Ka Fairy Ko (1991) and Okay Ka, Fairy Ko! 2 (1992).
She played Faye, a beautiful fairy that captivated the heart of Enteng Kabisote.
Other mainstays of the show/movies included Charito Solis, who played Ina Magenta, Ruby Rodriguez, Aiza Seguerra (now known as Ice), among others.
Asked what she missed about showbiz, Tweetie told PEP, "I miss my friends in the industry. They were so much fun.
"I was supposed to try it out for two months, but I ended up staying for six years. That's how much I enjoyed it.
"Everyone that I've worked with—knowing that I'm not a true-blooded actress, I was a full-time model—I got a lot of support.
"And because of that, they became family. They were friends. They were there to support me, making the atmosphere a very fun, easy, comfortable space for me where I thrived."
Read: Male standouts at Preview Ball 2024
TWEETIE DE LEON: ENTREPRENEUR & family woman
After she left showbiz, Tweetie built her own fashion brand called TdLG, which she runs to this day.
"I have my line. It's been around for almost 25 years. It started out as a different brand, somewhere along the way I changed it.
"It's an eponymous brand. I design and manufacture jewelry, bags... I have swimsuits and home [decors]."
She juggles her career as an entrepreneur with being a proud mother of four grown-up children.
How does she manage all these endeavors?
Tweetie said: "I'm very grateful that I still have that passion and the energy to pursue different things and to master it if I could. If not, at least I've tried it.
"It's what keeps me going. It's what gives me reason to wake up, aside from my kids and my husband.
"It gets me excited to try new things and to learn new skills or to express myself creatively in different ways, whether it's fashion or my jewelry or artworks or even just gardening at home."
