Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

KNOWN as the fashion capital of the world, Paris has become the planet’s greatest fashion authority. Paris fashions quickly find their way around the world where they are eagerly embraced by fashion trendsetters. In the world of Paris fashion, one Filipina has made a name for herself, first as an outstanding model and then as a brilliant designer of haute couture jewelry. Maritess Damian Vivier.

Tess, as friends call her, is a former ramp model who now has a well-known and very classy jewelry line called Tess and Tasha (her daughter’s name). Her clients are the rich and famous in Paris society which include the likes of the former First Lady of France Danielle Mettirrand and Cecilia Sarkozy, ex-wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy, and rock star Lenny Kravitz.

The tall, slim and very beautiful Tess Damian caught the attention of Paris fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld while she was doing a fashion show in Singapore. Lagerfield offered her a modeling job in Paris which she readily accepted. For more than a decade, Tess modeled for fashion shows and fittings of haute couture designers like Gianni Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert Givency, Jean- Loius Scherer, Gianfranco Ferre, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Stella McCartney and Babouche. Her years of hobnobbing with the high patrons of French society as a fashion model later helped her in the next chapter of her life.

In 2001, Tess was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. But her strong faith in God gave Tess the strength and determination to battle the disease. "In every dark situation, there’s always the light," Tess said in an earlier interview. Her disease forced Tess to slow down and say goodbye to fashion modeling. She prayed and asked the Lord to guide her as to what to do for the rest of her life.

"I kept on writing and writing, and there was always the cross, the key and the heart. I said, what is this? The third day, I had answers and I was just drawing jewelry. I told myself if ever I’m going to start working again, I don’t want to be stressed. I want to create something that will last, something that is real. I want to propagate the values and the good things that God gave me," she explained when she was interviewed by ABS-CBN recently.