Harvy Santos: The Pinoy designer behind the iconic hats of ‘Wicked’

November 27, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino milliner Harvy Santos made his own mark on the yellow brick road by designing one of the iconic costume pieces for the musical film “Wicked.”

Now based in the UK, the designer shared his journey from the Philippines to the Land of Oz, expressing his excitement about contributing to the film’s magical world.

His creations took center stage, including the signature witch’s hat worn by one of the main characters, Elphaba, who is played by Cynthia Erivo, who stars alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda.

“I originally came from the Philippines,” he said, adding that his fascination with costumes began at an early age. “My fascination for costumes started when I was six.”

Before venturing into millinery, Harvy pursued a career as a ballet dancer with the Hong Kong Ballet. Using his earnings, he nurtured his passion for costume design.

“All of the money that I got from dancing, every payday I would buy myself books on garment construction and costume design,” he shared.

His dedication led him to study millinery at Kensington and Chelsea colleges in the United Kingdom. Today, Harvy’s award-winning creations have graced the pages of prestigious magazines including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

For “Wicked,” Harvy embraced the challenges of designing hats that symbolize empowerment and strength.

“Millinery is like sculpture. We started playing with materials, experimenting with shapes,” he explained. “It’s still fascinating, it’s still challenging, and I quite like those challenges because I get to be inventive and creative with it.”

He expressed his excitement about contributing to such a monumental film, saying, “Every day, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. Knowing that you’re contributing to an epic film — that’s very exhilarating.”

Catch Harvy’ stunning work on the big screen as “Wicked” is now showing in cinemasnationwide.