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What does it mean to dress well in the Philippines these days? Increasingly, the answer isn’t about wearing menswear pieces flown in from elsewhere. Its barongs tuned into pop culture, funky shoes by Marikina cobblers with generations of craftsmanship behind them, and fabrics built to survive the tropics. Local brands and designers are creating menswear for how we actually live in the country, often sourcing locally, and using heritage as inspiration.
Here are six FilipinoFilipinoThe national language of the Philippines, widely used for communication, education, media, and culture.Go to Filipino Glossary brands, both old and new, to look out for this year.
Sports Paradise
On their Instagram bio, Sports Paradise calls themselves “The House of Shorts.” That’s an apt description. Even though they’ve added tops, totes, and caps to their catalog, they’re best known for their vintage-inspired basketball shorts, which they release regularly in small quantities across various fabrications and colorways. Last year alone, they had 27 drops totalling over 100 items. One recent standout is their Disco Paraiso collection, a board short collaboration with Alima Worldwide, a local brand rooted in Philippine surf culture.
Sonoma
Sonoma reimagines preppy, country club style for the Philippines from its home base of San Pedro City, Laguna. Finding inspiration in old-school rugby uniforms, retro resortwear, and vintage athletic gear, the brand reworks these influences into unisex cuts using fabrics that are ideal for the country’s humidity and heat. Think lightweight polo shirts with golf motifs, breathable rugby knits, and patchwork jackets.
De Tsino
Founded by Yves Bautista, De Tsino is known for its tailor-made shirts, often using deadstock buttons, unique textiles, and boxy cuts, with designs inspired by old advertisements, movies, and grandmothers’ wardrobes. Its focus on tops makes sense, since its name plays on the camisa de chino, the FilipinoFilipinoThe national language of the Philippines, widely used for communication, education, media, and culture.Go to Filipino Glossary collarless undershirt worn by workers since the Spanish colonial era.
Randolf
Randolf, the fashion label by designer RJ Santos, is one of the most recognizable names in modern barongs, known for its motifs drawn from everything from pop culture (Kim Kardashian’s 2012 viral crying photo, Pokémon, and tattoo-inspired designs) to whatever song was playing in Santos’ car that week. The label has been at it for more than a decade, releasing both prêt-à-porter and bespoke pieces.
Bowy by Merakibowy
Bowy is the menswear line of Merakibowy, a Manila-based label by Caitlin de Guzman, made mostly of deadstock fabrics and built around bohemian silhouettes. Debuting in December 2025, the brand brings its signature polished yet soft aesthetic to men’s clothing, leaning on texture and relaxed tailoring instead of anything stiff.
Thy Roots
Based in Marikina, the footwear capital of the country, Thy Roots is a footwear label founded by Schan Cruz, whose grandparents started the family’s shoemaking business. The brand draws on age-old leather craft to create fun, contemporary designs: suede wallabies, leopard-print clogs, woven loafers, and tabi-style lace-ups. Every pair is handcrafted in its Marikina workshop by local artisans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Notable Filipino menswear labels include Sports Paradise for vintage-inspired basketball shorts, Sonoma for tropical-adapted preppy staples, De Tsino for tailored shirts, Randolf for modern barongs, Bowy by Merakibowy for relaxed bohemian tailoring, and Thy Roots for handcrafted Marikina footwear.
Randolf is a fashion label by designer RJ Santos known for reinterpreting the barong with pop-culture-inspired motifs, ranging from viral internet moments to Pokémon and tattoo-style designs. The label has operated for more than a decade, offering both ready-to-wear and bespoke pieces.
De Tsino, founded by Yves Bautista, takes its name from the camisa de chino, a collarless undershirt historically worn by Filipino workers since the Spanish colonial era. The brand is known for tailor-made shirts using deadstock buttons and unique textiles.
Marikina is known as the footwear capital of the Philippines, home to generations of shoemaking craftsmanship. Thy Roots, founded by Schan Cruz, continues this legacy with handcrafted designs like suede wallabies and woven loafers made by local artisans in Marikina workshops.
Many Filipino menswear labels build clothing specifically for local humidity and heat, using breathable fabrics and lightweight cuts. Sonoma, for example, reworks preppy and athletic-inspired silhouettes using materials suited to the Philippines’ climate rather than importing designs made for temperate weather.
