Streetwear style can be traced back to the ’70s, growing roots from the Californian surf and skating culture, and eventually encompassing other elements of sportswear, hip-hop, and popular culture along the way. Now, streetwear is synonymous with urban culture, with an emphasis of combining comfort with style.
It’s also no longer just a Californian or American trend — the style is seen all over the world, including the Philippines, where a number of homegrown streetwear brands have developed in recent years.
Below are just some shops with their own original urban aesthetics that blend street style with Filipino flair.
1) Team Manila + Daily Grind
Team Manila has been around since 2001, and is now known for its cool, casual graphic tees that have nationalistic themes displayed loud and proud — the brand’s practically bursting with #PinoyPride. The brand logo, for example, is national hero Jose Rizal with sunglasses on.
Its designs draw inspiration from urban lifestyle and culture, and the imagery of the city of Manila.
Its apparel also acts as cheeky reminders of peculiar qualities that are so very Pinoy, like jeepney graphics and Tagalog phrases like “Haba pila (The line’s long).”
They also aren’t afraid of getting political, as seen in their “West Philippine Sea” shirt collection, which shows support for the Philippines’ claim on the disputed area.
The people behind Team Manila also founded Daily Grind in 2005, which carries grunge-style streetwear that appeals to hip-hop and skateboard subcultures. Aside from tees, it has hoodies, fanny packs, clothing patches, guitar picks, and caps, among other accessories.
Prices for Team Manila range from PHP195 (US$3.77) to PHP795 (US$15.25), while prices for Daily Grind range from PHP175 (US$3.38) to PHP1,995 (US$38.28).
FIND IT:
Team Manila has several branches — here are just a few.
Suez & Zapote Gallery, 2631 Zapote cor. Suez St., Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Makati City
Phone: +632 555-1685
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm; Saturday, 10am to 4pm
2/F, SM North EDSA, North Ave. cor. EDSA, Quezon City
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm
3/F, Trinoma, North Ave. cor. EDSA, Quezon City
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10am to 9pm; Friday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm
Phone: +632 9154076
Daily Grind has several branches — here are just a few.
Suez & Zapote Gallery, 2631 Zapote cor. Suez St., Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Makati City
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm; Saturday, 10am to 4pm
Phone: +632 555-1685
G/F, U.P. Town Center, 216 Katipunan Ave., Quezon City
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11am to 9pm; Friday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm
2) Skoop Kommunity
Skoop Kommunity is a local store influenced by Japanese lifestyle brands. It mixes streetwear and athletic wear in its tees, bucket hats, caps, and hoodies.
It’s casual wear for people who want to stay trendy — but not get too mainstream, either.
Prices range from PHP499 (US$9.57) to PHP2,199 (US$42.18).
3) Support Your Friends
Support Your Friends (SYF) is a brand which asks people to, well, “support your friends” by choosing locally designed and produced products. It offers casual hoodies, jackets, and sweatshirts with different iterations of the brand’s logo.
It also has a line of athletic wear inspired by ’90s fashion. This includes jersey tracksuits, sweatpants, and striped tees that all have a retro feel.
Some designs have the words “Support Your Friends” or “SYF” incorporated with logos of popular Filipino brands like these Hen Lin and Potato Corner shirts. Potato Corner is a French fries stall from the Philippines which has a cult-like following, while Hen Lin is known for selling quick meals like dim sum, siopao, and noodles.
Prices range from to PHP200 (US$3.84) to PHP6,000 (US$115.06).
4) Don’t Blame the Kids
Don’t Blame the Kids (DBTK) is a lifestyle and clothing brand that’s been making waves since it started as a passion project for brothers Vince and Emil Javier in February 2012. They have a straightforward message: Don’t blame the kids if they want to follow their passion and do their own thing.
DBTK offers tees, jackets, hoodies, caps, slides, phone cases, and fanny packs, among other accessories.
Previously only an online store, DBTK opened its flagship store in Quezon City in 2014 and is now a go-to streetwear brand in Manila with stylish, youthful designs repping its message.
Prices range from PHP70 (US$1.34) to PHP 4,390 (US$84.21).
FIND IT:
DBTK is located at 38-A Shorthorn St. Project 8, Quezon City
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 8pm; Sunday, 12pm to 6pm
Phone: +63 9065930970
5) The Twelfth House
The Twelfth House is a lifestyle brand that crafts well-detailed, minimalist garments. Their products consist of button-downs, t-shirts, and outerwear, among others. It’s one of the mainstays in the hip and cool Cubao Expo in Quezon City where vintage, bric-a-brac, and collectors’ shops are found.
Prices range from PHP300 (US$5.76) to PHP2,500 (US$47.95).
