5 Tips, Secrets, and Insights on Becoming a Fashion Designer from Rajo Laurel on MEGA: The Next Move
The illustrious designer Rajo Laurel shares with MEGA his early beginnings in the industry, introduced by a special woman in his life: his grandmother
Rajo Laurel is one of the most distinguished names in the Philippine fashion industry. He’s a renowned fashion designer, creative director, and entrepreneur, who has a distinct point of view, with a loud voice to match. He wouldn’t be a finalist for the first-ever MEGA Young Designers Competition if he didn’t. In a world where every person would deem and explore the creative side at some point in their life, it is imperative to stand out and have your voice heard—That may be why Laurel is prominent. In the new MEGA: The Next Move episode, here are five takeaways we learned from the designer.
RELATED: Rajo Laurel’s Journey With the MEGA Young Designers Competition
A Theatrical Memory
It started with theater. The production was The King and I, and Laurel’s grandmother introduced him to the Repertory Philippines, where they needed children to play the princes and princesses of King Sian. He was five years old when he fell in love vividly with the power of costume; it was a transformative interaction for Laurel, the ability to be another person through clothes. “I realize there was something special there,” he says. “It began by having that fundamental thought of, ‘I think I want to be part of that transformative power.’ That gift of giving someone that opportunity to truly become who they are through clothing, or to become someone else.”
Laurel’s Idols
“I’m a lola’s boy, and my grandmother was an ambassador’s wife,” he shares he remembers watching her dress up. It was this core memory of how he understands how a woman takes care of herself: trying on dresses, putting on makeup, and even sliding the classic opera gloves. His grandmother’s best friend was designer, Ramon Valera. It was Valera—who made clothes for Laurel’s grandmother—who catapulted him to a world of gowns and muses. As Laurel grew older, his knowledge of fashion grew with him: his idols included Isaac Mizrahi, Rebecca Moses, and an all-time fave Geoffrey Beene.
A Stylish Woman
What makes a stylish woman? She’s always comfortable in her own skin. Laurel shares this nugget of wisdom: “When entering a room, do not let your outfit be the first thing they see. It should be you that they see.” For Laurel, there’s always this push and pull in design, to leave room for the woman herself to be noticed.
Two Institutions, One Knowlege
Laurel attends both the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Central Saint Martins in London. While long ago, he still carries with him what he learned during those days in the most prestigious schools you can go to for fashion. “When you’re young, you have this desire to conquer the world,” he reveals. More than the education, it was the experience: of living by youself, of being free, of being open to all inspirations. “What FIT taught me was structure,” he shares. “Basically creating order out of the chaotic mind.” On the other hand, Central Saint Martins taught him freedom: freedom to create without fear. “These institutions lead you and lend you certain knowledge about how you can craft your skill, how you can become the designer that you should be or you are.”
An Original MEGA Baby
Laurel started as an illustrator. “It’s almost serendipitous.” MEGA’s first fashion editor, Michael Salientes, heard of the future fashion designer and learned he drew quite well, then asked him to do some illustrations for an article. “You read the article, you draw, you submit the article,” he reveals, an action all too familiar for those who in media and publishing. They liked it so much that Salientes, along with MEGA founder Sari Yap, offered him to do more editorials.
Rajo Laurel illustrates the profound impact of passion, resilience, and expression. Through the experiences and insights, he shares at the MEGA: The Next Move episode, we learn how he contributed to shaping modern Philippine fashion, how he empowers others to embrace their unique voices and forge their paths in the world of creativity, and how his grandmother’s influence instilled in him a deep appreciation for refinement, serving as a guiding light in his journey towards excellence.
Featured Image: Photography KIM SANTOS
Photos: Photography KIM SANTOS, MEGA ARCHIVES, and RAJO LAUREL (via Instagram)
