Dictators of Taste | The Men behind Waldorfs Manila
Harley Magsino and Jinggo Inoncillo at the Philippine Fashion Week
We agree. Fashion is not something the society dictates. It's not something that someone can impose. But Waldorfs Manila is something you would consider to be the definition of fashion.
Amazed on how the Brooklyn bridge connects the downtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side in New York city and of course with a little touch of Gossip Girl, the duo of Harley Magsino and Jinggo Inoncillo began sketching the backbone of Waldorfs Manila.
Funny how these two brilliant minds meet, they used to be schoolmates in high school but never met each other. Scheming started everything. H and J, as how they refer to each other basically have that urge to pull surprises, make it big and bring the Filipino fashion scene globally.
Jinggo Inoncillo a graduate of fashion designing at Fashion Institute of the Philippines started his career as a protege to one of the country's top fashion designer, Ronaldo Arnaldo. Slowly but surely, Inoncillo is drafting his own style in the world of fashion designing. Block patterns, print abstraction and 3D floral prints are some of his works which a man would love to have in his closet but would not feel any bit less masculine. The combinations the young designer is pulling off are basically signs of how a risk-taker he can be. He just won't let you stop him from what he is about to do.
Harley Magsino on the other hand is a graduated BS Information Technology at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. He started out his career as a cable installer learning the ropes of the IT world and eventually being a solutions consultant in the industry he is in. Magsino used to work for a big retail company in the country and gained the entrepreneur characteristics along the way. The idea of concept stores interest him the most.
"It's a family thing." Inoncillo said when I had the chance talk to him. "Meeting H is like adding a brother to the family and that's how we treat Waldorfs Manila. Everyone we meet along the way is part of the family. The designers, the minions as how we call our role models and the staff, they are all family." He added.
"One day I woke up and open my closet and see Kleins, Hilfigers and other foreign brands. Suddenly I asked a question to myself on why can't we Filipinos wear our own. So the movement to support home-grown creations started eating portion of my mind that belongs to fashion. Fashion is not expensive. It gives your money the best possible value." Magsino said.
"We've been an OJT for a couple of years and with that we both understand the feeling of having someone who is veteran enough to the industry guide you to success. That's why we encourage the young folks who are starting a career in fashion designing to join the family as well. It's a great moral boost that you get to house your creation in the same shop where your designer inspiration is."
"We just wanted to try it out. We don't want to end our youthful years sitting on the booth we used to drink thinking about what ifs in our lives. That's how we see fashion and that's how fashion acts in us. Not only in the clothes we wear but also in the personality we bring." As we wrap up the conversation.
Waldorfs Manila does not dictate you what to wear. It makes YOU dictate to yourself what you should wear. That's the state of mind these men want you to live in.
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