Anne Curtis on staying stylish and how to invest in sartorial pieces

Superstar actress and fashion icon Anne Curtis’ journey through style is widely followed by an adoring international audience—here’s how she’s managed to keep things interesting by staying versatile

With her sweet smile and kind eyes, Anne Curtis has been wooing audiences worldwide for the past two decades. In that time, the Filipino-Australian multi-hyphenate has appeared in film and on TV, released three studio albums, and has gained the recognition of international brands. She's also been invited to the most important fashion shows and events around the world, and has appeared on the cover of countless magazines. This month, she graces ours as an honouree of this year's Tatler's Asia's Most Stylish list.

Curtis grew up in the spotlight—her first on-screen role was in 1997 at the tender age of 12, when she appeared in the Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes fantasy film Magic Kingdom—so it is natural that she is no stranger to the fashion industry. She was a mainstay on the cover of women’s and fitness magazines early in he career, posing boldly in daring bikinis and audacious outfits. Who can forget that mesmerising Marc Nicdao photo, where Curtis poses coyly on a Paris balcony, dress slipped off her shoulders, eyes smouldering at the camera.

Above Curtis wears Dior beret

The actor has also proved that she is high-fashion, and can strut her stuff with the best of them, whether clad in Gucci or Schiaparelli, as well as sustainable fashion brand Moire. “I’ve never really had a specific style,” says Curtis about her apparent versatility. “I like to dress depending on my mood. But I think what’s changed over the years is that I’ve started choosing timeless pieces that can be passed on to my daughter.”

Now that she and her husband Erwan Heussaff are parents to a baby girl, Curtis has been planning ahead. Doubtless, her closet will be a future treasure trove for young Dahlia, but Curtis wants her daughter to discover her style for herself. “I’d want her to dress as she feels,” she says. “I believe style shouldn’t be defined by a trend but more of an expression of who you are.” When asked if her style has changed since becoming a mum, Curtis jokes, “Nothing has changed. Just the size, I guess.”

Above Curtis wears Dior beret

Curtis has made plenty of friends during her multifaceted career—and met plenty of designers and worked with a plethora of design houses. She’s a huge fan of Alaïa—she the late designer’s pieces—and wore multiple pieces from the maison during her Tatler cover shoot, including a complete look from the summer-fall 2023 collection. “Being a huge lover and fan of the house, it brought me so much happiness when they lent me this runway piece specially for this shoot. The leather jacket and caged boots fit perfectly with the story I wanted to tell of how my style is almost like a chameleon: it can transform from classic to fun and edgy.” She also has a strong relationship with Louis Vuitton and has worked with the brand since adulthood—“since I was 19, I think,” she says.

Above Curtis wears Alaia body suit, Dior belt as collar, Schiaparelli earring

Locally, one of her favourite creators is Carl Jan (CJ) Cruz. “Everyone knows that CJ is one of my favourite Filipino designers,” she says. “I love having a personal relationship with him—it makes the pieces extra special when it’s a collaboration [between us].” Other local designers that have managed to gain Curtis’ admiration are Michael Leyva and Vania Romoff. While Curtis can often be seen wearing the works of international designers, she’s also an avid supporter of local. “I love supporting local and collaborating with them for each piece I have made,” she muses. She’s not one to shy away from butterfly sleeves or a full Filipiniana look.

Above Curtis wears Alaïa jacket and boots

Her ultimate style secret, however? An elegant black dress, which she sees as her best weapon. “Do always have an LBD [little black dress] in your closet,” she says, smiling. “I can never have enough black outfits; I’d say about 60 per cent of my closet is black.”

Her penchant for black dresses in particular can be pinned to her admiration of one specific actress. “Audrey Hepburn has been a huge part of my inspiration when collecting classic pieces,” Curtis says. A recently purchased Givenchy dress, for instance, “was giving a modern-day Audrey Hepburn vibe. I knew it would be an instant favourite in my closet. For fashion inspiration, however, I love looking at fashion shows and couture collections during their presentations. Reading fashion magazines and browsing through Instagram have also been great sources of inspiration.”

Above Curtis wears Louis Vuitton ensemble

Above Curtis wears Schiaparelli red ensemble

Curtis acknowledges one of her favourite recent looks as the one she wore to the Tiffany & Co landmark opening in New York a few months ago. “I wore a cream Christian Dior dress and coat. I fell in love with the dress the moment I saw it,” she reminisces. The elegant look featured a low back, a tailored A-line skirt with subtle pleats and a bit of lace trim. She paired this with iconic Dior slingback pumps. Conservative but striking, it made quite an impression against the Tiffany blue of the landmark edifice.”

Despite her affinity for the more luxurious things in life, Curtis, who runs her own brand of athleisure-wear, Recess, she also knows how to relax. “Don’t get me wrong, I still have that simple surfer chick in me,” she says. “You can still catch me in denim, tees, sneakers or sandals on some days.”

Above Anne Curtis wears AZ Factory ensemble

This love of eclectic and wide-ranging fashion makes it impossible to define what Curtis’s style is; she refuses to be put in a box simply because she doesn’t live in one. “[My closet has such a] wide variety because of my work and personal life. You can catch me in my Recess [outfits] for school drop-offs and workouts. But I also get all glammed up for big events.” But as she gets older and more experienced, she is also increasingly aware of the need not to follow trends for the sake of it, but to ensure that the items she buys are, and remain, true to her personal brand. “What’s nice about the things I’ve purchased now is that they are timeless pieces I can repeat. This is a key thought in my mind nowadays.”

After all, she believes there is no such thing as a fashion mistake, as long as you are authentic. “Don’t follow a trend just for the hell of it,” she says. “If you love and feel comfortable in it, go for it. But if it’s not you, don’t force it.” Wise words indeed.

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Credits

Photography

BJ Pascual

Art Direction

Vince Uy

Styling

Liz Uy with Joy Bernardo, Patrick Perez, and Jolo Bartolo of Stylized

Make-Up