From varying styles of windbreakers, bucket hats, fanny packs, down to different colored socks and sneakers, streets in the Philippines for a hot minute was filled with teenagers and young adults wearing streetwear fashion (well, pre-lockdown.) But still, the street style is still pretty strong and can be seen as the go-to aesthetic among influencers and fashionistas, and you can still certainly see that on the block when you hop out of your house. 

But all in all, the streetwear style which originated from New York City’s hip hop culture in the late 1970s and early 1980s, that went big in the whole of the 1990s, has finally found its way back into our radar these past few months! And I think that’s pretty cool! It’s safe to assume fashion peeps who are always in-the-know about the latest stuff maintain to-die-for Instagram feeds full of ’90s-inspired streetwear looks, with just an updated sensibilities that reflect the millennial creativity.  

Are you looking for a fresher take into your street fashion wardrobe? We’ve found two young and up-and-coming Filipino brands by young designers that seamlessly infuse a unique kind of quirk into their streetwear creations. And we wanna see how these brands would grow in the years ahead.

A-Z by Angelica Alvarez 

Established in 2018 by fashion designer Angelica Alvarez, the A-Z brand has a bright and playful vibe.

Influenced by the Japanese and Korean fashion, fused with designs from Italian architecture group Memphis Milano, A-Z was able to produce streetwear that features gender fluid fashion. 

Angelica’s frequent visits in Japan where fashion was a highly valued culture inspired her to create eye-catching designs that do not conform with any gender.

The Covid-19 lock down, which did not spare even the biggest names in fashion, failed to make Angelica cave in fear. With her innovative ideas and strategies, she was able to incorporate her gender fluid fashion vision into her quirky face mask collection. 

“The A-Z Designer mask collection, launched last July, is my take on today’s daily wear staple–the protective face mask,” Angelica shared. “This is where I was able to meet ‘form with function’ and better understand the word ‘inclusivity’ which is what my brand stands for.

She adds that creating something that is useful for the society helped her relate and build deeper connections with her clients. 

“I used to design clothing to evoke an emotion without thinking about external factors like comfortability, wearability, and whatnot. Now, I have learned to expand my ideas by making things with more urgent purposes,” Angelica said. 

Besides creating eye-catching streetwear and recently face masks, the A-Z  brand is also known for helping the often-neglected communities in the Philippines. 

With her brand’s latest collaboration with cause-driven organization JCI Manila, Angelica has established the “Wear A-Z For a Cause” campaign, a fundraising initiative to help build a livelihood centre for the displaced communities during the the Marawi Conflict in Mindanao, Philippines in 2017. 

“This cause will generate livelihood opportunities as well as create a sustainable and affordable source of food, clothing, and entertainment,” Angelica imparted. “It has always been my goal to be able to use my platform for a good cause.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDvyZ9cFi0u/

For Angelica, the key to creating fashionable streetwear designs is for an artist to stay true to his or her vision.

“I want my pieces to empower one’s individuality and spark joy without sacrificing their safety.”

Jace Quiambao

Vibrant streetwear pieces with eccentric mystery? Now that’s something distinct.

Fashion designer Jace Quiambao has always known that he would go for whimsical and experimental streetwear designs. He explained that he is always careful in picking the right colors for his outputs. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2A_x3xns_L/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Among his major runway shows was the one he did for the Bench Design Awards 2019.

“It was very personal–the experience gained and the friendships made during the whole competition was very memorable,” Jace told Style Visionary Network. “I consider the Bench Design Awards as a milestone since it was an international fashion event where Filipino designers dream to show their collection.”

What sets Jace apart from other streetwear designers is his “visual stimulation” through color play and the personal storytelling behind his collections.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B15qBKHlY5T/

Once this chaos is over, it is interesting to note that we can look forward to seeing more quirky and unique Filipino street fashion in the future.