In his decades-long tenure as one of the top Philippine fashion designers, Rajo Laurel has been known for dressing women. Beautiful. Elegant. Modern. This process of creation, he states, “is a huge sense of fantasy”. But what happens when Rajo is diverted from this fantasy—pulled towards a reality that he has woven together from his own threads of experiences, traumas, and memories?

In his upcoming show, Rajo unveils a first—a project unlike anything he has done before. Making a slight change in trajectory, the designer shifts his gears to reveal Rajoman: his first all-menswear fashion show. As his “most personal to date”, this collection is perfectly encapsulated by the title in which it has been loosely built around: “Pieces of Me”. Pieces of life. Pieces of experiences. Pieces of Rajo himself.

Loosely titled “Pieces of Me”, the Rajo Laurel's Rajoman collection is an exploration of manhood.

What does it truly mean to be a man today? Quite a daring question, one riddled with the possibility of many answers and, perhaps, endless definitions varying from one person to another—but Rajo passionately takes this on, molding it into the foundation from which his Rajoman collection is built. Taking cues from his own life and the men that have impacted it, the designer features a collection of personal inspirations: from his Lolo Pepe’s military uniforms, the Japanese elements that have shaped his work as a designer, and the influence of 1980s New Wave that had him hooked as a young boy. This range of inspirations that have sparked a “catharsis” throughout Rajo’s creative process is telling of the personal depth that has been sewn into the collection.

Images of Rajo Laurel's grandfather Jose Laurel III, 'Lolo Pepe', during the war.

“Sensitive, soulful, spiritual, sentimental,” but most of all “brave”, Rajo is set to debut the collection on October 10 during BYS Fashion Week. Filled with emotion and sentiment, the designer is poised to reveal his latest vision for menswear and the innovations that he and his team have crafted. As he embarks on a journey to explore himself, audiences, too, are set to go with him on a journey to rediscover the world of Rajo.

Metro.Style sat down with Rajo in an exclusive interview for his upcoming BYS Fashion Week collection

Rajoman by Rajo Laurel

Metro.Style: Rajoman is your first all-menswear collection. What inspired this shift from your previous focus on womenswear?

Rajo: 'I wanted to do something new. I think it is very healthy to constantly challenge yourself and explore brand new ways to express yourself as this makes you feel alive. Although I have done men’s fashion before, my primary discipline is in womenswear. In a way my men’s designs have always been like the supporting role to the body work and I wanted to somehow put on a spotlight to this and see where it will take me.'

MS: Can you walk us through your concept development process in preparation of this new Rajoman collection?

Rajo: 'The collection is somewhat of an autobiography of my life. It is based on my memories of the men I admire and love. These men who have had a direct impact in the formation of my life and my aesthetic. It is a recollection on my own journey as to why I chose this path of creativity. It is an essay on my thoughts on what it is to truly be a man today.'

'What’s the story all about? The collection is loosely titled “Pieces of me.” I called it this because it is perhaps one of my most personal shows. My own primary discipline has always been womenswear. The process is usually a projection on my ideas, I literally mould my ideas around the woman. This time the process began from within. I started to react in a manner more holistically asking questions as to how does this make me feel? This was a different trajectory for me as a designer.'

An exclusive look into Rajo’s collection sketches.

MS: You’ve mentioned that this is “one of your most personal collections to date.” How does Rajoman reflect your own experiences? Can you share any particular experiences or moments that inspired it?

Rajo: 'This collection is deeply personal because I felt during the process I felt like there was this catharsis. A moment where I began to see much clarity. The collection proposes several things that I have been thinking about for a long time. My spiritually, my sexuality, my gender. It is a collection of collective memories that have made an imprint in my mind. Like the first time I adjusted and redesigned my school uniform to my liking. Meaning I made it a tunic length way past my knees and added a huge hunk of shoulder pads and I felt so special in it. However the minute I entered the school I was sent to the Principal’s office and was given a memo and I was sent home. These experiences stick with you and somehow that “trauma” is one of the thoughts that propelled this collection.'

MS: How has fashion played a role throughout your experiences growing up?

Rajo: 'Fashion was my escape. It was where I felt like I belonged. It was where I felt confident, intelligent and strong. In a way fashion was the antithesis to all my insecurities. It was one of the things that I felt saved me. Fashion to this very day gives me strength as it is a massive source of my happiness.'

Rajoman will be unveiled during BYS Fashion Week

MS: Having now explored both womenswear and menswear collections, how have the creative processes been similar or different to each other?

Rajo: 'I feel that is very different. When I design for women there is a huge sense of fantasy, I imagine and mold my ideas on the woman. Like draping around them and seeing how my projections and ideas come out. This process of designing for men. I am able to try on the clothes. In fact I tried most of the pieces in the collection and I began to answer questions like how does this make me feel? This profoundly made a difference from the process because it was truly internalized.'

MS: How has Rajoman influenced or refined your design aesthetic? Were there any new perspectives that emerged throughout the process?

Rajo: 'Hopefully you will be able to feel the DNA of what I am trying to convey. There will be a perfume of military elements as I was obsessed with my Lolo Pepe’s military uniforms growing up but I switched this a bit by adding some Japanese elements that has really been part of my aesthetic from day one. I also took a deep dive into my memories of the late ‘80s where new wave was always on my mind and in my wardrobe. It was as if I took a giant blender and shook all of these elements up.'

An exclusive look into Rajo’s collection sketches.

MS: Talk us through about the details and the highlights of this collection. What are we expecting to see?

Rajo: 'I am excited for everyone to see some fabric innovations, like I had asked some weavers to create a highly textural pina silk with lycra. I also am using a fantastic raw linen that looks so fresh to my eyes. I also have this rafia weave that just makes me smile. Apart from that we are also using some material that are not normally aligned with menswear. Like French Tulle or a four ply Duchess silk satin. This makes it quite interesting. We also are playing with some fresh proportions that make you take a second look.'

MS: Do you see yourself releasing more menswear collections in the future?

Rajo: 'Let us see how this all turns out? I mean I really hope so. I am optimistic about it as I feel it has huge potential.'

Fabric innovations for Rajoman

MS: What impact do you hope this new Rajoman collection will have on menswear today?

Rajo: 'I just want to propose another option, another perspective, another voice. I believe that there is always room for this.'

MS: What messages do you wish to impart through the creation of Rajoman? Were there any specific ideas about manhood that you wished to challenge or highlight in this collection?

Rajo: 'As I was designing this collection I felt there were some words that define it. Words like Sensitive, Soulful, Spiritual, Sentimental, and Brave. These words constantly passed through my consciousness. I went on a exploration on gender in a vocabulary and language that I was most comfortable with. I used this to test, to provoke and to propose my ideas. I would like this process to begin a dialogue and to start a discussion on “do the clothes really make a man?'

Behind-the-scenes during Rajo Laurel's shoot for Rajoman

MS: As the collection is an exploration of “what it truly means to be a man”, what has creating this collection revealed to you on what it truly means to be a man?

Rajo: 'That is such a beautiful question. I tried my best to answer this in the show. Perhaps as you come and watch it. Hopefully I was able to answer this.'

MS: Lastly, how has BYS helped to create platforms for Filipino designers today?

Rajo: 'We are very fortunate that we have companies like BYS to support Filipino designers voice their ideas. I feel so blessed and fortunate that I was invited to do this. I actually have not done a show as big as this since 2018. So I am excited, nervous, anxious and scared. All these feeling I take in and I am thankful because this gives me life.'

Photos courtesy of Rajo Laurel

Article written by Mavi Sulangi

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