If Florence has the Pitti Uomo and Taipei has the Suit Walk, then Manila has the Suit Social.
Perhaps it’s safe to say by now that women’s fashion alone has long been celebrated. It has been decades where the fashion spotlight is only beamed on spectacular gowns and dresses, but as time progressed, the fashion scene is slowly and surely changing–especially for the suit scene in the Philippines.
Thank the fashion gods, because the limelight is now shared with dapper gents, with men’s style choices becoming more noticeable and accessible compared before. In addition to that, the search for having the best tailor for bespoke suits is also becoming more prominent than ever for the sartorial men—and believe it or not, even for some women as well.
So, with this in mind, Suit It Up Manila thought of finally throwing the first-ever Suit Social. Dedicated to Manila’s luxury-suit enthusiasts, its aim is to be a catalyst for the modern suit culture movement in the country just like the Pitti Uomo and the Suit Walk.
According to Suit It Up Manila’s COO, Franco Ongkingco, “I have always envisioned more and more Filipinos suiting up,” he beams. “We really want to create and identify reasons, places, and experiences where one can wear a coat in both casual and formal settings. That is, #TheSuititUpLife. To look good, feel good as well as to provide a platform for self-expression that resonates to all.”
And true enough, as they have been in the industry since 1972, the home-grown brand has created a handful of exquisite suits. More than that, not only did they make suits for men, but also for women—all thanks to the rise of power suits on the market.
We’ve seen the likes of MEGA Man cover stars Arjo Atayde, Christian Bautista, and Tom Rodriguez arrive at the Suit Social in their handsome suits. Female style savants, on the other hand, like MEGA September 2019 cover star Kiana Valenciano and celebrity host Janeena Chan equally stood out in their modern take on the dapper dandy.
“By starting Suit Social, we hope to strengthen the suit culture here in the Philippines as well as to inspire all generation of suit enthusiasts to gather and celebrate their passion for tailored menswear every year,” Franco explains.
Lo and behold, Franco’s vision came to fruition. Everyone partied the whole night in their dapper suit numbers—from checks, stripes, to classic monotones. But what we really love about Suit Social is you get to feel confident in your beguiling suit while supporting a cause. Why? Because attendees donated their pre-loved suits and other clothes to the Welcome House Good Shepherd Sisters Inc. as well. Now that’s what a true modern gent should be.
Follow Suit It Up Manila on Facebook and on Instagram @suititupmanila for more details and updates.
