Proudrace Fashion

Proudrace is a fashion brand created by Pat Bondoc and Rik Rasos.  The name is indicative of what they believe in, their pride in being Filipino and owning a Filipino company.   The two thought that the menswear selection in Manila was very limited, so they decided to make their own clothes. While wearing their unique pieces around town,  friends showed interest in their designs and soon the two were being commissioned by their friends to design and make clothes. The brand now makes both women's and men's clothing.  Sounds great, doesn't it!

The duo's 2012-2013 Dark Waves Fall Collection is inspired by skaters, punks, goths.  The brand generally offers a black and white pallet with reinterpreted styles from the 90's.  The clothes are completely wearable and sometimes androgynous.  The pants are tight, the t-shirts are slightly oversized, and the jackets are asymmetrical. Below are some samples from their collection:

Hoodie with a longer backside, sleeve detail similar to backside.

Wind breaker with open V-neck colla

T-shirt with rose and shark prints

Bandana/ scarf with rose and shark print

The clothes are currently being sold in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and to a small market in the U.S. alongside stores in Manila.  I'm hoping this brand becomes big because I just love it.

When I first discovered Proudrace I immediately thought the designers were Filipino American because there's something very American about the clothing: Perhaps its the way they style their clothes or the music they choose for their video campaigns that look American, but I was surprised and delighted to find out that Pat and Rik are homegrown Filipino talent. Having two designers born and raised in the Philippines while being able to capture American street culture and style so accurately brings-up all those ideas I'm interested in- globalization, colonialism, the internet age.

Here is the interview with Pat and Rik on youtube which goes into detail about how they started Proudrace:

The interview shows two playful guys who are just having fun with their talent.  Please support them if you have a chance to buy their clothes.

About Me.

This post has nothing to do with the newest music or an amazing new Filipino flick or a cool event around town.  If you don't already know,  I'm not in the Philippines yet, but I intend to either relocate there (I currently live in New York City) or live there for an extended period of time (like six months).

Let's just say that this blog started earlier than it should have, but that's the excitement of it all, getting ready and preparing myself for my next big adventure.  Who knows how long I will end up there and how long this blog will last.  However, I guarantee you that these posts will remain informative for the time being, and that it'll be a natural progression from researching about Metro Manila to actually immersing myself in the culture.

So, for now at least, my posts will be research I've found on the internet, etc.  But to give you my street credibility on all things Filipino, I am a pure-blooded Filipino and I did go to high school in the Philippines almost 20 years ago.   And the Philippines I knew back then is a vastly different place from what it is now.  I remember it being a much more conservative and insular place, although American influence has always been a big driving force within the culture.   These days with the the more rapid spread of information via the internet, Western influence is even more pronounced than it ever has been. Which is why it surprises me how Manila often reminds me of Los Angeles these days.

This topic of  Western influence, of immigration and of the balikbayan (a term used for Filipinos returning to the home country after being away for awhile) has always been on my mind.  To explain a little bit about my background, I immigrated with my family when I was only three years old.  But even after moving, Filipino culture has always been a  part of my life.  For example, my family has never really lost its ties with the Philippines ( and I think I find this true with most Filipino immigrants).  Since I was little, my dad has always gone back once or twice a year for long stretches of time ( between three to six months).  My two older sisters went to high school there while us two younger brothers studied in the States.  Then, when my sisters went to college in the States, it was my turn to study high school in the Philippines.  We were never really a family that grew up together, and I sometimes often blame that on either the Philippines and our inability to lose ties with it or the mere fact that we immigrated to begin with.

Nonetheless, I am learning to embrace the idea that I do have two homes, that I do have the possibility of understanding two cultures very intimately.  And I think that my American influence and Filipino influence will translate into the events, art and culture that I blog about.  So read on, I hope...