Janine Gutierrez knows that an actress has countless ways to bring her character to life. In her recently concluded series "Lavender Fields," one way she made the 'kontrabida' Iris Buenavidez remarkable was through the power of fashion—always dressed to kill.  

Iris' wardrobe was a mix of luxury and chic, something that screams high-end, elegant bad girl vibe. And while Janine found Iris' villainy hard to relate to, her love for fashion was one thing they had in common.  

Building Iris’s fashion core was a full-on creative collaboration. Mervin Lazaro, the show's stylist, who also works some of the country’s biggest stars like "Lavender Fields" lead actress Jodi Sta. Maria and "FPJ's Batang Quiapo" torchbearer Coco Martin, set the tone by creating a vision board for Iris’s looks. Think rich, stylish and unapologetically powerful. Basically, the kind of wardrobe that makes you stop and stare. 

While the show’s wardrobe team pitched in with some pieces, most of what Iris wore—clothes, bags, accessories—came from high-end brands and local designers. Some were lent by Janine's friends,  like photographer BJ Pascual and her go-to makeup artist Anthea Bueno. Janine also brought out a lot of items from her own closet and luxury collection. “Talagang community effort ‘yung wardrobe ni Iris,” she said in her latest YouTube vlog. 

Let’s start with Iris’ sultry, skin-baring red birthday dress that had everyone talking. This piece was made just for Iris, designed by local fashion powerhouse Anthony Ramirez. And it had to be iconic since it was Iris' first encounter with her ultimate nemesis, Lavender (Jodi). The daring hip cutouts, the high slit, and that bold, fiery red hue exuded confidence, power, and just the right touch of drama.  

One style lesson Janine took from Iris is that repeating outfits can also look effortlessly chic. For instance, the Buenavidez heiress had no qualms about re-wearing pieces. It simply boils down to mixing and matching. One item Iris kept re-wearing was an oversized black blazer from Janine’s own closet.  

That black mini skirt by Boom Sason also got plenty of screen time, practically becoming Iris’ office uniform. The skirt, made with an adjustable slit for extra flair, was also owned by Janine. 

Janine then showed a Carolina Herrera suit she had worn before in a previous photoshoot, followed by the red bikini she donned in Iris' sizzling kiss scene with Tyrone (Jericho Rosales). And here’s a fun fact: she actually bought three red bikinis for the scene, plus a blue Gucci one, just to have options.   

She admitted that wearing a bikini for a teleserye scene felt intimidating, especially since it was only her second day on set, and her first time filming scenes with Jericho. "Tapos nag-bikini na ako agad, tapos may kiss pa agad, eh hindi pa kami close syempre," she gushed.   

Unlike in sexy photoshoots where she’s in control and surrounded by her team, filming with so many people on set—most of whom she barely knew—felt completely different.  

She was also mindful of how the camera adds weight. That's why she made sure to stay in top shape for the scene. On the day of shoot, she only snacked on granola bars while waiting for her turn, just enough to keep her from getting hungry or dizzy, but not too much that she’d feel bloated. 

The next item she pulled from her rack was the black dress she wore to Tyrone’s funeral, made by a Japanese designer. It was sleek, elegant, and perfect for the moment.  

But after all the bold blacks and fiery reds, Iris eventually had a wardrobe shift as she entered her bait-baitan era. This was the phase in the story where she pretended to leave her scheming ways behind, and of course, her outfits had to reflect that. 

During this time, her wardrobe took a softer turn, leaning into refreshing whites, including that white dress from American designer Tory Burch. Janine has actually owned this dress for over five years and she loves wearing it to special occasions like baptisms, so she figured it would be perfect for Iris’ good girl phase. 

Another piece that fit this aesthetic was an effortlessly chic and subtly angelic white set—the top had a camisa vibe, paired with a matching white skirt—from Filipina designer Vania Romoff.  

But Iris didn’t just serve looks outside the house—she made sure even her pambahay (homewear) was top-tier. Case in point: another Vania Romoff creation, a black wrap-around dress. Minsan inaasar na ako ni Direk, ‘Oh, pambahay mo ’yan?’” Janine laughed, explaining that she really wanted to show how Iris serves fashionable looks even when she’s just at home. 

When Iris was about to shoot Lavender, Janine had to pick an outfit that would make her feel powerful. And her choice was a structured denim jacket, borrowed from a friend, paired with a mini skirt. Iris then hid her little pistol gun inside a tiny Bottegabag (also borrowed, this time from Athea). Well, what’s more iconic than casually carrying a gun in a designer bag? Although she had to wear socks inside the museum where the scene was set and she thought it messed up the look, still, the whole ensemble was a total serve. 

Then there was this vintage green-and-black Chanel jacket, another borrowed piece from a friend. She styled it with a classic Chanel bag, which, according to Janine, she took extra good care of on set. "Sobrang inalagaan ko sa set kasi natarakot ako," she laughed, sharing how she was extra cautious with all the designer items she wore. 

She borrowed a black Chanel top as well from BJ. Janine really wanted viewers to look forward to Iris' wardrobe, just like how K-Drama fans obsess over their favorite female leads' outfits, especially knowing the show would stream on Netflix.  

Janine regrets not getting more screen time for the white Self-Portrait dress, which she wore for a quick sequence when Iris visited Max (Victor Neri) in the ICU.  

In that scene where Iris dramatically exposed Tyrone and Lavender’s affair, she went for a fiery combo of a classic Carolina Herrera red dress layered over an old Boom Sason red swimsuit (which she got in 2015). Somehow, pairing them together made the whole look feel even more formal and dramatic. 

When it came to bags, most of the Gucci ones Iris carried were actually from Janine’s personal collection. As for the shoes, she often wore red YSL heels—Janine actually bought them for her last ABS-CBN Ball, but they ended up being a staple for Iris' most glamorous moments. For other formal scenes, she slipped into Jimmy Choo stilettos with dangling crystal details, which she find too extra for her personal style, but they suited Iris' over-the-top fashion perfectly. 

Janine wrapped up her vlog with a witty piece of advice—stick to your personal style. Case in point: Iris, the ultimate fashionista, met her tragic end when her ownfather, Vitto (Edu Manzano), mistook her for Lavender just because she had on a simple cardigan, which looked totally out of her fashionable character. “Even in the end, fashion killed Iris,” Janine quipped.