FIND IT:
The Twelfth House is at Unit 3, Cubao Expo, Gen. Romulo Ave., Cubao, Quezon City
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 3pm to 9pm; Friday to Saturday, 3pm to 11pm
6) Nobody Clothing
Nobody Clothing is streetwear apparel that aims to express a person’s aspirations — and angst — through artful designs.
The merch — ranging from casual tees to hoodies — is casual and for those who don’t want to seem like they’re trying to impress.
In its brand manifesto posted on Instagram, it says: “There is a quiet place where passion exists just as intensely as it does in the midst of all the noise, and that’s usually where we go … It’s not a hideaway. There is nothing to hide from. We’re no different, and we’re no rebels. But this place — it allows us the freedom to impress no one, to stand on a platform and remain unseen. Life unfolds around us, but our existence happens elsewhere. We wear our passion quietly amidst the constant buzz.”
Prices range from PHP500 (US$9.67) to PHP850 (US$16.31).
FIND IT:
Nobody Clothing is at Somewhere 1109, Unit 24, Cubao Expo, Cubao, Quezon City
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 4pm to 11pm
7) Staff Co.
Staff Co.’s pieces are inspired by workwear clothes with minimalist designs.
They play with monochromatic designs and offer shirts, sweaters, shorts, and pants.
Prices range from PHP495 (US$9.57) to PHP1,995 (US$38.28).
8) Factory
Factory is inspired by the late Andy Warhol’s studio of the same name, with vintage and retro-inspired threads that look like they came straight from the 1960s and 1970s. Their pieces also reference Manila culture, like the limited edition red postcard jacket featuring places in the Philippines like Baguio City, Palawan, and Mindanao, among others.
Their statement denim jackets are popular among the fashionable set, and they also have tees and caps that are equally charming.
Prices range from PHP990 (US$19.14) to PHP4,500 (US$86.35).
9) Royalty
Royalty clothing has been a longtime heavyweight champ in Manila’s streetwear game. It puts a modern twist to graphic tees with Japanese-inspired images and loud anime-style doodles. The local brand founded in 2013 has tees that can easily be mixed and matched without the danger of clashing designs.
It also has bowler shirts in solid colors, stripes, and floral patterns made with breathable fabric to help those who don’t want to be bothered by the Philippines’ year-round heat.
Prices range from PHP980 (US$18.90) to PHP1,650 (US$31.66).
10) Thy Origins
Thy Origins is an apparel brand which incorporates Greek mythology with its modernized and locally crafted merchandise. They aim to share, educate, and translate folklore through their graphic tees. They also have beanies, bucket hats, and cordura sling bags.
Prices range from PHP550 (US$10.58) to PHP988 (US$18.96).
FIND IT:
Thy Origins is at PURVEYR Post, 1403 Apolinario St., Bangkal, Makati City
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 1pm to 10pm; Saturday to Sunday, 11am to 8pm
11) RUA Apparels
Pronounced “roo-wa,” this streetwear brand values androgyny in its apparel, as well as supporting local crafters and suppliers. Best believe it isn’t for the hype — it believes in slow fashion and doesn’t follow trends.
They have kimono jackets, coats, oversized tees, shorts, and bowler shirts, among others.
Prices range from PHP1,900 (US$36.57) to PHP2,900 (US$55.66).
12) THE
THE is another Cubao Expo mainstay and one of the OG streetwear brands as it was founded in 2007. The items, ranging from shirts to hoodies, are both fierce and minimalist. Many of its products sport iterations of the brand’s logo but some also reference aspects of Philippine subcultures.
THE also does collaborations with fellow local brands like The Twelfth House.
Prices range from PHP800 (US$15.36) to PHP1,500 (US$28.79).
FIND IT:
THE is at Unit 4A, Cubao Expo, Gen.Romulo Ave., Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
13) Our Tenement
Our Tenement is named after a Taguig City basketball court called Tenement Court where locals play. NBA players such as LeBron James and Paul George even visited the court some years back.
Our Tenement pays homage to the ’80s and ’90s culture with its retro and collegiate tees. It has a “Sports Club” collection of tees and basketball shorts.
Prices range from PHP650 (US$12.49) to PHP1,000 (US$19.18).
14) Enimal
Enimal is a streetwear brand from down south in Laguna province that was founded in 2012.
The tees have carefree, visually pleasing doodles. The brand also has button-downs, shirts, hats, jackets, socks, and shoes in vivid colors for those who want to show off their wild side.
Prices range from PHP550 (US$10.57) to PHP1,190 (US$22.84).
FIND IT:
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 1pm to 9pm
Phone: +63 9279573962
15) Killing It Daily
This lifestyle brand makes statement shirts inspired by surf culture with its tropical and neon designs that are perfect for the beach. It calls itself the “grit company,” and incorporates the tagline in some of their products.
Prices range from PHP650 (US$12.50) to PHP750 (US$14.38).
FIND IT:
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 8pm
Phone: +632 4132697
