Manila fashion was in full attendance at designer Rajo Laurel’s first menswear show. From all corners of the industry, everyone flocked to One Ayala to witness the unveiling of a collection inspired by memories. The venue was super packed; it took a while to get to your seat because there were just so many people.

The style meter hit the roof, and everyone I knew dressed up for the much-anticipated occasion. From stalwarts to editors, insiders to creatives, stylists, supermodels, influencers and even superstars — the fact remains that Rajo is one of the handful that can bring everyone together.

The scene felt like a reunion, with people from different phases of your life (even childhood) and those you hadn’t seen in a while. There was a lot of eye candy that was fun to watch, not just faces in the crowd. VIPs, special guests and clients came dressed in Rajo Laurel. To have missed it would have been a major FOMO (fear of missing out) moment. The stunning 50-piece collection propelled the parameters of style for men to a major upgrade — a contemporary take on menswear that signals the future of Philippine fashion.