The beauty architects: Drs Aivee and Z Teo on their captivating vision, bold ambitions and growing empire

This unshakable bond is the very foundation of their family life. Despite their high-stakes careers and demanding schedules, the couple prioritises their three children above all else. “We worked on our marriage first,” Dr Z explains, noting that a secure, loving marriage naturally creates a secure environment for the children to thrive in. They organically weave their children into their bustling lives, bringing them along to international medical conferences and maintaining sacred, uninterrupted family holidays.

Their children are blossoming into remarkable individuals with distinct, vibrant personalities. KenZ, the eldest at 19, is a steady, focused go-getter and natural leader who recently navigated the exceptionally hard University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) to secure a coveted spot to study medicine at the prestigious Barts, the top-tier medical school of Queen Mary University of London. Kenzo, turning 15, is the charming, empathetic middle child who plays baseball and possesses a remarkable Christian faith. The youngest, 13-year-old Keli, is an extroverted, high-spirited fashionista who boldly dreams of being a dermatologist, a vlogger and a fashion icon all at once.

Faith and grounding serve as the ultimate compass in the Teo household. Above all their academic achievements, the parents instil the core values of hard work and humility. “More than anything, if I see them being kind to someone less privileged, that gives me more satisfaction than them being class president,” the father shares earnestly.

This authentic warmth is precisely how their inner circle views them. Their circle of friends often describe the couple as deeply hospitable and who, despite their success, always make time for  the people around them feel cherished.

It is precisely this gracious energy that they radiate on the set of the Tatler cover shoot. Taking a brief pause between layouts, the power couple effortlessly makes everyone in the holding room feel welcome, warmly catching up with familiar faces and long-time collaborators. 

When Dr Aivee came out to see the breathtaking canopy of the National Museum of Natural History, she smiled warmly, standing right in front of the six-story architectural masterpiece, Tree of Life. “When we learnt that the cover shoot would take place at the National Museum of Natural History, we got really excited,” she shares. “It is such an iconic cultural landmark—beautifully preserving Philippine heritage while embracing innovation and modern design, which resonates deeply with our own philosophy at Aivee Clinic.” Beside her,

Dr Z nods in agreement as he takes in the cavernous, light-filled architecture. “The museum has a quiet grandeur that makes it incredibly inspiring,” he observes. “Being able to do the shoot in a space that celebrates both science and artistry felt very meaningful, especially for a feature that highlights evolution, beauty and vision.”

It is fitting that we speak of evolution and vision today, as the dynamic couple gracefully navigates what is arguably the prime of their professional and personal lives. Yet, Dr Aivee hesitates to embrace the word “prime” in its traditional, finite sense. “You know, there’s this impression  that when you say you have reached your prime, it means you’re not reaching for anything more,” she explains. “But for us,  we always have this mindset to keep on going.”

Now proudly celebrating their 17th year in the aesthetic industry, the couple feels creatively reborn, turning a new leaf and entering a bold new chapter in their illustrious careers. For Dr Z, this vibrant era represents a critical and thrilling juncture for their business. “I feel that at this stage we are right at a crossroads,” he states candidly. He notes that the Aivee brand is currently at its absolute strongest in terms of public awareness. “When you say it’s Aivee, they know what it is all about,” he proudly declares, adding that the company has blossomed over the past couple of years, finally bearing the sweet fruits of their relentless building and development.

This unrelenting drive to build can be traced back to a singular, defining moment in 2009. At the time, Dr Aivee was transitioning her practice and working out of a small, cramped three-room space that she shared with a dentist. The waitlist was immense; luminaries of Manila society would be squeezing into the tiny waiting area, while Dr Z dutifully waited for his wife downstairs at a McDonald’s until 11pm. Recognising the urgent need for a grander stage, Dr Z found a sprawling 450-square-metre space in the then-undeveloped area of Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City. Dr Aivee was initially overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the space, fearing it was far too big for a budding clinic. It was in that profound moment of hesitation that Dr Z offered the pivotal words that would come to define their entire empire: “Just build it, they will come.”

And come they did. Today, the Aivee Group is not merely a chain of clinics; it has brilliantly evolved into a holistic lifestyle destination. Their ever-expanding roster of concepts is meticulously designed to cater to every conceivable patient desire. The classic Aivee Clinics focus on non-invasive skin, laser and body treatments. For multi-speciality needs—including advanced lasers, plastic surgery and sports medicine—there is the sprawling 1,200-square-metre A Institute. Recognising the growing global interest in longevity and anti-ageing, they launched Aevitas right next door.

