In the Beginning
We take a look back at how it all started, the valuable lessons learnt, as well as what brought us to where we are today
We go back to where it all started, two decades ago
Naysayers pooh-poohed the launch of Philippine Tatler in 2001. Some went as far as telling Anton San Diego, that this society/general interest magazine would not survive. He was then writing society columns for Philippine Daily Inquirer and Metro magazine and for both gigs, he’d been tapped precisely for his apparent persuasive powers over the high and mighty. Still, taking on the job of editor-in-chief for another new luxury magazine seemed like a leap of faith.
Beneath his suave demeanour, San Diego has always been tenacious. Plus, he was gifted with an eye for aesthetics and a nose for what was appealing to readers. He envisioned Tatler as a magazine of superior quality that would “present the Philippines to the world in the best possible way”.
Twenty years later—following changes in ownership and management, economic crises and a pandemic, the magazine, rebranded Tatler Philippines, is still flexing its muscles with a thick glossy issue every month. That’s a certifiable feat, considering that many competitors have folded, cut back on their circulation, or gone fully digital. Steered by the new tenets of Tatler Asia, and with the team’s steady editorial voice, Tatler has become the trusted resource in bringing its readers the best in Power, Influence and Style.
Behind the eye-candy pages and stories of the high life lies the magazine’s heart, a well-oiled machinery headed by publisher Irene Martel Francisco. During Covid Lockdown 1 in 2020, Tatler remained resilient while many magazines were paralysed. Francisco kept going, increasing influence and circulation by sending free copies to individual readers when shops were shut down and giving free access to the digital edition, replete with the ads, via Magzter.
The boss lady conducted Zoom meetings with aplomb despite her own bout with Covid. “We resolved to hang on and continue. Cutting down on frequency would have been a disruption
of our commitment to advertisers—and readers tend to forget,” says Francisco. The staff has unflinchingly “rolled with the punches”, she adds.
San Diego himself quotes an idiom: “Pure gold does not fear the flame. We created some of the best issues in the last 16 months [as of this writing], given the situation. We took out elements that were no longer significant and stepped up on in-depth writing while being faithful to the Tatler DNA.”
At the least, Tatler has remained in step with the times. The National Economic Development Authority reported that the Philippine economy recorded its strongest post-Asian crisis growth in the early 2000s. Reflecting widespread optimism about the country’s structures, the inaugural cover in September 2001 presented First Daughters Luli Arroyo-Bernas, Imee Marcos, the late Jo Ramos and Jackie Ejercito offering a toast. (Kris Aquino had her own cover in another issue, dressed in a sheer, rhinestone-encrusted top by Joe Salazar and surrounded by Adonis-like hunks—much to the shock of her conservative mother, former President Cory.)
In 2002, a sustained positive outlook for the country made it a good time to launch the Tatler Ball. Francisco recalls that, unlike its counterparts in prosperous Asian neighbours, the Philippines had to be a little more prudent. The Manila event took on a charity ball format, becoming the only one of its kind among Tatler blacktie affairs in the region. The entire funds raised went directly to the first beneficiary, Makabata Foundation, an education and feeding programme for street children.
For its glamour and exclusivity, the Tatler Ball has become the most anticipated society event of every year since. The 18th and latest, held in 2019, raised a record Php12.3 million for World Wildlife Fund. Many donors had become regulars by then, secure in the knowledge that their contributions were not only tax deductible; they were consistently earmarked for causes that were close to their hearts.
Francisco would orchestrate a stylish experience each time with choice menus, wines and entertainment. “We are not big on over-the-top decorations—just a lot of flowers and audio visuals,” she says. “We did not think the setting should compete with the ladies in their beautiful gowns. Elegance means restraint.”
Pre-pandemic, the Philippines was considered a newly industrialised country (NIC, a term created by economists and political scientists for countries that fall between the categories of First World and developing), with investments pouring in and robust consumer spending. Tatler could afford to “push the envelope” recalls San Diego, with elaborate cover productions and trips abroad at least once yearly and playing up accomplished Filipinos in New
York, London, Madrid and Paris. Photography and personality became the magazine’s graphic anchor.
Other Asia Tatler covers might come across as reserved alongside the Philippine edition’s output, which scaled the range from provocative to audacious. Conservatives considered a half-naked ingenue, Rosanne Prieto, flanked by two gorgeous models in San Agustin Church, as nothing less than sacrilegious. Former equestrienne Denise Yabut Cojuangco generated quite the buzz in a skimpy top and a bikini for a 2003 cover. She was 42 at the time, and still people gushed over her hot figure.
Imee Marcos as cover girl in September 2015 stirred a firestorm among netizens and in traditional media platforms. Nonchalant in a red terno with a front slit that revealed long legs and bare feet, Imee—Ilocos Norte governor at the time— certainly looked younger than her 60 years. Not a few were incensed, noting that the colour red alluded to bloodshed during her father’s rule. A netizen scornfully tagged the magazine, “Philippine Prattler”.
Relates San Diego, “We saw effigies made out of that cover; or it was vandalised with spiteful drawings, such as skulls on her legs.”
Alternatively, the covers boasted hard-to-access personalities, like the Ferragamo family of the Italian luxury leather goods empire, American designers Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren, Hollywood A-listers George Clooney and Nicole Kidman and Argentinean polo player/ brand ambassador Nacho Figueras.
San Diego’s favourite cover subject to date is Isabel Preysler, the Madrid-based Filipina socialite who, for him, epitomises “the ultimate in beauty and elegance”. There have also been lavish, at times spectacular, group portraits of celebrities and people of privilege, that conveyed their powerful personalities.
