Photographed by Ed Simon
The Cebuano designer injects his love for storytelling into his recently opened Manila boutique.
To enter Neil Felipp’s boutique at the Peninsula Hotel in Manila, one must use the tail of a golden siren to knock on the door. This motif is an homage to designer Neil Felipp San Pedro’s very first minaudière, designed for who he calls his eternal muse, his mother Luz San Pedro.
“She was going to an event wearing a blue gown, beautiful blue shoes, and sapphire earrings, but she didn’t have a bag. So she asked me, ‘Neil, can you design one for me?'” San Pedro reminisces, saying that creating this design was a tall order, as his mother was also his biggest critic. “I had to go back to memories of her bringing me to the beach in Cebu. I’ve always thought of myself as a little mermaid whenever I’m at the beach with her.”
Every piece that he designs is layered: interpretations of folktales intermeshed with his personal history and perspectives. The Siren minaudière also takes from by Hans Christen Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” infamously inspired by the writer’s own tragic romance. Literary and fantastical motifs present themselves often in San Pedro’s work, which he credits to his personal love for literature growing up. Perhaps one of his most interesting designs to date is the “Kiss of Midas and Medusa” minaudière, a rectangular clutch accentuated by the brand’s signature hardware in the form of golden serpents wrapped around. This surrealist concept came to San Pedro’s imagination as another reimagination of tragedy: “As Medusa becomes gold and Midas turns into stone, their lips are forever sealed in a kiss.”
For San Pedro, his designs become more fulfilling when his clients attach their own stories to the pieces. The Suzy Wong minaudière, for example, is inspired by the Chinese legend of Suzy Wong, who was popularly referred to as “the hooker with a golden heart.” San Pedro tells the story of a powerful woman who procured this particular piece from his shop: she told the designer she had an affinity for the design because her late father was born in the year of the dragon. Now, when she attends events in her father’s honor, she wears the bag and feels that he is there with her.
The designer recounts tales throughout the conversation with a tone that is effervescent and inviting, reminiscent of narrators in children’s books, interweaving his own stories with a decisiveness to avoid fully putting himself at the front and center. This desire to be understated fully permeates the designer’s brand. Admittedly not a fan of gauche “logomania,” San Pedro’s approach to establishing his identity as a designer is through memorable motifs and meticulously curated details. He emphasizes the essence of fun in design. “Sophisticated, but always playful. That’s part of the branding as well,” San Pedro says. “We want to prove that the Philippines is [also a hub for] luxury craftsmanship.”
For the designer, his goal is for the pieces he creates and the spaces he designs to speak for themselves, rather than bear his name. However, he takes pride in the intentionality behind his designs. When asked who designed the boutique at the Peninsula hotel, San Pedro flashes a grin. “I did.”
The plan for a Manila branch was in the works for a long time. The boutique was designed to look as similar to the Neil Felipp home boutique in Cebu, a pocket of the island in the bustling city. “This way, whenever anyone goes to a space ‘designed by Neil Felipp,’ it’s always [with the goal of] showcasing a proper presentation for our discerning clientele.” San Pedro’s precision for detail is inspired by the craftsmanship that goes into his pieces. “For me, it’s the small touches that make a difference.” The slight variations in each boutique come in limited edition pieces, such as the Neil Felipp Gustav Klimt inspired designer minaudières. “We really wanted people to come not just for the experience, but also to discover something new.”
He continues to praise the work of the local artisans contributing to his brand, who he says have seen him grow up. “My victory is theirs too. My grandfather always taught me that the employees are not just employees. They’re the ones that give us the privilege that we have. I think if you can share the dream and share the achievements, it makes the community even better,” San Pedro explains. “When we lose the essence of kapwa, (a core Filipino value of shared identity) we lose the essence of being Filipino.”
The Neil Felipp brand is now celebrating its 15th year, and the designer is working on new collaborations. He has recently collaborated with Jefferson Si for a line of shoes, and with designer Kelvin Morales for a limited edition “Jackstone” collection. “We can uplift what the image of a ‘Philippine’ brand is and what people presume it to be. At least for me, not just for accessories, but also for the furniture industry and the shoe industry,” San Pedro says. “I really wanted to find a way for the Neil Felipp brand to be a brand for others.”
With new opportunities coming in and with the opening of his boutique in Manila, the designer chose to be semi-based outside of his hometown in Cebu. However, he admits that this choice was also emotionally motivated. “One of the reasons why I decided to be semi-based in Manila was because there were just too many memories of my mom,” he shares. “I’m very grateful just to have those kind of memories. It’s not always depressing or sad, at the end of the day, I just really miss her. She was always there for me.”
There’s a strange yet familiar alchemy in the way tragedy pulses tenderly through San Pedro’s stories. It all comes full circle as he finally launched his Manila store on August 22, with a towering tree adorned with yellow flowers at the center of the festivities. The date holds special meaning, as it is his late mother Luz San Pedro’s birthday, and those were her favorite blooms. As always, San Pedro’s path is lit by the inspiration she left behind. Reflecting on a line from a TV show, he quotes, “What is grief if not love persevering?”
A few days later, remnants of the tree sit quietly in a vase in the boutique’s corner. “Would you like a bouquet?” he asks, offering this writer dried flowers, lovingly pre-wrapped. It’s admirable how San Pedro carries the weight of his grief and transforms it into beauty. Strip away the gold and glamour, and you’ll find a storyteller, a designer, a mentor, and a son: everything, all at once, and yet still profoundly human.
