Vogue Philippines fashion director Pam Quiñones is moderator for the Vogue Talks on the “Art and Business of Fashion,” featuring Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Jappy Gonzalez, Patty Ang, Jo-Dann “JD” Darong, and Rajo Laurel. Photographed by Kim Santos
Photographed by Kim Santos
For the first day of Vogue Threads Manila, Pam Quiñones, Rajo Laurel, Patty Ang, Jappy Gonzalez, Mariana Zobel de Ayala, and JD Darong discuss the art and business of fashion.
According to Department of Trade and Industry assistant director Jo-Dann “JD” Darong, the government has announced that by 2030, the Philippines will be a creative powerhouse. With the passage of Republic Act No. 11904, the government strives to provide for the development and promotion of the Philippine creative industries. “The question is, [once] you have developed the talent, but then to whom will you sell your products?” he says. For the third Vogue Talks on day one of Vogue Threads Manila, Darong, Pam Quiñones, Rajo Laurel, Patty Ang, Jappy Gonzalez, and Mariana Zobel de Ayala talk about the business of fashion.
Before Rajo Laurel was a designer, his first foray into the arts was in theater. As a child actor, he marveled at the structure of the various costumes used onstage. This, according to Laurel, sparked his pursuit of fashion. “You have to seek out what gives you absolute joy. And what gives you absolute joy is authenticity,” he shares. But passion alone cannot build a successful designer. Creativity and entrepreneurial knowledge come hand in hand in the art and business of fashion. In the ever-evolving world of the fashion industry, they say that if you’re not light or sure-footed enough to pivot with the changing times, you perish. But for Laurel, there should be no fear of doing so.
“In fact, I recommend it. Failure is the best teacher,” he says. “I think being in the creative industry, it’s like moving [houses]. And when you move houses, [there are] so many things to unpack, but all you need to do is focus on one box.”
For fashion entrepreneur Jappy Gonzalez, the first box to unpack is finding your identity. “You need a strong and competent team to get you to where you’re going. But first, you need to know where you’re going,” he says. “Have a clear vision about what your brand is about and everything will fall into place.”
When it comes to business, business leader Mariana Zobel de Ayala is always guided by the modern consumer’s taste. “It’s really impossible to generalize a Filipino consumer. There are so many different preferences and needs,” she says. But pivoting, she says, should be “anchored on not what we’ve known for years, but what a consumer wants today.”
Patty Ang, whose brand has launched several retail boutiques and collections that range from athleisure to formalwear, embraces the challenge. “There’s no pause from launching something to thinking of something new. In the creative industry, our creative juices really flow,” she says.
