Filipino Fashion Designer Pepito Albert Has Passed Away At 63

The industry veteran died peacefully, leaving behind an impressive body of work that continues to inspire fashion designers both new and old. 

On May 27, the family of acclaimed fashion designer Pepito Albert announced that he had passed away “peacefully.” The statement, forwarded to the BusinessWorld by a publicist of Albert’s, also wrote: “As you all know, he has been battling colon cancer for almost two years. Today, he joins Ramon, Mommy, and Daddy in heaven. While we are very sad, we are consoled in the knowledge that he is in a much better place free from sickness and pain.”

The 63-year-old’s family added that they will soon get in touch with the rest of Albert’s friends and loved ones to share the details of his memorial service.

Pepito Albert in a photo taken by Chef Margarita Forés
Pepito Albert in a photo taken by Chef Margarita Forés/Photo via Instagram @margaritafores

READ ALSO: A Life Fully Lived: Society Icon Maurice Arcache Passes Away

Many designers and collaborators of Albert took to social media to pay tribute to the man who shaped Philippine fashion in innumerable ways. Among them was notable designer Rajo Laurel, who posted a black and white picture of Albert on Instagram with the following message:

“My dear Pepito, my mentor, my teacher, my boss, my friend. Thank you for everything. The world is truly less brighter now. I will see you in my dreams.”

A young Pepito Albert in a picture posted by fellow designer Rajo Laurel
A young Pepito Albert in a picture posted by fellow designer Rajo Laurel/Photo via Instagram @rajolaurel

A Respected Figure in Philippine Fashion

Beloved by both society and the Philippine fashion community, Albert was an inimitable visionary in the world of couture. Born in 1959, the designer lived in the U.S. for 15 years to study fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. 

While abroad, Albert made a name for himself through his designs, which were featured in some of the world’s biggest fashion publications. These included Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Elle, and W. 

Actress Dawn Zulueta dressed in a terno designed by Pepito Albert for the 2019 ABS-CBN Ball
Actress Dawn Zulueta dressed in a terno designed by Pepito Albert for the 2019 ABS-CBN Ball/Photo via Instagram @dawnzulueta

Afterwards, he would return to the Philippines in the 1990s to continue designing sophisticated yet minimally embellished pieces for society women like long-time friend (and now first lady) Liza Araneta-Marcos, Korina Sanchez-Roxas, Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, Maricris Zobel, and Fe Rodriguez, just to name a few. 

Pepito Albert (dressed in black, fourth from the rightmost side), along with Korina Sanchez-Roxas and other prominent members of Philippine society
Pepito Albert (dressed in black, fourth from the rightmost side), along with Korina Sanchez-Roxas and other prominent members of Philippine society/Photo via Instagram @korina

In a 2002 feature on wedding gowns written by Jenni Epperson, Albert’s creations were described as having “superb architecture, almost bare ornamentation.” It added: “A bride who wants just the gown to fall or flow on her body is the Pepito Albert bride. Albert is minimalism at its most elegant level.”

Monique Siguion-Reyna Villonco in a silk “traje de mestiza” by Pepito Albert
Monique Siguion-Reyna Villonco in a silk “traje de mestiza” by Pepito Albert/Photo via Instagram @fashionable_filipinas

In a 2022 article from The Diarist.PH, Albert himself told Marge Enriquez that he preferred “simple, clean lines, and nothing attention-grabbing” when designing his creations. He also championed the use of local textiles like the piña fabric, which was used across many of his clothing pieces. 

The designer’s most recent projects before his passing included the inaugural barongs of President Bongbong Marcos (he designed two, one for the ceremony and another for the inauguration dinner), as well as the gown Irene Marcos-Araneta wore during the very same event. 

Irene Araneta (left) in a black grossgrain bubbleskirt terno designed by Pepito Albert (right)
Irene Araneta (left) in a black grossgrain bubbleskirt terno designed by Pepito Albert (right)/Photo by Patrick L. Uy via Instagram @patrickuy1

One of the last pieces from Albert was showcased in Pintô Art Museum’s “Algodon” fashion show last February. Composed of a bolero jacket with bell-shaped sleeves and a sizable tulle black skirt, the outfit was worn by 1990s model Jo Ann Bitagcol

The Man Behind the Talent

Albert was known to be media-shy, so not many people truly knew the man behind the famed persona. He was known for wearing his hair in a signature ponytail, dressed in black from head-to-toe with a “mataray” yet humorous demeanor. 

That said, his closest friends and loved ones remember him as someone who was true and loyal. In a 2002 interview, society writer Maurice Arcache described the designer as “the dahling’ of the social pack, envied and gossiped about by a few, but admired and loved by many.” 

Pepito Albert with Lifestyle Asia's editor-in-chief, Candy Dizon
Pepito Albert with Lifestyle Asia’s editor-in-chief, Candy Dizon/Photo courtesy of Candy Dizon

“Under his ‘mataray’ tone [was] a big heart and funny bone. A brilliant designer and arbiter of good taste, he [was] opinionated yet very objective. He was one of the most prayerful persons I know and his faith even grew stronger when he got sick,” shared fellow designer JC Buendia

Albert will certainly be missed by those who loved and knew him, but he leaves behind a legacy of work that exudes understated elegance—a portfolio which will, undoubtedly, continue to inspire future generations of fashion designers for years to come. 

Banner photo by Margarita Forés via Instagram @margaritafores.

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