New York-based Filipino designer Rafe Totengco is one of those rare creatures that sits in a state of comfortable relevance. No need of gimmickry or the extra pop other brands adapted to either revive an age-old name or to introduce a new kid on the block. His label is already reliable but that doesn’t mean it lacks dynamism.
So when Ben Chan approached him to do a capsule collection for Bench, Rafe went “Absolutely” over lunch. Rafe x Bench launched to Manila’s fashion savvy with a show that featured chef JP Anglo on his skateboard, interior designer Nix Alanon, and actress Gabbi Garcia. Guests, whose phones were on fire to capture a runway that imitated a busy New York street, included Isabelle Daza, Patricia Prieto, Raymond Gutierrez, Dawn Zulueta, Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Tessa Prieto-Valdes. The hashtags and posts went up just as the next model started walking.
Right after the show, the collection went up for sale. The cocktails were soon replaced by bags of the wide leg denim pants, off shoulder graphic print shirts, and jackets. I asked Rafe then how he’s taking our “See Now, Buy Now” culture that even luxury labels have taken as their new creed. Rafe embraces it, “We’re all disciples of Instagram. What we see, we want immediately. [Which is good since] I want to make clothes that once you see it, you’d want it now.”
However, this culture doesn’t add pressure to his work, “Because at the end of the day, it’s just clothes.” Rafe refers to the quick turnover of trends which allows one to have fun and to change at a whim. It’s both serious and irreverent. It’s fun and functional.
And because “it’s just clothes,” fashion becomes a unifying, global aspect that is accessible to anyone. Rafe says, “The only thing that separates New York from Manila is the traffic. (Laughs) Other than that, Filipinos are so fashionable. There isn’t a trend in New York that isn’t already here. We’re on it.”
Photo courtesy of Inquirer Lifestyle
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