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Nagmani

Filipino designers are putting their stamp on the global fashion industry in no uncertain terms. When talking about the splash they are making, many high-profile names spring to mind. However, it surely all starts with US-based Filipino designer Monique Lhuillier, whose eponymous brand is a gigantic name in today’s fashion world.
Lhuillier’s inspirational journey towards fashion began in the 90s when she and her husband Tom Bugbee launched the brand, best known for its top-notch luxury, femininity, allure and glamour.
In doing so, she unleashed a wave of fashion mania across her homeland, inspiring many to follow in her footsteps. Lhuillier’s prowess has turned the fashion world in the Philippines into a growing industry, with new designers such as Rajo Laurel and Rosenthal Tee offering more bold and elegant choices.
They, too, have gone on to become much revered names as Filipino women show their insatiable desire for lots of exquisitely designed dresses in their wardrobe.
I think of myself as a creator of modern-day armour. This is what gives me a lot of pleasure and purpose in designing. It’s all about making sure that people feel and look better in your designs
Rajo Laurel
When it comes to understanding how deeply fashion rules the hearts and minds of Filipinos, Laurel is the ideal role model. The designer, who has dressed entertainer and supermodel Tyra Banks, was born into a highly respected political family and was expected to enter the political arena. But he had other plans mapped out and his love of theatre inspired him to pursue a career in fashion.
“The motivating factor that pushed me towards becoming a fashion designer was the power of transformation and [the ability that clothes have] to empower people. It is magical that by creating beautiful clothes, you actually create a persona and strengthen a person’s character,” he says.

“I think of myself as a creator of modern-day armour. This is what gives me a lot of pleasure and purpose in designing. It’s all about making sure that people feel and look better in your designs.”
One particular quality Filipino designers are hugely admired for is their resilience despite the many hurdles they face. “Our industry doesn’t have any real support system,” Laurel says.
“We don’t have any support from the government, or even a fabric industry to speak of. We don’t even have the basic necessary tools to make our work what it is, in a sense. So we have to be resilient, and we have to be extra creative and resourceful. These qualities make us unique. We can create [beautiful pieces] from almost [nothing].”
In Laurel’s view, today’s global fashion industry has become more receptive to Filipino fashion, which has gained considerably in popularity in the past decade or so.
He was very aggressive in showing the world what Filipino fashion is
Rajo Laurel
“It’s something that’s visible everywhere. And it feels really great to see our little islands represented in this global setting. Nowadays. we’re always [invited] to showcase our designs at major fashion weeks” he says.
“So things have definitely changed and are getting better day by day. Going to these big fashion shows allows us all to bring our craftsmanship to the attention of the industry people who want to see what we have to offer, and on what scale.”
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Tee, who has shown her collections at several New York fashion Week showcases, says the first Filipino fashion designer to prosper at an international level was US-based Josie Natori, founder and CEO of The Natori Company.
“She gave us an international platform to build on when she succeeded in creating a stir with her brand in New York,” Tee says. “She truly is a fashion icon when it comes to encouraging young women to pursue the same path.”

Laurel, on the other hand, considers the late Pitoy Moreno to be the godfather of Filipino fashion, in terms of making it extremely popular long before new names like Natori and Lhuillier emerged.
“He was very aggressive in showing the world what Filipino fashion is. He would go around the globe and showcase it through various establishments and avenues,” Laurel says. “This was from the early 50s to the mid 60s. I think he was probably the first to reach the international stage in terms of spreading awareness of the beauty of Filipino fashion.”
Tee takes pride in the fact that Filipino fashion designers are now slowly easing their way into the major fashion weeks of the four fashion capitals, and that it’s becoming easier for them to participate and trade on a global level. “This exposure has allowed us to envision a reality where our brands can be seen and appreciated by an international audience,” she says.
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Asked how Filipino designers’ strategies differ from those of their Western and other Asian counterparts, she replies, “Filipino designers have a predilection for evening wear, and they abide strictly by haute couture traditions. Unlike our Eastern and Western counterparts, who are more into fast fashion, we’re more attuned to slow fashion. We are more into the production of investment-worthy pieces.”
When it comes to comparing the Filipino fashion industry to those of other Asian countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and India, Laurel says, “I think our colleagues from these countries are more advanced in the area of representation because they’ve got what it takes to make it. However, we’re not that far behind – we also give our best.”

