Rustan’s celebrates 65
LUXURY RETAILER Rustan’s celebrates its 65th year by paying homage to its founders, Gliceria “Glecy” R. Tantoco and Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr.
The sapphire anniversary celebration, during its launch on Sept. 14 at its flagship Makati store, kicked off with an exhibition dedicated to both founders but mostly for Ms. Tantoco as the exhibit titled The Many Facets of Glecy Tantoco: Retail Extraordinaire features portraits of the Rustan’s matriarch alongside several early designs from the collections of Criselda Lontok, arguably the store’s best-selling local designer, as well as photos from their old stores in San Marcelino, Malate and its Makati flagship.
(Rustan’s is a portmanteau of Ms. Tantoco’s maiden name, Rustica, and married name, Tantoco.)
“Rustan’s is a story that’s not about just a store,” Zenaida Tantoco, chairman and CEO of Rustan’s Commercial Corp. and of the SSI Group, said during her opening remarks during the launch.
“It’s the story of a strong-hearted woman [who pursued] her dreams for the Filipina, whom she believed had every right to be tastefully dressed by only the finest and most coveted names in style, and whose homes should be impeccably furnished by the best the world has to offer,” she added as Rustan’s through the years brought foreign luxury brands to Philippine shores: Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, to name a few.
“We haven’t celebrated in this way, in a while as Rustan’s and on our 65th year we are now a group of companies so we thought it was fitting to look back,” Bernardina Arroyo-Tantoco, marketing communications manager of Rustan’s Commercial Corp., told BusinessWorld during the launch.
She added that the exhibition was curated in a way that shows the milestones of the group and of Glecy Tantoco at its helm.
The exhibit will make rounds throughout several Rustan’s stores including Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong and in Gateway in Cubao and will run until the first week of October. A coffee table book about Rustan’s matriarch is also in the works and is scheduled to be released in early 2018.
Aside from the exhibition, a Private Label Fashion Road Show, will similarly be staged at different Rustan’s stores featuring works from some of the exclusive brands under the Rustan’s umbrella: Ricarde Preto, U by Ricardo Preto, Jill by Jojie Lloren, Criselda Lontok, Lady Rustan among others.
Much of the designs that will hit the runway at this road show are mostly in the shades of blue sapphire, befitting the company’s anniversary.
American-based Japanese fashion designer, Tadashi Shoji, will be in Manila to present his newest designs in October in a “grandiose fashion presentation,” according to a press release.
And in keeping with the annual tradition of decking out the Makati store’s windows every Christmas, Rustan’s will be decorating their windows with the theme, “Blue Sapphire Christmas.” —