Cover Cleo Loque, founder and CEO of Hiraya Pilipina (Photo: Jasmin Gale Eti)
Cleo Loque, founder and CEO of Hiraya Pilipina (Photo: Jasmin Gale Eti)
1 / 1
From teenage side hustles to scaling Hiraya Pilipina, Cleo Loque shares how she built an inclusive brand, took bold risks and grew without a traditional playbook
Entrepreneurship came naturally long before business plans and brand ambassadors entered the picture. As a teenager, Cleo Loque spent summers running a small sari-sari store, an early experiment that hinted at the entrepreneurial instinct she would later develop into Hiraya Pilipina. Loque's parents, longtime real estate agents who eventually opened a laundry business, also shaped her understanding of sales, resilience and self-starting ambition.
What began as a series of experiments—T-shirts, tote bags, abaca masks and perfumes—slowly evolved into the brand’s defining product: nipple pasties and silicone bras designed with inclusivity at their core. Loque recognised a gap many overlooked: breast solutions that truly fit a wide spectrum of bodies. Hiraya Pilipina responded by investing in new moulds to produce both smaller and larger sizes, ensuring the products served more women.
See also: Tatler Leadership: a new chapter for Tatler Power & Purpose
Q&A
What inspired you to start your business?
I was 15 at that time, and I feel like I had the entrepreneur spirit or bone even at an early age. Kasi nagsa-sari-sari store ako even before pa, like every summer. I feel like it was natural for me to start a business. My parents were also in their forties when they first started their business, a laundry shop. They were real estate agents for the longest time, so they were exposed to sales.
Was there a specific gap or opportunity in the market that others overlooked?
Definitely, especially for our current product line right now. To share, we didn’t really start with the nipple pasties line. I experimented with different products—from t-shirts to tote bags to abaca masks, perfumes and whatnot—under Hiraya Pilipina, until the nipple pasty silicone bra line, which is our current offering. The specific gap or opportunity in the market that I feel like others overlooked is really size inclusivity. That’s what we doubled down on. We opened moulds—new moulds—to create bigger sizes and smaller sizes to cater to different breasts.
In the early days, what were the biggest challenges you faced in building the brand?
One is definitely being a student entrepreneur—juggling both my business and being a student—and feeling like I’m not taken seriously because of my age.
Number two is really doing everything on my own without a playbook. As a startup and as a small business owner, I didn’t really have a playbook. It’s not like a manual was handed to me on how to create a successful brand. I had to really experiment, test and make a lot of expensive mistakes when I was starting out.
Number three was when we first boomed on Tiktok. I did this live selling on December 12 at 20 per cent off. When we boomed, parang ang daming orders at the time. We got around 4,000 to 5,000 orders in one night, which was really big for us—more than what we were expecting. It was hard to fulfil them because I only had around three employees at that time helping me, and they were all generalists. But I feel like that’s a good problem to have.
What sets your business apart from competitors?
Hiraya Pilipina has always been more than just a nipple pasty brand, and I feel like that’s what our customers feel from the start. Sometimes people say, “They’re just selling nipple pasties, but somehow I feel very empowered.” But that’s the thing—it’s not really about the product; it’s about the brand. It’s about how we make our customers feel. I feel like it’s really more about the intention behind the brand and not just the products.
Also, we really invest in the community. We’re very big on consumer surveys and focus group discussions with our customers to ensure that we create products that are made for them.
More from Tatler: How reclaiming the self-portrait became a strategy for cultural agency in contemporary art
Above Loque proves that you don’t need a playbook to succeed—just courage, vision and the drive to create something that empowers others
Loque proves that you don’t need a playbook to succeed—just courage, vision and the drive to create something that empowers others
1 / 1
Can you share a pivotal turning point, such as a major risk, setback or breakthrough that significantly changed your company’s direction or growth trajectory?
Definitely when we announced Nadine Lustre as our brand ambassador in 2024. That was definitely a huge breakthrough for us, and also a big risk because we didn’t really have a lot of cash, especially as a local brand and a bootstrapped company. But I made the biggest bet in announcing Nadine and collaborating with her. It was definitely a huge breakthrough for us in terms of brand awareness and sales as well.
How do you navigate the changing economic, political and social climate?
It’s definitely not easy, but it really helps to keep our feet on the ground—always with the team—and always being on the lookout, never being complacent, and just always doing our best.
In terms of the political climate, as a women-empowering brand, it’s very important for us to speak up when our platform is needed. So that’s definitely one as well.
As you look toward 2026, what is your long-term vision for the business?
For this year, what you can expect is definitely new product lines for the business. We’ve solidified Hiraya Pilipina for its nipple pasties and silicone bras—boob solutions—for the past three to four years, and now we’re excited to introduce new product lines.
Are there any professional or personal milestones over the past 24 months that you’d like to highlight?
One is graduating from college. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship from Enderun Colleges in 2025. I was an academic scholar, and I financed my own education.
Number two is having Catriona Gray as our brand ambassador for Hiraya Pilipina. That was also very huge for us, especially since we first onboarded someone as big as Nadine.
Lastly is hiring my first executive. It’s definitely a huge step for me because, of course, executives are not cheap. But you really feel the reward in terms of experience and wisdom. I’m very grateful for her, and that’s also one of our professional milestones last year in 2025.
Continuing Tatler’s 25th anniversary celebration, we honour 25 entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, resilience and purpose are reshaping the Philippine business landscape. Many started from humble beginnings, yet their determination and innovation have earned them well-deserved acclaim. Driven to make life better for the Filipino people, they are setting new standards for success.
NOW READ
The organiser who turns young voices into systems of change
How GreenEarth’s forest project is rewriting the future for rural communities in the Philippines
How creator ownership is rewriting the rules of Philippine publishing
Credits
Photography: Jasmin Gale Eti
About
Jessica grew up writing letters for everyone, on every occasion. Little did she know that her hobby would eventually turn into a true passion. She believes that content should be relatable yet factual, engaging yet straightforward.
Work
A journalism graduate, Jessica never stops learning and honing her craft. She began her career as a Global Content Editor for a travel company, inspiring readers and travellers to explore the world. Currently, she writes on topics ranging from entertainment, health, sports and travel to in-depth stories about influential and impactful personalities.
For any leads, you may reach her through jessica.zapata@tatlerasia.com via email.
