CARL JAN CRUZ

PHILIPPINES

Born on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, Carl Jan Cruz grew up between London and Manila. “When I started at the London College of Fashion, I was the cliché student who thought I wanted to do womenswear. But with my tutors’ help, I identified my obsession for construction and t that directed me towards menswear.” His brand emerged in his nal course year, composed of garments “that I would have wanted in my own wardrobe” and which were deeply inspired by Filipino culture: “I developed most of the Filipinomade textiles by referencing archive imagery and clothes rooted in Manila. We Filipinos are very practical culturally, so shopping is more of a necessity than a pastime. A strong made-to-order culture has been a perfect template for fashion businesses here for decades. Embracing it has enabled me to reaect on how I want to make my clothes, as well as how to design the company.” Describing his collection as a visual autobiography, the designer also looks to the Asian country for his choice of materials. Moving forward, the designer aims to develop the #carljancrewz “tribe” globally, but also locally thanks to the collaboration with “our first stockist in the Philippines – Tropa Store – whom we truly believe in and resonate with”. For the new generation of Filipino designers, he hopes “there will be more interest in opening up a dialogue about emerging designers’ goals and struggles”. •

carljancruz.com @carljancruz