
Filipino fashion designer Rajo Laurel collaborates with homegrown brand Casa Juan for a dinnerware collection featuring his fashion illustrations.Â
The arrival of his first line of special plates couldn't be more timely as holiday parties are now happening. Many of the so-called platitos and plantitas are now taking their share of the limelight with their passion for plates.
"I have always dreamed of having my own designs on dinnerware," the designer says. "As a person who loves to entertain and tablescapes, I cannot wait to share this with my family and friends."
Just like a perfect closet staple, Rajo wants the design of the dinnerware collection to be versatile for it to be easily mixed and matched with different table settings and party themes. The dinner plates present his sketches in Japanese brushstrokes, depicting images of women in billowing silhouettes, elegantly poised in their blank canvas, all tinted hues of black and white.
"I wanted to create something collectible. I thought of a person's wardrobe when I was designing the plates," Rajo says. "For my first collection, I immediately thought of my sketches, as these are where everything begins. I thought of the fundamental 'DNA' of my design aesthetics… you will see nuances of my design vocabulary with each stroke and line."
With the collection, the noted fashion designer also aims to encourage people to support #FilipinoFashionFridays. The online initiative celebrates the local fashion scene highlighting the works of Filipino fashion designers and artisans in light of the perils brought by the pandemic to industry.
"This is the perfect opportunity to invite and encourage you to join us in this initiative," he says. "Let's empower the Filipino fashion industry and inspire each other by sharing a Filipino-made piece (old or new) and posting a photo or video. celebrate our creativity as a nation and champion its preservation."
Plantitas, it's time to bring fashion to your table!
Visit @casajuanmnl on Instagram to order.