Noel made his first pair of pants at age 10, learning from his mother who sewed clothes for her eight children. At 15, he landed his first summer job as fashion illustrator. He later studied Architecture at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. Noel shifted back to fashion design when he and his family immigrated to Canada and enrolled at Ryerson University in Toronto.

In 1996, he successfully launched his own women’s wear company, under the eponymous label, Crisostomo. His first Spring Collection show was well received by both the media and the retailers. He became a regular feature in Canada’s top publications such as Flare, Toronto Life Fashion and Elle. After the second collection, he garnered The Best New Canadian Designer award presented by The Fashion Group International.

In 1999, Noel took a break from his business and became a design teacher at Ryerson University while joining retail giant Club Monaco as Senior Design Consultant. He later became the right hand man for Canada’s leading evening wear designer Sunny Choi. Their collection were sold at Saks 5th Ave, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Holt Renfrew, and has graced the red carpet such as the Oscar’s, Golden Globe and The Emmy’s. In 2005, Noel was appointed to lead the design team of the international brand Ports 1961 White Label collection in China.

In November 2007, Noel went back to Manila for a vacation and saw a potential in the fashion industry. He decided to stay and reestablished his company. In May 2009, he opened his shop at Vito Cruz Extension in Makati selling his RTW line and also offers custom design.

With a North American design sensibility and his love for “haute couture and tailoring traditions”, Noel has developed a personal vision of timeless elegance, where the classic generates a new modernity.

“Sleek, clean, polished, architectural, inventive, practical, ingenious, modern, fresh, elegant, restrained and classic are the words that describe my style.”