Real women represented in RAJO Store holiday collection

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Rajo Laurel collaborates with his sisters

THE RAJO STORE has new designs for ready-to-wear pieces which were recently unveiled by Rajo Laurel along with his sisters Venisse Laurel-Hermano and Gela Laurel-Stehmeier, who helped the fashion designer keep things real.

The collection is meant to mark the 10th anniversary of the store. The pieces, first showcased in a fashion show for family, friends, and the press on Oct. 14, are now available at the store in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati.

Known as the 2025 holiday collection, the new pieces also mark the first time the three siblings have collaborated.

Mr. Laurel had previously worked with them in different capacities — Ms. Laurel-Hermano, who is his chief operations officer, and Ms. Laurel-Stehmeier, who is a famed makeup artist. This is the first time they all worked together on fashion design.

Notably, the collection consists of essential wardrobe pieces that are classic and contemporary. One example is an A-line black knit dress that flatters multiple body types.

At the show, the designs that turned heads included a crisp cotton button-down shirt accented with organza piping, and — a favorite of the sisters — a wide-leg cropped trousers elevated with sleek side panels.

Compared to previous RAJO Store designs, the new collection leans toward practicality and accessibility, accounting for a broader range of sizes and colors.

For Mr. Laurel, the collection is built on a philosophy of intentional design. It is meant to “create empowering pieces that encourage consumers to buy smarter.”

DESIGNED FOR REAL WOMEN
By drawing inspiration from the lives and perspectives of his sisters, the holiday collection is meant to be suited to modern lifestyles.

“It’s our 10th anniversary. Like with anything, it’s always nice to reinvent yourself and refresh,” Mr. Laurel told BusinessWorld at the store reopening before the fashion show. “The newest thing is that my sisters are involved in the design process. That’s why, in terms of collaboration, you’ll notice [the designs] all look more real.”

He explained that he tends to design with the fantasy that everyone is 5’10” and 100 pounds. “My sisters were telling me, ‘Rajo, not everyone is like that, you know!,’ and so that’s reflected in the designs.”

The process was more rigorous as a result. “Ideas were tested, decisions were questioned, but the direction became clearer with every step,” according to Mr. Laurel.

Meanwhile, Ms. Laurel-Hermano, who usually works behind-the-scenes in operations, added: “Rajo and I never crossed each other’s areas of work until now. The great thing about Rajo is that he’s adaptable. He listens. I’m a career mother, so fashion, to me, must be practical, versatile, and timeless.”

Ms. Laurel-Stehmeier added that, as the “creative at heart,” her role was to push the boundaries.

“I question everything… details, cuts, colors, fabrics. The beautiful thing about collaborating with family is we can be vulnerable and honest. We find creative solutions together,” she said.

REIMAGINED SPACE
The boutique space itself was reimagined to be aligned with the new collection, its architecture and layout more fluid. For Mr. Laurel, another notable thing is how the line is no longer “gender-controlled.”

“It’s for men, women, trans — everybody’s welcome. It used to be segregated into genders, but now it is completely for all genders,” he said.

He concluded that having his sisters’ creative voices in the dialogue fostered “a conversation of sorts … from a solo act now to a trio, a synergy of voices making it all complex and nuanced.”

“With this particular collection, my sisters are representing real women with real lives. They’re working mothers with full lives, and they need clothes. When they told me they wanted to do this because they lack things in their wardrobe, I said, ‘this is it; if you need it, other people will need it too,’” he said.

Mr. Laurel recommended the collection’s envelope pants and the convertible jacket that can be used for day and for night.

The Holiday 2025 Collection is available at The RAJO Store, 2nd Level Power Plant Mall, Makati City. — Brontë H. Lacsamana