Repurposed Leather Coat No. 1; Reengineered Twill Trousers No. 1. Courtesy of Rafglang
The Filipino multi-hyphenate creative is returning to his fashion design roots.
After over a decade working for fashion publications, Patrick Galang is returning to his design roots. The stylist and editor got his start in the industry as a fashion designer. After participating in his first Philippine Fashion Week back in 2008, Galang went on to join the second season of Project Runway Philippines, making it to the competition’s top five, alongside budding designers at the time, Russell Villafuerte, Santi Obcena, and Manny Marquez.
Galang went on to become a fashion editor at top Philippine magazines, and also made a name for himself as a contributing stylist. This time around, Galang is coming full circle with the release of his brand new collection under his brand Rafglang.
The creative, a beloved figure in the industry, speaks to Vogue Philippines about his exciting return. “After being on hiatus for almost seven years, I just feel it’s time to be creative again,” he says. “Designing has always been something I love doing and I am passionate about. This is why I used it as a way to reconnect to fashion, and to our industry, which has had a great impact on my life.”
His collection, entitled “No. 1,” serves as an introduction to his rebranded namesake label, which was first launched in 2008. The lineup makes use of three fundamental principles; Reassemble, Reengineer, and Repurpose. Every look features familiar garments, like tailored blazers and trousers, remade in off-beat modern silhouettes.
“To produce each piece, I revisited some of the works I’ve done in the past,” he tells us. “The zipper collection I presented in 2008, my winning piece from a Project Runway challenge titled Self-Deconstruction in 2009, which was based on sustainable fashion, and those leather pieces I made in 2010.”
He continues: “To reinvent them, I infused clean lines and crisp layers. I used totally different fabrics and thought how could I translate it today?”
Each deconstructed garment is not done haphazardly; rather his garments are infused with principles in design and consider both form and function. “For instance, ‘repurpose’ recycles vintage clothes into something new by re-cutting them,” he elaborates, “While ‘reengineer’ on the other hand, proposes a new silhouette out of a reconstructed pattern. Meanwhile, ‘reassemble’ represents structural components that can be worn in more ways than one.”
According to Galang, developing “No.1” was a deliberately slow, organic process, which allowed him to be thoughtful of every detail in the collection. “From deciding who the muse will be, which music to play to rethinking patterns, hunting fabrics, and sourcing vintage items,” he says, “I wanted to make sure everything identifies with the label’s characteristics.”
Since his brand-new collection launched on Valentine’s Day, things have been looking bright for the return designer. “I am truly grateful and humbled that I am able to revive this long-lost passion,” he says. “It actually feels like falling in love again, to be honest.”
