The Penshoppe experience

It was roughly a year ago that my manager called me and broke the great news — I was going to get my first endorsement deal! I was going to be the new face of Penshoppe and I was simply ecstatic about the whole thing. Obviously enough, I was happy about the financial implications of the whole deal but more significantly, I felt very honored that such a huge brand would put their trust in me to help them grow. In the 12 months that followed the signing of that deal, I would discover many things about myself and Penshoppe and how much that relationship has made an impact on me.

As you all may know, Penshoppe is a local clothing brand and one of the great perks of endorsing them is being able to pull out clothes. Every month, I would drop by my favorite branch (in Trinoma since it is the nearest to my place) and pick out clothes that I could use every day and for my taping, shoots and events. With each store visit, I would personally see the evolution of Penshoppe’s clothing line. I would find more and more pieces that I really liked. The way I saw it, they slowly veered from a very flashy and complex style to a cleaner and more mainstream look that could appeal to a broader audience. I personally loved the transition because it catered more towards my style preferences so it was a win-win situation in my case.

My photo shoot for the Pinoy clothing brand — my first-ever endorsement deal

Consequently, I also found myself visiting the international brand stores less frequently only because the quality of Penshoppe’s collections would exponentially grow with each release. Not only do their designs rival international brands, but the quality and durability of their pieces are surprisingly above the local standards. I don’t know if the team would listen to my comments whenever I would share them or if that is really the direction they are headed in (probably the latter) but I’ve found myself in complete adoration of how much they have grown. As proof of that, my closet is almost 75 percent full of Penshoppe outfits at the time of this writing.

From a very distinct local brand that offered affordable clothing options, Penshoppe has become a retail juggernaut that that can compete with international standards. In effect, if you see me casually walking outside or attending an event, I can almost assure you that I would be wearing a piece from Penshoppe not only because I endorse them but more importantly because I want to. At this very moment my style and Penshoppe just seem to fit perfectly together.

Clothes aside, another big part of being with Penshoppe was getting to know the team behind it. The people I have worked with have been nothing short of amazing. From the very first shoot I had with them in a studio in Makati Ave., I immediately felt very at home. They make the work very light and it helps that conversing with them comes very easily. We just naturally have different things in common which makes it easy to segue into extended conversations.

As the shoots and events piled up, we would get to know each other a bit more and it just became very natural working with them. Topics about leisure and work would seamlessly blend together as the work environment became more and more comfortable. To drive my point home, just a few weeks ago, I had to travel to Baguio for two days to do a Penshoppe event. Of course, the Penshoppe team accompanied me and, I think, we all had a great time during that weekend. The event went smoothly and during our off-hours, we would get to eat together, hang out at night, talk and just share stories. Conversations about business, trivial topics and other random things would come and go and at the end of it all, I can say that I really enjoyed the trip. Although we went up to Baguio for work, it really felt more vacation-like because of the people I was with. It was basically a weekend out with friends. Looking back, I think that the event is a good indicator of how much I’ve grown with the brand and the people behind it. It also makes me thankful because it’s not every day that people get become so close to their work the way I have.

Clothes and people aside, the business side of Penshoppe is also something I find interesting. Since I graduated with a Management course, I also like observing the intricacies and nuances of how Penshoppe is run from a business point-of-view. To give you a glimpse, just recently, I hosted their company-wide awards night and it was heartwarming to see how strongly their employees felt for their brands during their acceptance speeches. To make things better, it was great to see how much the company also valued them back. In effect, all that inspiration and motivation has really shown itself in the growth of the brand. In the very competitive retail industry in the Philippines, Penshoppe has a number of competitors that also seem to be working very hard to grab a piece of the market. Instead of wilting under the pressure of their competitors, Penshoppe has decided to put their head down and up their game. From the higher quality products to the bold marketing strategies, it’s nice to see that they’re willing to fight to be the best. At the end of the day, the Filipinos are the big winners because our local retail industry will continuously strive to improve and I am sure that Penshoppe will be a big reason for that.

All in all, it’s obvious that I am very proud to be part of the Penshoppe family. I’m even more excited to see how far we can go and how much more they can push the boundaries of the retail industry. In a nutshell, I love the clothes, the people and the passion behind this company so watch out Philippines, we’re just going to keep on coming.