Inside the mind of Rajo Laurel

MANILA, Philippines - Rajo Laurel is a household name — he has clothed our bodies, accessorized our feet, given us beautiful totes to carry around our essentials in, made us smell divine, and even designed a few cakes for those special occasions. (Yes, I said cakes.) He is a design powerhouse with an enviable career, and his peers prove to be ultimate sports, honoring him this month as the next Metrowear Icon. Supreme sat down with one of the most renowned jacks-of-all-trades to get a closer look at what really makes an icon.

SUPREME: What was the first iconic fashion moment you witnessed? Was there an experience that made you come alive and realize that you were meant to be a designer?

RAJO LAUREL: I wish I can say that my first iconic fashion moment was a striking Vogue cover or an international fashion show. However, for me, it really all began with my sister’s Barbie dolls. My sisters hated it when I would steal their Barbies and how I would go about reworking their clothes, cutting their hair and transforming them into different personas. But for me, the Barbie and her clothes were directly proportional to how happy and effusive I felt. And as a parallel to the present, I still feel the same way every time I manage to deliver for a client.

The experience that gave new meaning to fashion (or the power of costumes) for me was my involvement with the theater. When I was six years old, I was cast in the Philippine production of The King and I. It taught me the power of clothing, the theatricality of fashion and the high drama that goes with it. One minute you’re just a regular guy and the next minute, you’re suddenly the King of Siam. It bore a strong imprint on my young self.  

Who would you say has proved to be iconic for you in terms of inspiring designs?

It’s always been my grandmother, Beatriz Castillo Laurel. She has always been an inspiration to me, growing up. She taught me the real meaning of style and the appropriateness of dress. She is the epitome of elegance. 

You’re well known for being able to dress every kind of shape and curve. What would you say is the most remarkable thing about designing for specific clients?

For me, it’s really about the process. I look forward to discerning and bringing out the remarkable in each person. The distinct quality that will make them shine. I seek to empower them with absolute confidence. It seems like a tall order, but I feel like this is the gift of the process. And I’m blessed to be able to bring this out.

If you could dress any three people in the history of the world, living or dead, who would they be and why?

Cleopatra — I’ve always been drawn to strong and powerful women. She revolutionized and defined the idea of an empowered woman.

Josephine Baker — as one of the most important women in breaking ground on so many levels like color, culture, image, entertainment. I would have loved to help build her armor when she drove change. She left us beautiful images and pushed forward with her groundbreaking talent.

And finally, Grace Jones — to me, she’s always been extremely beautiful in everything she does. She’s like a walking, living sculpture. Her images always haunt me. In the best way possible.

There seem to be a lot of rules when it comes to style and fashion, like no horizontal stripes on fuller figures or no white after Labor Day. Which rule do you most enjoy breaking?

Since the beginning, my design vocabulary has always been about paradox: a conversation between dual forces, or rending a beautiful idea from conflict. I am always about experimentation. With that said, I believe in a good number of rules and hold them in high regard. But I will also maintain, no fashion rule is sacred enough to break. 

Over the years, there’s been a lot of controversy surrounding local designers and their direct imitation of foreign designers’ clothing. Some would argue that there are no truly original ideas, that most things have been done before, and that there’s no way to really reinvent the wheel. Do you agree with that sentiment? How do you stay on top of your game as a designer?

To be honest, if fashion is any one thing — for me, it is that of being “cyclical.” In all senses of the word, nothing can ever be truly original. References are references of references. As humans, everything we see is mined away into some sort of bank.

The challenge lies in redefining these references and taking them a step further. It’s about context and freshness. Pushing the boundaries and striving for something new, taking the original idea in mind, is what fashion is all about. I always push for two things: a) is to be relevant and b) is to always keep it real. This is how I stay on top of my game. 

Apart from your own brand, you’ve had a long-standing partnership with Rags2Riches, which creates livelihood opportunities for local artisans by bringing them together with design powerhouses such as yourself. How important was it for you to be able to give back in this manner? Has working with RIIR influenced the way you approach the other aspects of your personal empire?

Absolutely, for someone like me who is blessed with opportunity and resources, I always make it a point to give back. To be able to change the lives of a person (for the better) in any shape of form is our duty as human beings. It’s our responsibility even. This is how I was brought up and giving back is effusive in and of itself.  

You are a designer who’s known for forging through every possible avenue of retail, from high-end ready-to-wear to mass retail to scents and even to food. How do you maintain a sense of balance with such a hectic life and constant pressure to deliver?

For me, time management is key. I always tackle each day with a process and it can be very ritualistic. The method and logic are part and parcel of everything I do. As for the rest, I delegate to my team whom I trust wholeheartedly to execute. I won’t be able to do any of this without my team.

Of course, the pressure to deliver the best is always constant. I am pressured to do my best in collaborations, weddings, clients and it can go on and on. The best way for me to deal with this is to — escape, to travel. And I come back recharged and ready to go on the next thing.

Having already conquered so much ground, are there any interesting projects you have on the horizon that we should watch for?

Absolutely. This is not as good as it gets I think. I feel like I am just starting, I feel the same way I did 20 years ago starting out. Though I must say, I do feel a lot calmer now.