Style may have made her a star, but it is authenticity, creativity, and the courage to keep rewriting her own story that make Heart Evangelista unforgettable.
Before she was a front-row fixture, she was an artist with a paintbrush and a dream. Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero—better known as Heart Evangelista—first left her mark on fashion not with couture but with colour—hand-painting on damaged Hermès Birkins for clients. What began as side work soon became the bridge between her private refuge and the global stage, setting her on a path that would redefine how she expressed herself.
Evangelista has spent decades in the spotlight, but what makes her remarkable isn’t visibility alone; it’s the person she remains behind the camera. She has built her life on her own terms, navigating success, setbacks, and reinvention with resilience. Her story may play out in public, but it is honest, human, and deeply felt.
From the outside, Evangelista’s life seems effortlessly glamorous: couture fittings, front-row seats, and globetrotting schedules. Yet behind the curated imagery is relentless work and sacrifice. She has been in the industry since she was 13, and the pace has barely slowed.
“What people don’t see is the time away from those who matter most, like my family,” she says candidly. “I’ve sacrificed a lot, even my health at times. I wasn’t gifted with having a baby, but this [career] has become my baby. It makes me happy, even when it’s hard.”
Her journey into style began not with the spotlight, but with art. Painting became a bridge between her private world and her public persona. “Painting is such a huge part of my life,” she shares. “It’s actually one of the reasons I got into fashion week—because I was painting on my Birkins and for clients. That was one of my side jobs.”
She smiles at the memory. “I would paint on damaged Birkins, and they gave me the freedom to go all out. It was such a rush. That’s really how I found my way into fashion.” Today, art continues to fuel her creativity. “Being surrounded by all these pantones and colour palettes constantly triggers my imagination,” she says. “Fashion and art are the perfect marriage to me. They’re both about harmony, about creating beauty that tells a story.”
Working with art taught her to see fashion as another canvas. Her personal style, she explains, has evolved with each chapter of her life. “Right now, my style feels more intentional,” she says thoughtfully. “In the earlier days, I was doing nonstop telenovelas, movies, noontime shows—I was working Monday to Sunday. My style then was very playful, bubbly even. One day, I’d be in a gypsy-inspired Chloé vibe, and the next, full-on Great Gatsby glamour.”
These days, her wardrobe mirrors her growth. “Now I have events where I need to be very polished—structured suits, clean cuts,” she explains. The shift isn’t just sartorial—it reflects how she sees herself. “Fashion may seem like frills on the surface, but for me it’s a language of the soul. I use it to express who I am and what I stand for.”
For Evangelista, fashion isn’t about trends or validation—it’s about individuality. “We may all wear the same things, but it’s how you translate them into your own story that makes them timeless.”
As one of the first Filipinas to consistently hold a coveted front-row seat at international shows, she carries that role with grace. “I really treasure my job—the effort, the passion,” she says. “Even when I’m tired, I give my 101 per cent. There’s still so much I want to share, so many adventures I haven’t been on. My story isn’t done yet.”
Her vision of womanhood is rooted in independence and authenticity. “As a woman, you can stand on your own despite what others believe or think,” she says passionately. “If you know you have a good heart, you have the power to change things. You don’t have to follow the rules of what you should look like, what you should do, or what your situation dictates you to be. You can choose to be your own person.”
It’s a philosophy she carries into her marriage, too. “You don’t have to follow the rules of what a wife should be,” she continues. “By staying true to yourself and working hard for what you have, you can inspire others—especially women who feel they’re only meant to stay at home or fit a single role. You show them that it’s possible to be independent, to stand tall, and to chase dreams that are truly your own.”
Of course, blazing your own trail invites criticism. But Evangelista has learnt to stand firm. Growth, she says, means she is no longer driven by the need to please everyone. Instead, she focuses on the quality of her relationships and the consistency of her work. “I’d rather have a handful of friends and an army of acquaintances. You don’t need everyone to like you to get your dream job—it takes just one person to see your hard work. It’s about staying consistent and keeping the pieces of your heart together, even when it’s hard.”
Her story, she insists, is still unfinished—another canvas in progress. “Success is looking at yourself, not comparing yourself to others,” she reflects. “I’m only competitive with myself. Hopefully, my passion will make people remember me.” Her style may turn heads. But it’s her authenticity that lingers. And as she keeps painting new chapters, Heart Evangelista proves her story is far from done.
Purchase a physical copy of the October 2025 print issue below.
Photography: Boyan Li
Styling: Kelly Hsu
Producer: Tianhao Wu
Hair & Makeup: Mark Gil Sayo
Photography Assistants: Schoelcher Alex, Bunting Brian
READ MORE