According to Laurel, designers draw up their strategies keeping in mind what they want their brand to be. At the end of the day, it is all about doing business in a productive way where both parties – the designers and clients – are happy.
“While [design] is your intuitive passion, you can’t overlook your demographics,” Laurel says. “You design your collections according to your demographic. My clients are mainly women in their twenties and fifties. I have the House of Laurel and Rajo! to cater to [the two different groups of clients].”
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Like Laurel, Tee feels that Filipinos have something invaluable to offer the fashion industry – a taste for the finer details. “We have a love of intricate beading. There are both Eastern and Western influences in the way our culture views fashion, and so we understand how to blend these two influences flawlessly with designs that are local and international at the same time,” she says.
In this digital age, it is important to remain connected to your devices to stay in touch with your clients. “My clients are tech-savvy. Technology is one of the clearest and most efficient ways to get through to my market. With a smartphone in hand, we can find out what they’re looking for. And we’re constantly there, and we want to make our presence felt through these particular channels,” Laurel says.

Similarly, Tee achieved global fame as a fashion designer because she had the opportunity to take part in two major events: Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. As it happened, she reached a platform where she was able to share her designs with the international marketplace.
“By really being aggressive in sharing my work on the digital space, I quickly brought my brand closer to people from different countries. And it’s rewarding to know that they’ve shown appreciation for my work,” Tee says. “I believe that my success is due partly to the strong online presence of my work. But this was never on the cards as an intentional marketing strategy.”
Laurel believes there is a great deal of passion for Filipino designers’ work among Chinese audiences and he dismisses any idea of prejudice linked directly to the issue of domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
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“That has no impact on matters that demonstrate the artistic mindset of Filipinos at all. Besides, the clients that I serve belong to different areas of the region and they’re more interested in the product than anything else,” he says.
Tee agrees that Chinese audiences have often been in love with the attire created by Filipino designers. “I don’t feel any outright prejudice from my Chinese audience because I believe my work has been able to justify itself without it being racially profiled,” she says.
“I’m a second-generation Chinese-born Filipino who was raised in the Philippines, and perhaps my own cultural ties and natural preference for merging these two pillars of heritage help in identifying my work as not solely of Philippines design. In essence, it’s neutral.”

Tee’s target demographic typically ranges between late teens and early sixties, and is basically at its strongest within the thirties bracket because of the typical formal events that women of that age attend in their spectacular glamour. The millennial audience matters a lot to her, too. “I’m of the millennial age group, so I would like to think that their reception of our work has been very positive,” she adds.
Laurel is similarly full of praise for the millennial audience, saying they are more forward-looking when it comes to how they dress up.
“Each generation is very interesting and I would like to learn more about the way they consume, and the way they look at fashion, and I think it’s always important to keep myself up-to-date with the times and so I’m learning and I like the fact that I’m very open to the ideas they have,” he says.
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While Laurel is busy expanding his brand locally to reach a wider demographic, he wants to be in control. “I simply don’t want to grow in the sense that I will burn out, with no energy left to pick up the pieces again. That’s why I want to continue at a pace where I feel like I’m enjoying what I’m doing and taking one step at a time to keep things in order,” he explains.
“One of the many things I’m looking forward to doing later this year is designing the uniforms for the Southeast Asian Games, so that’s an exciting project I’m deeply involved with at the moment.”

Tee says her love of fashion comes from her family who have always enjoyed the art of dressing up. “In Filipino society, there are lots of great occasions when they have to get ready to look at their best. This led me to develop an appreciation for the design and production processes of garments, and eventually piqued my interest in pursuing a career in the industry,” she says.
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Looking at trends as a whole, Tee always tries to infuse her own take on what is occurring around the world in terms of style and fashion. “I wouldn’t say that when trends occur I make it a point to interpret it in a way that my clients and I can appreciate together. That’s not my style.”
As her brand becomes more popular, she wants to ensure that new things are always included. “I intend to expand my line of custom bridal and evening wear on an international scale with a ready-to-wear line specialising in that aspect as well,” she says.
In retrospect, Tee does have one important point to make as to how her brand stands apart from the rest, which she deftly clarifies by explaining, “My brand is a contemporary interpretation of subtle elegance with an appreciation for a good fit and a fine balance of embellishment. The Rosenthal Tee woman definitely exudes a strong feminine vibe and is unafraid to be who she really is.”
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