MANILA, Philippines— Veteran fashion designer JC Buendia recently celebrated 25 years “of friendship and love” in the industry Monday with a fashion show of his 2012 collection.

“It’s a celebration of friendship and of love. It’s not just my work but [also about the] people who have been a big part of this life journey,” Buendia said in an interview with INQUIRER.net after the event where he showcased 50 brand new pieces.

“I’m so happy, never been this happy,” he said visibly speechless with joy. “I’m so overwhelmed.”

Fashion icons, celebrities and close friends of Buendia attended the event to show their support. Among them were Tessa Prieto-Valdez, Tim Yap, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Raymond Gutierrez, Liz Uy, Angel Locsin, and Raul Manzano.

Prieto-Valdez praised Buendia saying “he’s a classic designer, timeless, he’s wonderful, so humble, all of that I can affirm he’s so true.”

She added that she feels “overwhelmed for JC because he’s such a wonderful person inside and out and such talent. You can feel he is compassionate about fashion, how much attention he gives to detail.”

“I’m so happy that Metro Society gave this opportunity to JC,” Prieto-Valdez said. “Twenty-five years is a big thing. JC is truly a gift to Philippine fashion.”

Metro Society editor-in-chief, Raul Manzano said in a statement that “JC Buendia is truly a rare treasure that gives us another reason to revel and be proud of the ingenuity and talent of Filipino people.”

“His creations may have a modern twist, but he never fails to include a touch of locality that serves as a reminder of our heritage,” Manzano said.

The fashion show comprised five suites with 10 pieces each. The first suite featured Victorian and Romantic inspired designs while the second suite draws inspiration from famous movies of the fifties such as “Rear Window,” “Funny Face,” “Sabrina” and “High Society.”

The third suite featured pieces that show precision tailoring for women of power inspired by movies such as “The Manchurian Candidate,” “The Kennedys,” “Dave” and “The Queen.” The fourth suite showcased men’s wear designs inspired by movies like “Age of Innocence,” “The King’s Speech” and “Les Choristes.”

The final suite comprised dramatic gowns inspired by the dresses of oriental cultures portrayed in the films “My Geisha,” “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “The Last Emperor.”

Buendia is currently the president of The Fashion & Design Council of the Philippines. He has also served as the presidential designer of two administrations.

When asked what can be expected of JC Buendia in the coming years he said “I want to do more and I want to give back to the industry.”