Revisit Rajo Laurel’s first-ever all-men’s wear collection that debuted this BYS Fashion Week.
One of the designers who opened BYS Fashion Week was Rajo Laurel. Being one of the industry’s stalwarts, it is expected that Rajo would stick to what he does best—women’s wear. However, for this collection, he chose to go out of his comfort zone to make an impression—and made a good impression he did.
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In Attendance
Rajo Laurel has been in the fashion industry for years. He has built relationships with clients who eventually became friends, and other Filipino creatives. That’s why it wasn’t surprising that his first all-men’s wear collection was welcomed warmly by his friends, clients, and other Filipino creatives.
Ivarluski Aseron, Sidney Yap, Nix Alanon, Joan BItagcol
Irene Nubia, Suzette Ayson, Carla del Prado, Marilu Batchelor, Milka Romero, Tessa Prieto, Duday Tuazon, AA Patwaran
Florence Ko and Rowena Chang
Ode To Love
When the lights were dimmed and the New Wave beats started to play, you could already feel the greatness coming down the runway. Rajo began this collection with very ethereal designs. His mastery in fabric manipulation shone through as pieces with different textiles were layered together to create a well-thought-out look.
In a prior interview with Lifestyle Asia, Rajo revealed that in this “Pieces of Me” collection, he would dig deep into his memories and feelings to redefine menswear. “There is also a strong sense of gender fluidity in the collection as I try to answer what modern menswear is and how this reflects today,” he said.
Further into the collection, more military and Japanese-inspired silhouettes appeared on the runway. This is Rajo’s way of paying homage to his childhood and grandfather. “There is also a very strong influence on a Japanese aesthetic as for a time in my life I lived and grew up in Japan,” he recalled.
As each piece of the collection walked down the runway, you could feel Rajo’s intent in this collection. RAJO MAN delves into the psyche and hearts of its audience, it guides them to explore and redefine their notion of men’s wear while at the same time feel the dedication and love with each look.
All photos by Excel Panlaque of KLIQ, Inc.
