All is good in the hood

By choosing to set up shop at a less predictable location, the people behind Trilogy have proven that there is life outside the mall. Pulling a kickflip somewhere in the self-contained honeycomb of Legaspi Village, the youth lifestyle boutique is the latest in the roster of independent enterprises waking up the Makati neighborhood. 

“The great thing about being here is that we can do whatever we want with the space — like combining a café with a retail area,” says Vicky Herrera. The model and writer states that the cookie-cutter nature of huge shopping centers tends to be a minus, especially when you crave a bit more originality and a lot less déjà vu. “At some point, you start to see the same things. With Trilogy, it’s really one of a kind. We liked the idea of being able to eat, shop and hang out in a more dynamic space. We named it Trilogy because it offers three very important consumer elements of youth culture: apparel, accessories and books.”    

Cool-Kid Cred

The “we” in this case include her forward-thinking and equally entrepreneurial siblings, Jon and Rosario, and the digital demographic’s favorite DJ, Steve Aoki. “Although we’ve been planning the store since last year, Steve only became our partner in February. He and Jon have gotten pretty tight since his first visit to Manila two years ago so he co-signed in a matter of minutes,” shares Rosario. “Steve really loves it here and now he has another reason to visit us more often.” 

But aside from an alliance with a big-deal music icon, Trilogy’s strength lies in its want-worthy merchandise. Resting on ziggurat-shaped risers are footwear by Generic Surplus and Adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott. Like wild cards for your wardrobe, Dim Mak tees provide a sprinkling of cool-kid cred along with WeSC jeans and other graphic goodies from Junk Food, Kid Robot and Obey. Of course, Trilogy also has stuff to enhance your cultural life: note the Ed Banger-designed headphones, Incase laptop bags, and scene-approriate art books.

Airy Vibe

Designed by Erik Cua, Trilogy has an airy vibe similar to that of a downtown LA loft. “We told him we wanted the store to look and feel eco-friendly, clean, and well-designed,” Rosario continues. Chef Fern Aracama, meanwhile, is in charge of the grub. “He’s planning to have brunch food all day, which is a great idea!” Add free Wi-Fi and premium coffee to the mix and you’re done. No one will ever leave.

Lined by an Indian restaurant, a home accessories boutique, a hair salon, a pizza place, and now Trilogy, Rada St. is starting to throb with more retail energy. “I hope more stores open here,” concludes Jon. “It would be great if we could have a more vibrant street scene, with people having coffee on the sidewalk or just walking around checking the shops out. You’ve been to Robertson Blvd. in LA? I want it to be like that.”

Honestly, Trilogy is an awesome start.     

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Trilogy, 110 Alvion Center, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Tel. (632) 328-1071. Blog: trilogyboutique.multiply.com. Store hours: 11a.m.-7p.m.