“WALANG iiyak kapag natigbak si Gerry Katigbak.”
As quoted by fashion show director Jackie Aquino, these were the words the late fashion designer loved to tell friends and colleagues.
It was said in jest, of course, but with Katigbak, one never knew whether he was serious or again trying to poke fun at himself.
It was a tough thing to do knowing how well-loved he was in the industry, but friends did their best, not always successfully, to keep from crying as they honored Katigbak last night with eulogies and personal reminiscences at the Don Bosco memorial chapels in Makati.
The Faith Chapel, where Katigbak’s remains lay in state, was filled with denizens from the fashion world—from veteran to newbie designers, past and present models, stylists and fashion show directors.
Designer Tonichi Nocom, president of the Fashion Design Council of the Philippines and Katigbak’s good friend, nearly broke down at the latter part of his prepared speech.
Nocom, Katigbak and Marden Igelesias were contemporaries who began their fashion careers doing men’s clothes. Katigbak later expanded his line by doing women’s ready-to-wear for Rustan’s and St. J. Department Store before striking on his own.
Katigbak, who was also a photographer, teacher and stylist, died Saturday morning from an apparent stroke at his home in Manila. He was found by elder brother Nelson Katigbak and a household help unconscious in the bathroom after earlier cutting short his regular morning jog. He was 64.
Members of FDCP, which Katigbak was also part of, offered mass officiated by Father Domi Guzman, SSP, of God’s Love prayer community.
Unknown to many, Katigbak was a member of God’s Love where he would sit quietly in a corner during the community’s masses and prayer meetings, said Guzman. His friends from God’s Love, including best friend Tess Malvar, were also present.
Apart from Nocom, others who gave eulogies were former models JB Abesamis and wife Desiree Verdadero-Abesamis, Katigbak’s youngest brother Roland Katigbak and Malvar, who unwittingly brought the house down with her nonchalant delivery and perfect timing.
“Hindi po ako model,” the plus-size Malvar initially deadpanned to the roars of friends and strangers.
Whether or not she was serious about it, she said she once dreamed of becoming a model until Katigbak told her pointblank, “magpapayat ka muna.”
Malvar, who ate out regular with the designer, also revealed Katigbak’s preference for Japanese food. They were members of a small food club of sorts who tried out the newest restaurants in Manila.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanya, huwag na tayo mag-buffet,” said Malvar. “Let’s just go to a Japanese restaurant kasi iyun lang naman ang pinupuntahan ni Gerry na section kapag lumalabas kami.”
During their last dinner together, Malvar requested her friend that they start eating out less often because “palapad na ako nang palapad.” She feared that her husband might end up leaving her.
“Iyun pala, that was going to be our last time to go out together,” she said, her voice cracking.
More recently, Malvar called up Katigbak, who was then in Davao, to tell her of a bad dream she had. She dreamt that Katigbak had died and was floating peacefully wearing all white.
When Katigbak heard about it, he screamed at the other end of the line: “Put- ka! Sige, kapag namatay ako, susunod ka.”
“Natakot ako talaga para sa kanya,” said Malvar. “Eh, di ba, ang hilig pa naman mag-itim nun. Sinabi ko na lang sa kanya, kahit matagal ka pa, mag-ingat ka na lang.”
During mass, a group of four models—two men and two women—wearing Katigbak’s soft black-and-white ensembles made the offertory.
“Ay, gustong-gusto ni Gerry iyan,” Malvar said later, again to the crowd’s delight. “Akala ko wala na. Mabuti na lang may rumampa noong misa—iyung apat. Akala ko nga iikot pa ulit.”
Verdadero, one of Katigbak’s earliest models, would have a hard time figuring out how to wear the designer’s drapey and more avant-garde creations. Katigbak, who was then almost as thin as his models, would show them how by wearing the clothes himself.
Verdadero also recalled the fun times they had, especially during out-of-town trips where they would laugh and swap stories until the wee hours.
“I was also one of his fitting models back in the day when fitting models weren’t paid. Had I only known then, I would have charged him,” she said jokingly.
Roland Katigbak attested to how enterprising and driven his big brother was even at a young age.
In the summer of 1971, when the family finally decided to move back to the Philippines, he and Katigbak stayed behind for a while in New York to earn some pocket money, as they planned to tour Japan first before finally heading home to Manila.
Katigbak landed a job in the men’s wear section of Alexander’s, then a reputable department store in the Big Apple.
“He had a way of making customers feel special that they always ended up thanking him for making purchases they probably shouldn’t have made,” said Roland. “Soon enough, Gerry became the best salesman on his floor. He could talk you into buying almost anything.”
Katigbak had saved enough money that he was able to buy his first professional camera during their trip to Japan. That started his love affair with photography, which, we learned later, antedated his direct involvement with fashion by several years.
Katigbak’s US-based relatives who couldn’t go home to attend his funeral didn’t wish to see pictures of him lying in a coffin, said Roland. They wanted to remember the designer as he was–alive and full of laughter and life.
In our long years of covering the local fashion scene, this reporter never got to know Katigbak’s funny and private side. Our encounters were brief and limited to the ambush interviews we did after one of his many group shows.
If Malvar is the kind of friend Katigbak cherished, then we got a clearer idea of what kind of person he was: funny without trying to, self-effacing, quiet but enterprising, sometimes brutally frank to a fault, but always well-meaning and a person with a big heart who was always on the lookout for ways to make other people feel special.
Katigbak’s remains were cremated earlier today.