AS one of the country’s most in-demand and dynamic fashion designers, Rajo Laurel has enough clout to advance his advocacies. “I am on the board of the Asian Cultural Council. We work very closely with the Rockefeller family in looking for funding to give grants to artists so they will be able to pursue their dreams. I also have several scholars that I put through college through my alumni association at La Salle, where I graduated from college. It has a very good scholarship program that I fully support. I am also in the process of celebrating my 15 years in fashion with a big celebration, and I would like to raise funds for the Philippine Red Cross, as I am a strong advocate of this,” the big-hearted designer says breathlessly.

In the midst of preparing for his collections for the Fashion and Design of the Philippines gala and for Fashion Watch, Laurel still found time to lend his talent to another worthwhile undertaking. He accepted the challenge of helping the women of Payatas, already known as capable weavers of rugs, to create something more stylish and trendy.

“I believe in serendipity! One day I received a call asking if I could help advice how the products of this Jesuit advocacy group, called Simbahan Lingkod sa Bayan, could be improved.  They were doing some rugs! I thought to myself, why not uplift the raw material and create something more fabulous than a floor mat or a rug?  I am a fashion designer and this is what I do and this is what I know,” relates the designer who dresses Regine Velasquez, Tessa Prieto Valdez and Lea Salonga.

“So I used my creative energy and transformed the rugs into something fashionable! It is very fulfilling as it has a tremendous positive impact on various levels: social, economical and environmental,” he says. “I do not earn anything from this venture, but just the thought that, in some way, I helped improve the lives of these families in Payatas, is very rewarding for me.”

The women of the infamous dumpsite, greatly encouraged by Laurel’s infectious enthusiasm, converted scraps of clothing into essential fashion accessories like totes, envelope clutches, vanity kits, purses, shoulder bags and pouches. They also made wine holders, eyeglass cases, laptop holders and yoga-mat bags.

“I train them, I do the prototype in my studio and I have the women copy it,” Laurel says. “I take into consideration the quality of the product and I make sure that it passes my standard of excellence.”

The collection is called R2R by Rajo Laurel. Rags2Riches is a social business enterprise that helps the Payatas women “get the true worth of their hard work, facilitates how they can get from being mere laborers into entrepreneurs, from poverty to potential wealth, and from rags to riches.” R2R by Rajo Laurel is the designer series of Rags2Riches. It is a limited-edition fashion collection, of which Laurel is the season’s featured designer

In a statement, R2R executive director Reese Fernandez says, “We want to bring out the best in the women of Payatas, so it does not need to be a ‘pity buy’ on the part of customers. That’s when you buy the item only because you feel sorry for the people who made them. That is not true in their case. These women are dignified individuals who are very creative in their own right. What they need is an opportunity to manifest their skills.”

Now known as Knotty Purses, the fashion accessories were part of fast-casual dining Max’s Restaurants’ Mother’s Day offerings. (Incidentally, Laurel designs the uniforms of Max’s employees.) With a minimum order of P1,500, dine-in and delivery customers received the hand-woven purse as a free gift to delight mothers on their special day. Before the R2R campaign to rid Payatas of its poverty, the women made foot rugs and sold them for P8 each, earning P1 for every rug sold.

With Max’s and its customers’ “cycle of kindness,” the women of Payatas were given the chance to earn P800 to P1,500 a week, because of the volume of orders for their painstakingly handcrafted creations. “I hope and pray that this will be done by other communities,” Laurel implores. “Presently, we are hoping that others will follow suit.”

As this advocacy has caught on, the raw materials and retazo from clothing factories and textile companies are getting scarce. “The scraps are sourced everywhere, but we are running out of  scraps, so if there are any people who have factories who want to help out, please call me or the Rags2Riches Foundation,” Laurel pleads.

For more information:

http://www.maxschicken.com (Max’s Restaurant)

http://www.r2r.slb.ph (Rags2Riches)

http://www.rajolaurel.com (House of Laurel)

Elegance With a Conscience

AS one of the country’s most in-demand and dynamic fashion designers, Rajo Laurel has enough clout to advance his advocacies. “I am on the board of the Asian Cultural Council.

Fasten your seat belts, it’s Fashion Week

THE annual spectacle of sublime fashion and Philippine Fashion Week, certainly the country’s longest-running fashion event, once more brings the spotlight on the artistry and talent of local designers beginning today, May 26, until June 3, now in its new and bigger home, the SMX Convention Center and the SM Mall of Asia.

Gab Fab: Seeing color and ‘Iron Man’

I HAVE a bruise on my head for hitting it too many times. I hit myself because I should have watched Iron Man sooner. I didn’t watch it on opening day or even opening week because I foolishly dismissed it to be another hero movie.

Eastwood’s ‘Changeling’ goes for gold at Cannes festival

CANNES—With all of his Academy Awards and other Hollywood honors, Clint Eastwood is not necessarily in the market for more prizes. He’ll never shy away from a contest, though, including the one at the world’s most prestigious film showcase.

Madonna to show film at Michael Moore’s festival

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan—Madonna’s new film on the impoverished nation of Malawi has wowed another maker of documentaries: Michael Moore.