Rajo Laurel

Fashion becomes a more sustainable business when creative ambition is matched by commercial discipline. With more than three decades in the industry, Rajo Laurel has built a career that extends from couture to ready-to-wear and corporate uniform design. Trained at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Central Saint Martins in London, he established House of Laurel and developed retail lines that brought his design sensibility to a broader market.

Beyond his own collections, Laurel’s manufacturing business, Laurel et Ross Enterprises, produces uniforms for hotels, airlines and corporations, connecting design with local production expertise. His television appearances, including as a judge on Project Runway Philippines, have also made the workings of fashion more visible to aspiring designers and wider audiences.

In February 2026, Laurel presented Malikhaing Pinoy: Lahí, a 33-piece couture collection, at Bangkok Design Week in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry. The showcase placed Filipino craftsmanship in an international design setting. As he continues to develop retail collections and expand his commercial presence, Laurel’s career offers a practical lesson for the next generation: creative vision needs sound financial management and a business built to last.