A month ago I had the delight of meeting the enchanting Rhian Ramos, lead of GMA-7’s dramedy LaLola. We were shooting the cover of our yearend 10 Women to Watch issue at the modern Quezon City home of photographer Doc Marlon Pecjo. Unfortunately, Rhian also had a pictorial to promote LaLola so I couldn’t do a full interview with her and only mustered short tête-à-têtes in between wardrobe changes.

Fortunately, we’re putting her on the cover of our first ever January issue. So two weeks ago during the Jan issue cover shoot, again at Doc’s house, I made sure that I sat with her and extracted as much quips, insights and intimate details from her as I could.

In nutshell, I found that Rhian is a family woman, a dedicated actress and a notorious makeup fiend. But most of all, she is a terrific sport. She had a taping the night before our shoot and was only able to get home at five in the morning. When she arrived at Doc’s house, she was obviously half-asleep but she still put on a wide smile on her face as she greeted us good morning. Our shoot lasted at least seven hours and despite the lack of rest, Rhian maintained a cheery disposition—even singing “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” by Diana Ross and the Supremes from time to time. A Motown fan, I presume.

Rhian also looked absolutely alluring in the whimsical, wonderland inspired gowns by Dubai-based designer Michael Sinco. Would you believe if I told you that each of these gowns cost as much as a brand new car? I’m not exaggerating. Of course, our cover models only deserve the finest. Rhian went through six costume changes and my favorite is the orange-yellow-white pleated dégradé gown you see here. To see all the dresses she wore, you’ll have to wait for our January issue to be released.

But first you’ll see her in our December issue with nine other equally laudable personalities in the fashion and entertainment realms—models Paula Taylor, Bea Soriano and Pathra Cadness, fashion designers Catherine Cavilte and Jona Ballaran, jewelry designers Janina Hoschka Dizon and Victoria Panopio, and famed TV host and actress Mariel Rodriguez.

Packed with loads of style and glamour, our turn-of-the-year issues surely won’t disappoint. Happy reading and ciao for now!—LACAR CASANOVA, associate editor