It is all about 'elegance that is silent but potent.'
"I think this (the pandemic) is an opportunity for us to really reset, revitalize, rethink, and reevaluate ourselves toward becoming not just better designers but better individuals," said Rajo Laurel last year as he talked about where fashion is amid the pandemic in "Fashion Forward Dialogues: Change." After almost a year, that statement echoes the noted fashion designer's latest offerings.
For spring-summer 2021, Rajo presents three collections that redefine what luxury means in our current state. After the success of his "Hacienda" collection and PPE line, pioneering digital runway presentations in the country, and lending a helping hand to frontliners, he now shares his vision for fashion "with an amalgam of silhouettes" bound by a single thread that speaks of "elegance that is silent but potent."
'Re-edition'
An ode to the prefix "re," his latest collection for his brand Rajo is a line of garments from his archives that have been taken apart and reconstructed today.
Dubbed as "Re-edition," the collection enables Rajo's design team to take a step back to look at what one was through a different lens, speaking the same language in a different frequency, seeing things not for what they are but what they could be.
"Our current state seemingly limits our mobility and agency but with the air of hope and the promise of tomorrow beckoning, we're choosing to look at the bigger picture," the designer says in a statement. "For spring-summer 2021, we collectively shine our light on the many facets of Rajo, with its volumes being its refractions. 'Re-Edition,' the first of the four SS21 Volumes."
'Anew'
His demi-couture line, House of Laurel, presents the "Anew" collection. All about new shapes, the line is a selection of neutral-colored garments, elevating everyday dressing. The collection sheds light on the luxury that comes from comfort, refinement, and simply beautiful pieces taken to couture level with a play on both relaxed and structured proportions.
'Objects*'
For his new curated homeware line, "Objects*," Rajo shifts his focus on atmospheric adornments. With the importance of personal spaces evermore felt, he shares an array of one-of-a-kind vessels, homeware sets, and table-clothes (placemats, table runners, and the like) in fabrics collected overtime in his travels.
His collections and their respective first volumes are now available online at rajolaurel.com and in-stores.