Filipino designs for intrepid Grammy winner

LOS ANGELES—Who did Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Cee Lo Green tap when he wanted outrageous costumes for his new music video?

Oliver Tolentino, no less. The Filipino designer, who’s been making waves in the international fashion scene, grabbed the chance to do something fun and over-the-top—for a change.

Cee Lo ordered the elaborate outfits, which took two weeks to make in the Philippines, for the music video of “I Want You” from his “The Lady Killer” album. The artist has a penchant for showy clothes—he performed in a scene-stealing outfit at the 2011 Grammy Awards with Gwyneth Paltrow jamming and standing on his piano.

CEE LO Green is all red in designer Oliver Tolentino’s elaborate outfit that took two weeks to make in the Philippines, specifically created for the singer-songwriter’s music video.

The costumes designed by Oliver were described this way: “Cee Lo’s first outfit is a robin egg blue suit embellished with embroidery and Swarovski crystals. It features a ‘furry’ overcoat made of Philippine raw silk cocoon. The second outfit is a bright red suit embellished with gold embroidery, beads and Swarovski crystals. It features a Liberace-inspired cape of peacock fabric and gold embroidery.”

The designer, who has shops on Melrose Avenue in LA and in Makati back home, told us: “During his fitting, Cee Lo turned to an assistant, pointed at me and said, ‘He made these just for me.’ He was thrilled. And when I showed him the final outfits at his house a few days before the shoot, he had a big grin on his face. He said, ‘This is outrageous but very couture.’”

Oliver said he “loved having the opportunity to create outrageous clothes. It’s rare to get to play and have fun with men’s fashion like I got to do with Cee Lo’s outfits. If someone describes them as ‘too much’ or ‘over-the-top,’ that is the greatest compliment because that was the goal.”

The music video was fittingly shot at the Caesars Palace in the city of excess, Las Vegas, last Easter weekend. Model Ivey Mansel, the video’s “princess,” wore four dresses also by Oliver.

A native of Bataan, Oliver was on the set to oversee the costume aspects of the music video. He said that the song’s producer, Jack Splash, makes a cameo in a roulette table scene.

Oliver recounted: “Cee Lo kept looking at Jack and holding up his cape, like, ‘Look at me.’ Jack, who is a longtime collaborator of Cee Lo, pointed out that this is really the first video where Cee Lo has featured his own fashion style.”

According to Oliver, director Mazik Saevitz cited Liberace, who was known for his flamboyant costumes and the candelabra on his piano. The “I Want You” video features a portrait of the late entertainer and his piano from the Liberace Foundation collection.

Mazik and Oliver first met at the latter’s Melrose Avenue boutique to discuss the costumes. Then Oliver was taken to the set of “The Voice” (the new TV show that NBC hopes to be the answer to Fox’s phenomenally successful “American Idol”) to meet Cee Lo. The singer-songwriter joins Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton in the show’s panel of judges. Oliver pitched his ideas to Cee Lo backstage and won his approval to do the costumes.

Fresh from his recent triumphs, including his well-received show in Palm Springs, Oliver will be in his Makati boutique next month. He will attend several events in Asia, including Redress in Hong Kong where he will represent the Philippines with a gown made of recyclable materials.

An ardent supporter of the use of Philippine fabrics, Oliver is making the barong of Auraeus Solito and Clifford Bañagale, director and actor, respectively, of “Busong (Palawan Fate),” which premieres at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes next month.

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