RAJO LAUREL
Instead of entering the political arena, the grandson of late President Jose P. Laurel built his name in the fashion industry. Rajo Laurel has been raising the Philippine flag through his designs that incorporate distinctly Filipino patterns and textile choices, and for this year’s ball, he’s about venturing new grounds. Just last year, Rajo bagged Philippine Tatler’s Most Creative Force Award.
“I love the Tatler [ball] season as I get to see my friends prepare for the ball and we all get excite to design the dresses and tuxedos together. It’s like an annual reunion of sorts.
This season, I thought of doing deeper colours and textures. I am also playing with what I call ‘relaxed volume’. I’m going a bit more dangerous this season so I am encouraging my clients to take chances on a bit of a lower back or a different hue or pattern. We’re about getting out of our comfort zones and trying something new.”