Their recent expansions demonstrate an uncanny ability to read the market and adapt to the modern era. “Everything that we’re doing is based on the feedback and the experience that we’ve had with our patients,” Dr Z points out. Both doctors observe that today’s patients seek maximum gain with minimal downtime and absolutely zero pain. “A lot of the machines that we had 17 years ago are obsolete,” he notes, explaining that they are soon launching a revolutionary, painless “two-minute face lift.”

Responding to international clients seeking a relaxing “me time” experience without the fast-paced, sometimes painful, medical feel, they unveiled the Aivee Skin Spa in Parqal, an area entirely dedicated to pampering medical facials and hair spa treatments. They also launched Aivee Skin Retail to provide beautifully packaged, scientifically backed skincare and makeup to meet the soaring demand for Korean-inspired beauty regimens. For their most discerning, well-travelled clientele, they recently opened Aivee Star in the prestigious Ayala Triangle. This highly discreet, luxurious space features soundproof rooms, a first-class lounge dubbed the Aivee Bar, and design elements infused with capiz shells by celebrated Milan-based Filipino designer Michael Uy. To complete this staggering ecosystem, patients can even drop off their dogs at Luxuri Pets for luxury grooming and veterinary care while attending to their own aesthetic needs.

Maintaining such world-class standards across a sprawling enterprise requires aligning with the right innovators. The couple emphasises their long-standing partnership with Merz Aesthetics. “We are only as good as the tools that we have,” Dr Z insists, explaining that they strictly partner with companies that share their unyielding commitment to excellence. “I think Merz Aesthetics has all the best products and machines like  Ultherapy Prime that we like to work with,” he says, praising the seamless alignment in their shared goal of ultimate patient satisfaction and rigorous safety.

Looking beyond their family and their growing business, the couple is passionately championing a much grander vision: putting P-Beauty (Philippine Beauty) firmly on the global map. With Filipinos globally recognised for their innate hospitality and tender patient care, Dr Aivee believes that combining this intrinsic cultural trait with world-class, state-of-the-art medical facilities could easily make the country a premier aesthetic destination, even rivalling industry titans like South Korea or Thailand.

However, they are well aware of the significant systemic hurdles holding the industry back. “I guess the challenge really is the infrastructure, the transportation system and security,” Dr Aivee points out, noting that international clients heavily prioritise safety and convenience when choosing a destination. Dr Z strongly stresses the urgent need for robust government support, similar to the concerted efforts other nations provide to bolster their medical tourism sectors. He frequently engages candidly in discussions with government officials in special gatherings, urging them to pivot focus. “You cannot fight on medical tourism, you’re going to lose to Singapore... you can’t fight that anymore,” he recounts telling them. However, he believes the Philippines possesses a natural advantage in only two key areas of medical tourism: beauty and caregiving.

Yet, despite the lack of infrastructure, the couple remains undeterred. They are continually upgrading their technology, investing heavily in state-of-the-art machines and rigorously training their staff to be ready for the global spotlight when it finally arrives. Their efforts are already making waves; international doctors from Europe to the Middle East openly express admiration for the Aivee model, with some even attempting to replicate their clinic concepts abroad.

Beyond systemic barriers, the couple is gracefully tackling internal corporate shifts, spearheading a digital transformation specifically regarding artificial intelligence or AI. Recognising the initial resistance from staff who feared for their jobs, Dr Z constantly reminds them of a modern adage: “You are not going to lose your job to AI, you’re going to lose your job to someone who mastered AI.” To ensure their workforce remains exceptionally lean and extraordinarily fast, he is sending managers to AI conferences and actively hiring AI automation specialists for their businesses. Even Dr Aivee has seamlessly integrated these tools into her daily routine, proving that masterful adaptation is the secret to their operational longevity.

This unyielding commitment to the Philippines extends beautifully into their philanthropic efforts. “The brand has to have a heart,” Dr Aivee asserts, emphasising their deep desire to remain inclusive and grounded while simultaneously catering to the upscale market. Through their Aivee Beyond Borders initiative, they routinely bring their entire medical team to underserved communities across Metro Manila and nearby provinces to provide much-needed dermatological and surgical care, along with essential medications. Furthermore, they have partnered with the organisation HOPE Business for Good, founded by Tatler Asia’s Most Influential honouree, Nanette Medved-Po, to build the very first Aivee classroom for an indigenous community in Porac, Pampanga.

When asked about the ultimate legacy of the beauty empire they have built from scratch, their answer is remarkably simple and universally resonant. “Our motto or vision for the whole group has always been building confidence, changing lives,” says Dr Z. For the husband-and-wife duo, this enterprise is akin to their fourth child. They have nurtured it with the exact same love, sleepless nights and boundless ambition as they have their own flesh and blood.

As they stand at this vibrant crossroads, looking out at the magnificent empire they manifested simply by daring to build it, it is dazzlingly clear that they are not just changing the face of Philippine beauty—they are redefining its very soul.

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