EVEN nondenim believers will find a reason to worship True Religion, the jeans brand steadily preaching its design philosophy to local fashionistas. Barely a year after its launch at the Shangri-La Mall East Wing, the upscale label opened its flagship store at the snobbish S Maison in Conrad Manila, Mall of Asia Complex.
“The brand is suited to the location, and the brand mix here is good,” says Raphael Earvin Bernardo, president of Trueglobal Imex Trading Inc., the exclusive distributor of True Religion in the Philippines. “We will also be opening another store at SM Seaside Cebu in October.”
Is the brand looking at expanding its presence some more? “Not really. The brand needs to be where its competitors are, so we need strategic locations.” Their competitors, Bernardo discloses, are 7 For All Mankind, Diesel, Replay, Armani Jeans and Porsche Design. These are brands with price points for a pair of jeans that run from P12,000 to P25,000.
True Religion originated in the Los Angeles denim scene, immediately revolutionizing the denim industry. “With its five-needle thread at two-stitch-per-inch process, our Super T stitch was instantly recognized for style that was unlike any other denim brand in the world,” the company boasts at www.truereligion.com.
It doesn’t aim to convert everybody who’s into denim, though. “True Religion is not for everyone. We have this identity that we are bold. Some people can’t wear True Religion because it might not fit their personality,” Bernardo admits.
Is it for the AB market? “A, because we have a leather jacket worth P51,000. I believe the cheapest for the men’s is around P14,000.” Do they sell well? “Yes.” Who buys? “Those familiar with the brand, especially those who go to the US. The travelers. And fashion icons.”
Among the best-selling items for men are the Rocco Skinny Moto Men’s Jean in Blue Misfit (P24,983) and the Geno Slim Men’s Jean in Lost Horizon (P18,908). For the women, there’s the Casey Super Skinny jean in Ozone Rinse (P12,833) and the midrise jeans (Halle Skinny in Worn Vintage, P14,352; and Jennie Bootcut in Native Ora Clean, P15,111).
Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Charlize Theron and George Clooney count as True Religion fans. But it was the Black Eyed Peas hit “My Humps” and Megan Fox wearing the Bobby cut-off shorts in the first Transformers movie that catapulted the brand into the mainstream.
Are True Religion enlisting a local celebrity to become an endorser? “Not yet, but we are planning. We’re trying to figure out who’s the best suited for the brand. Derek Ramsey comes into mind,” Bernardo shares. “But we have an international endorser—Russell Westbrook, the National Basketball Association superstar from Oklahoma City. He is the creative director of True Religion. So we have a collection that he designed.”
A Russell Westbrook Rocco Skinny Jean in Street Flex goes for P17,389; an elongated muscle tee, P6,758; an elongated sweater, P13,592; and a double-zip moto jacket, P60,673.
True Religion products (including shirts, tanks, shorts, scarves, activewear, hats and beanies, and bags) are decidedly more expensive than what’s proliferating in the market. What makes them so special? “The material and how they’re made. We have denims that are hand-painted and hand-washed, created by designers from LA. Every month, we have a new merchandise shipment from LA,” Bernardo explains.
Besides its trademark Super T stitch and horseshoe pattern on the jeans’ back pockets, the brand also has the Buddha smile splashed across its shirts. Is True Religion about Buddhism? “No,” Bernardo chuckles. “We have this motto: There are many religions in the world but everybody wears jeans. That’s why there’s True Religion.”