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DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: JEFFREY ROGADOR
The RTW designer forges new accessories for his brand: metal belts!
Apr 11, 2012
An accessory order from Dubai-based designer Michael Cinco gave fellow designer Jeffrey Rogador an opportunity to expand his ready-to-wear apparel brand to include some pretty substantial additions. Remember the metalarmguards, harnesses, neckpieces, and, yes, those crotch cups from Michael's Philippine Fashion Week (PFW) and Red Cross shows last year? Turns out they were made by Jeffrey, and he has decided to capitalize on the craft, smithing his first collection of metal belts to offer to ladies seeking to add an in-your-face element of gladiator or champion pugilist toughness to their ensembles.
Read on to know all about Jeffrey's latest enterprise, and don't forget to click on the photo gallery to view all the waist-cinchers in his collection!
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO DESIGN THESE BELTS?
It all started when Michael Cinco commissioned me to do his metal accessories for his PFW and Red Cross shows last season. After that, clients have been asking me to make metal accessories for them. After the good feedback, I thought of developing those metal accessories. [I] started with belts first, so I made a few pieces and posted [photos] on my Facebook account. The next day, Rajo Laurel asked me to make pieces for him and even told me he can help promote the metal accessories. [He also] asked me to make more designs with belts, neckpieces, and cuffs. Now we’re in the process of developing those metals with new designs and finer quality. I realized that there is a market for this line and [that I should] take this fortunate accident seriously into business.
HOW IS IT REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR DESIGN AESTHETIC?
My clothes are always RTW for urban people. Clothes that come with style, comfort, and function. Everything should be simple and [should be a] staple.
WHO DO YOU ENVISION WEARING THESE PIECES?
People in the city, those who have active lifestyles from work to their after-work functions. People who always want new things, [who prefer] power-dressing that dictates authority.
IF YOU HAD TO PICK, WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITE BELTS FROM THIS LINEUP, AND WHY?
As of now I only have a few pieces to show, but my favorite is the combination of silver and gold belts.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO FOR YOUR NEXT COLLECTION?
My clothes are always RTW for urban people. Clothes that come with style, comfort, and function. Everything should be simple and [should be a] staple.
WHO DO YOU ENVISION WEARING THESE PIECES?
People in the city, those who have active lifestyles from work to their after-work functions. People who always want new things, [who prefer] power-dressing that dictates authority.
IF YOU HAD TO PICK, WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITE BELTS FROM THIS LINEUP, AND WHY?
As of now I only have a few pieces to show, but my favorite is the combination of silver and gold belts.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO FOR YOUR NEXT COLLECTION?
For the next collection we’re developing new materials, colors, and designs. There will also be neckpieces, cuffs, and earrings coming in.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME A DESIGNER?
Since I was eight years old I already knew I wanted to be a designer. Growing up, my family was in the garment business so the interest in creating clothes was with me already at an early age.
HOW DID YOU START AS A DESIGNER?
I started sketching and making designs for my friends and myself. During my years in primary school I started building up dreams of becoming a designer. Jolina Magdangal is my bestfriend—she was my classmate in elementary and high school in the late '90s. I design[ed] her clothes and style[d] her. That time it made her career really big somehow because of the image we built for her. People started to notice her, which gave her [a lot of] endorsements: nail polish, school, fast food, shampoo, sardines, biscuits, and a lot more. So I was inspired seeing what I created for her on television, billboards, magazines, and newsprint. I knew that I have the capacity to design and create something for a certain group.
WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR DESIGN TRAINING?
I took up Fine Arts, Major in Advertising in University of Santo Tomas, and Fashion Design in the Fashion
Institute of the Philippines.
Institute of the Philippines.
WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND YOUR DESIGN AESTHETIC?
Design philosophy: simple, strong, staple. Design aesthetic: urban RTW, clothes that come with style and function. It should always be active and comfortable.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?
I get inspiration everywhere, anything that might be interesting for me, but it's usually on the personal side, from my life experiences, people I meet, places that are special to me, things I always use, music I listen to, movies I see, or even the food that I eat. Like for my upcoming collection, Glass of Milk—I’m lactose intolerant so I never had the chance [to drink] milk and eat dairy products. I thought maybe I can do a collection [that] interprets milk to clothes. If you can’t drink it, wear it.
WHO ARE YOUR STYLE ICONS? YOUR STYLE INFLUENCES/INSPIRATIONS?
Style icons James Dean and Madonna.
WHICH DESIGNERS/ARTISTS DO YOU ADMIRE MOST, BOTH LOCAL AND FOREIGN?
Since I was young I admired the simplicity and strength of Calvin Klein, richness of Giorgio Armani, and
the uniqueness of Jean Paul Gaultier. Locally I admire Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, and Ronaldo Arnaldo.
the uniqueness of Jean Paul Gaultier. Locally I admire Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, and Ronaldo Arnaldo.
WHO ARE THE CLIENTS YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH?
I enjoy working with Mr. Janno Gibbs. He's really cool. JC de Vera is nice as well. John "Sweet" Lapus, Sam Concepcion, and Tim Yap. Pokwang is fun as well very experimental.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A DESIGNER?
Learning the business side [and] separating it [from] the creative side. At the end of the day it’s still business. Sometimes one side will have to [be] sacrificed to give way to the other side. Those two should be balanced all the time.
WHICH ASPECT OF THE DESIGN PROCESS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?
Researching for new things, and product development.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOURSELF EVOLVING AS A DESIGNER?
From the work and training I had in the industry, I started [with] designs that are experimental, clothes that [the eyes could feast on], [which] then evolved to clothes that people would wear and sell. I established my menswear first because there were few designers doing clothes for men 5-6 years ago. Now I do ladies' wear as well. Most recent is developing the accessory line.
Researching for new things, and product development.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOURSELF EVOLVING AS A DESIGNER?
From the work and training I had in the industry, I started [with] designs that are experimental, clothes that [the eyes could feast on], [which] then evolved to clothes that people would wear and sell. I established my menswear first because there were few designers doing clothes for men 5-6 years ago. Now I do ladies' wear as well. Most recent is developing the accessory line.
WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
Greatest accomplishment is being able to stand up [after] every defeat and downfall in the business. I opened a store in Rockwell from 2006 to 2008, in Podium from 2007 to 2009, The Ramp Glorietta in 2008. All stores closed and didn’t work for me. But I’m very proud to say that I surpassed all the trials and challenges that was thrown at me as a designer. " Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."
WHAT ASPECT OF DESIGN DO YOU SEEK TO MASTER?
Maybe the side of merchandising, that’s what I have to learn more and understand—how business and design should blend together.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF INFLUENCING THE EVOLUTION OF FILIPINO FASHION?
The world is getting smaller everyday because of the technology we have, so the means of getting global and having access worldwide is very easy. One day I would want to establish my label in an international level starting in Asia. Filipinos are very talented by nature. We just have to exert effort in pushing what we can offer to the world.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO FROM YOU?
This year I’ll be supplying for SM Department Store in both men's and ladies' lines. There is a plan of putting my off-the-rack bridal gowns at SM Department Store as well, called Empress by Jeffrey Rogador, which will be launched also this June. Hopefully that would materialize by the third quarter of this year. There will be shows as well—I’ll be presenting my Holiday 2012 for PFW this end of May, called Glass of Milk. For PFW I’ll be doing metal accessories for some designers: Dave Ocampo, Veejay Floresca, Dubai designers Butz Fuentes and Albert Andrada. This year I will also be launching more metal accessories [with] more designs, styles and options.
And my website www,jeffreyrogador.com will be up very soon.
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