We ask a cultural icon to answer a set of questions in the style of Victorian-era confession albums.
Before the age of social media, Celine Lopez was already embodying that ineffable quality of “It”—that magnetic confluence of boldness, talent, and unshakeable self-possession captured within those two simple letters. As a writer, film producer, entrepreneur, and mother who has reinvented herself through multiple lives in modern culture, she exemplifies that rare breed of tastemaker who doesn’t follow trends but bends them to her will.
READ ALSO: Spring Awakening: Rocio Zobel and the World She is Cultivating Back Home
25 Questions With Celine Lopez
What is your idea of the good life?
Wanting to wake up every morning.
What is an overrated luxury?
Bags.
What is on your nightstand?
Sleeping pills, water, and lip balm.
What is a book everybody should read?
Acquired Tastes by Peter Mayle.
What is your favorite film?
Age of Innocence… but is it really? Changes every day.
What have you been listening to lately?
Teen pop music, care of my son Fernando.
What is your current state of mind?
Blissful.
What ritual brings you joy?
Sleeping with my son every night and having great conversations with him.
What quality do you admire most in others?
Kindness.
What is your pet peeve?
Being late.
What skill do you wish to learn?
To swim and drive.
What historical figure would you like to have dinner with and where?
Joan Rivers, anywhere.
What is your signature drink?
Remedy Kombucha.
What is your most prized possession?
My sanity.
What is your most treasured memory?
My time with my grandpa.
What is your boldest decision?
To have Fernando via sperm donor.
What is the most useless advice you have received?
Behave.
What is your greatest regret?
Everything happens for a reason.
What keeps you grounded?
My son and my partner Marti and my friends. Thank heavens for them.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Long massages.
What trend should make a comeback?
Flared jeans.
What trend should stay in the past?
Tank tops.
What is your motto?
Don’t eat that.
How do you want to be remembered?
That I made someone laugh.
What is next for you?
First grade for Fernando and a mini facelift.
This article was originally published in our April 2025 issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Celine Lopez is a writer, film producer, entrepreneur, and cultural icon who embodied the quality of “It” through her boldness and self-possession before the age of social media. In the mid-2000s, she and her glamorous clique were the main fixtures of Manila’s super clubs and society blogs, defining an era of authentic experience and style before the rise of curated digital feeds.
Her career spans roles as a columnist for The Philippine Star, a former fashion editor, a film producer whose work includes the Sundance award-winning film Metro Manila, and the co-founder of the wine brand Gypsy Rosé. In her personal life, she is a mother to her son Fernando, whom she chose to have via a sperm donor, and she has openly navigated various “reincarnations” of herself through different industries and creative pursuits.
She observes that the modern digital age often prioritizes curated feeds over authentic experiences, noting that people now lose a sense of fun by focusing on taking photos rather than dancing or flirting. She believes the transition from the “old school” to the “new world” has led to a decline in reading and a preference for condensed content, yet she encourages others to remain candid and sincere both on and off social media.
She served as a guiding voice for a generation of young women as a tastemaker and editor for YStyle, where she influenced local fashion trends and supported Filipino designers. Her contributions also include her literary work, such as the book From Coffee to Cocktails, which was nominated for a National Book Award, and her role as an entrepreneur introducing products tailored for the Southeast Asian market.
She confesses that her most prized possession is her sanity and that her boldest decision was becoming a mother through a sperm donor. Her shared life lessons include the belief that there is no expiration date for ambition, the importance of seeing decisions through even in low times, and the realization that personal authenticity and kindness are more valuable than overrated luxuries like designer bags.
