Photographed by Karl King Aguña for the July 2024 Issue of Vogue Man Philippines.
RJ Santos, founder and creative director of fashion label Randolf, imagines his clothes as a playful scenario and a burst of inspiration.
Established a little over a decade ago, Randolf is designer RJ Santos’ brainchild, a space for the 34-year-old designer to pour out his whims and turn them into clothing. Affectionately referring to his design process as “playtime,” each collection is infused with this sense of exploration and freedom.
His Spring/Summer 2018 collection, for instance, was inspired by a song almost everyone knows. “When ‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA played, an image popped into my head—a teal room with a girl dancing in a pink dress. That became the starting point for the collection,” the designer shares. True to this vision, the line, revealed at Tokyo Fashion Week in 2017, featured a whimsical pink dress crafted from tulle, complemented by a mesh sleeve with motifs that mimicked tattoos.
In his youth, Santos leaned more toward being a visual artist than a fashion designer. Conventional glamor didn’t resonate with his laid-back disposition. Introduced to alternative fashion through publications like i-D, Santos began to infuse his brand with humor and nostalgia. He designed cheeky motifs (think huskies in martini glasses or deconstructed halo-halo ingredients) and incorporate them into his clothing.
“My message with Randolf is not to take things too seriously; always inject a little bit of humor,” he shares. Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp are some of his influences, artists who insert humor and irony into the quotidian. “After all, these are just clothes, so might as well really feel good and enjoy wearing them.”
Santos creates garments that capture his curiosity, whether that’s music playing in his car or trends of present-day pop culture. “For Randolf, my intention was to poke fun at the obsessive pop culture,” he shares. “I just find it really funny that we’re all so into these celebrities’ lives.” One of his earliest ventures into this concept was clothing adorned with the 2012 viral image of media mogul Kim Kardashian in tears.
Recently, Randolf has become more known for its bespoke barongs. Departing from traditional embroidery featuring organic motifs and geometrical patterns in muted hues, Santos introduces vibrant motifs and unique silhouettes tailored to his clients’ personalities.
The customization process of Randolf mirrors that of consulting for a tattoo. Both are profoundly personal and almost always tied to meaningful life events, like weddings or birthdays. Santos collaborates closely with his clients, delving into their stories, memories, and interests to develop bespoke concepts.
This approach stems from Santos’ own experience and frustration with getting tattoos. “I was always afraid I might get over a tattoo quickly,” he shares. “So that’s where I channel my frustrations, by making a second skin that you can wear.”
Interestingly enough, Santos never initially set out to modernize traditional garments. “Before, we were more of a casual contemporary brand. I wouldn’t make barongs,” he explains. In 2017, he first incorporated Jusi fabric, characterized by its gauze-like look and lustrous sheen, into a collection. “When people saw that I was using Jusi, they thought I was already making barongs. And that’s how it started.”
But there was a need to learn more about the intricacies of making a Barong Tagalog. “I learned backward. At first, I was already selling barongs without even knowing how to properly make a barong,” Santos explains. However, realizing the significance of being part of the barong industry, the designer resolved to dive deeper into its craftsmanship. “I didn’t want to disrespect the clothing, especially since it’s our national garment,” he adds.
The serendipitous popularity of bespoke barongs has helped Randolf become a self-supporting line. “Until 2019, Randolf was kind of like my passion project. I had to take on other jobs to be able to sustain the brand,” the designer says. “Now, we’re a team of six people.”
Looking ahead, Santos hopes to “focus on ready-to-wear, possibly have stockists abroad or have an actual store,” he shares, noting that it’s always been his dream to run a prêt-à-porter brand. Designing collections helps him release free spirited ideas into the world. “It’s just all out me, what I want, what I envision…It’s my time for myself to release everything that I’m thinking of,” RJ shares.
Randolf continues on this path of playful charm and whimsy clothing that celebrates its particular identity. “My biggest goal for the brand is for it to be its own entity. That even if I’m gone or I decide to go, it’s still there.” Perhaps, his “Playtime” will tell.
By DANIELLE RAMOS. Photographs by KARL KING AGUÑA. Vogue Man Editor DANYL GENECIRAN. Stylist: Anz Hizon. Makeup: Janica Cleto. Hair: Mong Amado. Models: Antony Mansera, Jubei Caceres. Art Director: Jann Pascua. Production Design: Justine Arcega Bumanlag. Producer: Anz Hizon. Production Assistant: Bianca Zaragoza. Stylist’s Assistant: Ticia Almazan.
