In his first runway collection for RAJO MAN, Rajo Laurel opens the door to a more vulnerable kind of masculinity—one that’s ready to take center stage, no matter how many layers it wears
For decades, Rajo Laurel has dressed the most glamorous women. This time, the designer dives into something far more personal—less of a daydream and more of a memento of the men who raised him, shaped him, and dressed him. With RAJO MAN, Laurel doesn’t just unveil his first all-menswear collection, but essentially airs out the closet of his memories, filled with military uniforms, New Wave beats, and a good splash of emotional depth.
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This isn’t hyper-masculinity or tough-guy posturing. RAJO MAN is more like sitting down with your favorite uncle who tells you stories about love, heartbreak, and the time he dyed his hair pink to piss off his conservative father. It’s a love letter to the men who didn’t just wear the clothes, but who wore their identities, insecurities, and passions—flaws and all.
Family Threads
Where do you start when fashioning a collection based on the men who’ve been part of your life? Laurel seems to begin at the core of his upbringing. There’s his Lolo Pepe, whose military uniforms carried the weight of duty, sacrifice, and probably a good side-eye whenever someone wore a crooked tie. For the designer, this military influence isn’t about stiff collars and rigid norms—it’s about the quiet dignity that comes with wearing a uniform, knowing it represents something bigger than yourself.
Then, a young Rajo, obsessed with the ‘80s New Wave, an era of flamboyant silhouettes, synthesizers, and the spirit that embraced individuality. This eclectic mix is what he brings RAJO MAN, grounding it in a deep nostalgia but not letting it get stuck in the past. Because, let’s face it, we’re all a little nostalgic for a time we can barely remember but feel deep in our bones.
This collection is autobiographical, stitched together from his memories, personal experiences, and the emotional journey that’s shaped him into the designer he is today. “I am still evolving and each time I create,” Laurel explains. “I feel that it is most profound when it starts from a very personal and authentic perspective.”
Laurel doesn’t shy away from the softer side of masculinity—in fact, he embraces it fully. “That toughness you speak about,” he says, “can be brought about from a seed of honest sensitivity.” He knows that true power comes from authenticity, where vulnerability is a necessity.
Men in Pieces
RAJO MAN is a patchwork quilt of what it means to be a man—with all the rough edges, soft spots, and weird shoulder pads that come with it. Pieces of Me is the phrase Rajo uses to describe this collection, and it’s more than just a tagline. It’s a confession, an opening up of the private scrapbook of his life, where masculinity isn’t a single, unbending ideal but something that shifts, evolves, and sometimes tears at the seams.
It’s more of a quiet evolution. The kind that slips in unnoticed but reshapes everything in its path. When you think of masculinity, “soft” probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind—but maybe it should be. In Laurel’s world, sensitivity isn’t a weakness; it’s a superpower.
The pieces reflect a narrative of freedom, an open invitation to let go of outdated ideas of what men should wear or how they should behave. “It’s about dressing for our own happiness and pleasure, devoid of societal conformities and archaic regulations,” he says.
What’s particularly striking is how Laurel flips the script on what men’s fashion “should” be. He borrows from the women’s space, throwing in fabrics like French tulle and Duchess silk satin. Men have been borrowing emotional labor from women for centuries, so it’s only fair they start borrowing their fabrics, too. These softer materials speak to the concept of masculinity, one that isn’t afraid to be tender, introspective, and, yes, a little shiny.
An Ode to the Men of His Life (and Yours)
RAJO MAN is a conversation starter—a sartorial invitation to sit down, pour a drink, and talk about what it really means to be a man in today’s world. It’s a chance for men to feel sensitive, soulful, spiritual, sentimental, and brave, to be seen for more than just their outer shell.
Rajo Laurel’s collection is for the men who wear their stories proudly on their sleeves, and for those who are still figuring out what those stories mean. In a way, RAJO MAN feels like a reunion—of fathers, brothers, lovers, and friends—all coming together in the form of clothes that carry the weight of their pasts but aren’t afraid to face the future.
The designer is hoping for dialogue. This collection questions the very fabric of how we define gender, identity, and self-expression in the Philippines. He asks, “Do clothes really have gender?” With RAJO MAN, he challenges the outdated notions of what it means to dress “like a man” and whether traditional gender boundaries in fashion still make sense today.
Laurel wants to push the conversation further, asking, “Can a man truly wear their heart on their sleeves?” It’s a question about vulnerability, yes, but also about inclusivity. He wants us to expand our minds and think beyond the rigid structures that have long dictated how men should present themselves. What does the modern man really look like, and how does he express himself? Which societal regulations are ready to be discarded?
These are the questions RAJO MAN brings to the table, and the designer’s hope is that this collection ignites thoughtful discussions—not just in the fashion world but in how we perceive identity in a more inclusive, modern world. And for Rajo Laurel, the most exciting part? Listening to how others answer these questions.
Photographed by GRANT BABIA