How Russell Villafuerte Transforms His Village Into a Kingdom

By rejecting uniformity, the veteran fashion designer crafts a collection that speaks directly to his instincts.

Backstage at the CCP’s Black Box Theatre, the air was thick with anticipation. Models hurried in and out of fittings, final adjustments were made to garments, and the buzz of last-minute decisions filled the room. But amid the chaos, Russell Villafuerte was calm, almost thriving. It’s in these moments of unpredictability that he feels most in control, feeding off the energy of the unknown. He didn’t have a clear roadmap for his newest collection at BYS Fashion Week 2024, but that’s exactly how he wanted it: organic, instinctual, and raw.

“I didn’t make a single sketch throughout this entire project, so everything was purely based on my own gut feelings,” he admits. “Until the end, I didn’t know what the full collection would look like, and I didn’t know how it would all flow [on the runway]. There were thirty-five looks, and probably around twenty of them were only made in the last three weeks.”

For longtime followers of his work, this devil-may-care attitude felt all too familiar. Even during his early days designing for his ready-to-wear label Strongvillage, Russell had established a creative identity that was a melting pot of cultural influences. Whether that was military camouflage, denim patchwork, or Japanese-inspired silhouettes, he simply acted on what resonated with him in the moment. Fifteen years later, the fashion designer doubled down on those beliefs with a collection that taps into his roots as a multidisciplinary creative. 

“This show is all about my journey and is the way I pay respect to where I started and to [be grateful] for where I am now,” Russell reflects. His presentation for BYS Fashion Week this year was a love letter to his brand, Strongvillage, but according to him, “this wasn’t a Strongvillage collection, this was a Russell Villafuerte collection.” 

Although he mentions that this current fashion show sees him as being at his most vulnerable, one can surmise that the vulnerability he invokes through his clothing isn’t the type that needs to be sheltered. Instead, it is unapologetic and raw, something he compares to a force of nature. This was mostly visible through his main choice of material, animal print, which he used to draw out these primal instincts. Each ensemble that walked the maze-like venue was embellished in the faux-hides of different animals, including leopard, snake, and zebra patterns respectively. 

Hallmarks of his original style were also apparent throughout each garment, where Russell tinkered with the idea of blending multiple materials. Denim served as a strong second lead alongside the use of animal prints, which were weaved into cargo trousers, tactical vests, and dresses. Meanwhile, leather and other unconventional materials played supporting roles in the construction of military-inspired long coats, Harrington jackets, and other forms of outerwear. 

Much like his previous body of work, Russell emphasizes the importance of materials above all else in his design process. “All the things that I used in this collection are basically junk that I’ve hoarded or collected over the past seven years,” he explains. “This was really about experimenting with new fabrics and textiles because historically, I’m not as known for crazy silhouettes, so I stuck to just the basic ones now.”

Apart from exploring new methods of construction, Russell also imbues influences from streetwear and other subcultures into each look. He describes the entire collection as something “almost tribal, or primeval,” as he takes cues from styles and silhouettes from rock music and hip-hop as well. These references seem fitting, as walks were timed to the haunting tune of Aswang by Filipino pop group Alamat, a callback to the urban legends that have originated in his home province of Antique.  

In drawing his show to a close, a quiet settled over the space that had thrived on energy just moments before. Russell Villafuerte stood steady, absorbing the aftermath of a show that was as unmapped as the journey that led him there. “The village is now a kingdom,” he says, a milestone that marks the evolution of a vision that has grown with him for over a decade.