If there is something I admire about Gideon Hermosa apart from his rags-to-riches story (farmer to international events stylist), it is his honesty.

When I first met and interviewed him last year about how much a politician spent for a “Gideonized” wedding or a wedding that he styled, as someone who has been working with celebrities from different industries, it would have been easy for Gideon to give me a scripted answer. Instead, he did not deny that the controversial wedding could be worth six figures or more.

At his recent 15th anniversary celebration in Manila Marriott Hotel, Gideon again displayed inspiring examples of honesty and humility – from introducing and showing pictures of the first person who hired him professionally (Cynthia Esguerra of Ciudad Fernandino in Dagupan City), to admitting to about a thousand guests that before putting up his company, he was a farmer and, at one point, was fired by a hotel he was working for, for “covering up for the supervisor.” TMI (too much information) like that could be a career-killer for others, so for Gideon to make such a very public confession is truly laudable.

Aptly, Gideon gave the celebration the theme “Beautiful Chaos,” which best describes the ups and downs of his life and career.

In an interview with this author, he described his style as a designer in the same manner as the “beautiful chaos” in the metamorphosis of a butterfly — very “transformative.”

“From blank canvas, tina-transform talaga namin (we really transform) from walls to floors to ceiling eh. Like a true artist talaga (really), because there are always stories behind it,” he explained.

“It’s a beautiful chaos kasi people only see ‘yung magagandang elements and posts sa social media (because people only see the good stuff on social media). They don’t see behind the scenes, so ‘yun ‘yung gusto naming ipakita (so that’s what we want to show).”

“Beautiful chaos” is also what describes my journey from DAILY TRIBUNE to Philstar.com, then back again to DAILY TRIBUNE after almost a decade as Philstar.com Lifestyle and Entertainment editor – it was a “full circle,” as some of my friends described, like the life cycle of a butterfly. I always regretted being unable to say goodbye in my fashion and column then, so now I know why – because I’m here again! I’m back!

In the span of 15 years, almost at the same time as Gideon established House of Hermosa, I had been with Tribune then back again – equipped with new challenges but also with a renewed verve for what lies ahead.

I echo Gideon’s sentiment when he said: “Really, it has been a dream filled with unexpected twists and blessings.”