In the early years, Tatler served as a chronicler of high society history by featuring veritable icons such as impresario and society doyenne Conchita Sunico, style mavens Chona Kasten and Mary Prieto, grand dames Chito Madrigal-Collantes and Imelda Cojuangco, taipan John Gokongwei and son Lance.
Francisco points out that, subject-wise, the magazine has since expanded its scope from aristocrats and the Philippines’ Top 400 (who tend be a mature group) to include millennials in diverse areas of enterprise, the better to resonate with a younger, equally diverse readership. She elaborates: “Tatler Asia set the tone and brand identity for Generation T. We spotlight 400 driven people ages 25 to 39 who are making inroads into business, design and other fields in their respective country. These young entrepreneurs are involved in new industries such as technology and alternative energy. Our Generation T website focuses on entrepreneurship.”
Steered by the new tenets of Tatler Asia, and with the team’s steady editorial voice, Tatler Philippines has become the trusted resource in bringing its readers the best in Power, Influence and Style. Behind the eyecandy pages and stories of the high life lies the magazine’s heart
Looking back, Francisco is grateful for Tatler’s talented pool of editors, writers, photographers and administration staff. She has nurtured the magazine’s strong relationship with advertisers and clients, who now tap the pool’s expertise in getting their messages across through various platforms
The magazine’s exclusive coverage of Le Bal des Debutantes (Debutante’s Ball) in Paris gave it a bigger edge over other glossies. “It was a major coup,” says San Diego. “Not only did we get to introduce Filipino debutantes to international high society, but we also got to show the world that we had beautiful people and pedigreed clans.”
Launched in 1994 and held annually in November before the pandemic, the haute couture party brought together two dozen girls from all over the world, ages 16 to 22 years old, and their escorts. Parents were invited as well. Tatler recommended local representatives to organiser Ophelie Renouard. In 2008, Paloma Zobel-Urquijo, now a social entrepreneur, was the first Philippine representative.
By 2019, the magazine was celebrating a banner year in terms of advertising revenues, readership, digital presence, landmark events and office synergy. MidMarch 2020, it was poised to introduce its new redesign, new vision and rebranding as Tatler Philippines. The direction was to echo the pulse of the current times. “The cover would be sleek, elegant, sophisticated and understated,” San Diego remembers. “The subjects would personify power, style and influence.”
The global lockdown put a halt to have a big redesign launch, and its effect in the Philippines created bigger uncertainties than expected. The economy plummeted. Tatler remained unfazed.
“In fact, it led us to more creativity in reaching out, effectively providing the impetus to boost the digital platform,” says Francisco. Tatler recently relaunched its visually compelling website designed by Fantasy, an American digital-experience agency.
San Diego notes the biggest difference in content: the absence of pages dedicated to socials. “Up till then, a lot of people read the magazine because they saw themselves in the party section. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise—it created more interesting content. We started prioritising substance.” Departing from the glitz of past covers, the May 2020 issue heralded medical front liners as heroes and reported on various sectors’ Covid-relief projects.
The June 2020 cover broke the news of the romance between influencer and Tatler travel editor-at-large, Jeremy Jauncey, and Miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach. Celebrity photographer Nigel Barker did the couple’s shoot in New York.
Wellness advocate and entrepreneur Bianca Araneta-Elizalde became one of the first cover subjects during quarantine. With no photographers available for the shoot, her husband Juan, Manila Broadcasting Company executive director and vice-president for operations, took the photographs for the July 2020 issue.
Last December, actress Angel Locsin became the first-ever cover for the magazine’s Asia’s Most Influential Impact List, a feature on individuals who are making an impact in their country, on account of her charity/volunteer work in education and fundraising efforts for hospital resources and equipment.
This year’s June issue tackled marine conservation, with entrepreneur and yoga practitioner Katrina Razon, taking the readers on an island-hopping tour of the Maldives. Usually clad in a cropped top and leggings, Katrina wore a long, billowy summer frock for the cover shot taken by her beau, the conservationist and filmmaker Sean Lee Davis.
The traditional big events in swanky hotels— Tatler Dining Awards Night, Tatler Ball, and Tatler Traveller—have been put on hold for now, with private zoom events for brands taking centre stage. These virtual soirees are customised according to brand image and objectives down to the guest list. Flowers, foods and spirits are sent in beautiful boxes to the participants’ homes. Francisco recalls that for one jewellery brand event, guests dressed up and wore their treasured possessions from the brand.
Although the guests are reduced to squares on the screen, she says the virtual events have become more and more intimate. “The usual webinars are impersonal. Our private Zoom session consists of the principals, myself, a professional emcee and select guests. There’s more one-on-one conversation here than in a live cocktail party,” explains Francisco.
“Clients must reach their markets, and we help make that happen,” she says. “The publishing house generates revenue, and the client stays in touch with the right market.”
Looking back, Francisco is grateful for Tatler’s talented pool of editors, writers, photographers and administration staff. She has nurtured the magazine’s strong relationship with advertisers and clients, who now tap the pool’s expertise in getting their messages across through various platforms.
“It has been a blessing to work with Tatler Asia teams who make their international stories available to us. We are learning solid cooperation and work ethics from across the region,” Francisco adds.
Her own editor-in-chief recalls moments on tenterhooks for the whole team, owing to lack of manpower during the lockdowns. Yet editors at the Hong Kong head office, who approves the layouts, can only scratch their heads wondering how the Philippines, Asia’s laggard in pandemic response, consistently produces an outstanding product.
Says San Diego, “I attribute it to God’s grace.”