The leading Filipino fashion designer reflects on his career, the people and places that have impacted it and the future of fashion in the Philippines
Meet the Tribe is an eight-part series introducing some of the 122 industry leaders across Asia who helped us select the Gen.T List 2019—a panel of experts we call The Tatler Tribe. Rajo Laurel is a member of The Tribe in the Philippines, representing the Fashion & Beauty category.
Last year Rajo Laurel celebrated a quarter of a century in the fashion industry. He had known from a young age that clothes were his calling and, after mastering his craft at the world’s leading fashion schools, namely the New York Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martin’s in London, he returned to the Philippines where he established the House of Laurel, creating fresh designs that reference his Filipino heritage.
Rajo’s collections quickly became coveted by Filipino high society and worn by celebrities ranging from singer-actress Regine Velasquez and television host and actress Kris Aquino to singer Sharon Cuneta and singer-actress Lea Salonga. More recently, American television personality Tyra Banks has been seen in a number of Rajo’s creations, adding further to the designer’s escalating fame that followed his position as a judge on the TV show Philippines Project Runway.
A Tribe member, Rajo not only contributed to the selection of this year’s Gen.T List but had some useful advice to offer the leaders of tomorrow when we sat down with him ahead of the list’s launch.
Was there a pivotal moment when you decided to pursue a career in fashion?
I was a young stage actor and I realised at an early age the power of costume and fell in love with the craft. By the time I was 11, I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer.
What are your proudest accomplishments to date?
Being able to employ 550 people and create a sense of security for them and their families.
