Rajo Laurel (Raymund Joseph Laurel)

Background

Raymund Joseph “Rajo” Laurel was born in Manila, Philippines, in 1971 and comes from the Laurel and Teves families, which have longstanding political and business associations in the country. He is the grandson of Negros Oriental politician Herminio Guivelondo Teves and the nephew of former Philippine finance secretary Margarito Gary B. Teves.

Laurel has said that his interest in clothing developed early. As a young stage actor, he became interested in the expressive power of costume and decided by the age of eleven that he wanted to become a fashion designer. He has credited designer Louie Mamengo as an early mentor.

Education

Laurel attended De La Salle Santiago Zobel School in Muntinlupa City. He later studied fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Central Saint Martins in London, institutions associated with professional design training and the international fashion industry.

His education combined Philippine experience with training in two major fashion centers. The Fashion Institute of Technology has long specialized in applied education for fashion, design, business, and related creative industries, while Central Saint Martins is known for experimental art and design education within the University of the Arts London.

Career

Laurel began his professional fashion career in 1993 and held his first international exhibition in 1994. His early work developed from apprenticeship and design training into couture and ready-to-wear collections that combined contemporary silhouettes with Philippine materials, embroidery, and textile traditions.

He founded House of Laurel, a Manila fashion house, and later developed related businesses under the Rajo Laurel group. House of Laurel presents made-to-order couture and ready-to-wear clothing, while Rajo Laurel Enterprises supports design-led fashion activities. Laurel et Ross Enterprises produces corporate uniforms for hotels, offices, restaurants, and other organizations. Laurel serves as creative director and chief executive of House of Laurel and oversees the RAJO ready-to-wear line.

Laurel's notable collections and exhibitions have included Optical Illusions in 2001, Habi in 2004, and the Odore di Feminina presentation at the Alliance Française de Manille's Five Senses Fashion Show in 2007. His documented international appearances include the Philippine Centennial Show in Sydney in 1997, the Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Exhibition in New York in 2001, the Ties That Bind Shanghai-Philippines Expositions in 2003, and Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week in 2004 and 2005. He has also designed for corporate and fashion-related clients and has created garments worn by prominent figures including Tyra Banks and Dayanara Torres.

Laurel became a television personality through fashion programs. He appeared on Philippines' Next Top Model in 2007 and served as a judge on Project Runway Philippines, beginning with its first seasons in 2008 and 2009 and continuing in later seasons. Project Runway Philippines adapted the international fashion-competition format for Philippine television, bringing design critique and runway presentation to a broad local audience. From 2022, Laurel joined the judging panel of Drag Race Philippines, a Philippine adaptation of the international drag-performance competition.

Achievements

• Laurel established a sustained fashion career beginning in 1993 and developed House of Laurel into a Philippine fashion house offering made-to-order couture and ready-to-wear clothing.

• His collections and exhibitions, including Optical Illusions, Habi, and Odore di Feminina, brought avant-garde presentation, Philippine textiles, embroidery, and applied craft into contemporary fashion settings.

• Laurel expanded his professional work beyond personal couture into ready-to-wear fashion and corporate-uniform manufacturing through businesses associated with the Rajo Laurel group.

• He helped bring fashion design criticism to Philippine television through long-running judging roles on Project Runway Philippines and Drag Race Philippines.

Works

• fashion collection

  • Odore di Feminina

    (A couture collection presented at the Alliance Française ...)

    2007
  • Archivo

    (A retrospective collection presented at the 2026 Fashion ...)

    2026
  • RAJOMAN: Pieces of Me

    (Laurel's first menswear collection, presented at BYS Fash...)

    2024

  • Habi

    (A 2004 collection presented at the residence of the Briti...)

    2004

  • Optical Illusions

    (A Laurel fashion collection presented in 2001 and associa...)

    2001

Views

Laurel's design philosophy connects contemporary fashion with Philippine cultural and material traditions. His work emphasizes craftsmanship, intricate detail, and the combination of contrasting qualities such as hardness and softness, while his public comments express support for sustainability and a slower pace of fashion production.

Quotations: "I see it as a specialty boutique because we offer limited pieces per style."

Personality

Laurel has described himself as strongly committed to design, craftsmanship, and continuous creative development. In discussing fashion's future, he has advocated a slower approach that gives greater value to durable clothing and considered production.

Quotes from others about the person

• Laurel has described fashion as a lifelong calling and has identified costume as an early source of his interest in design. He has also said that one of his proudest accomplishments is providing employment and security for people working in his businesses.

Interests

• Laurel has expressed interest in sustainability, Philippine textiles, craftsmanship, and the relationship between fashion, identity, and culture.

Connections

Laurel is the grandson of Herminio Guivelondo Teves and the nephew of Margarito Gary B. Teves, a former Philippine secretary of finance. He co-founded and operates House of Laurel with his sister Venisse Laurel-Hermano.

His sisters Venisse Laurel-Hermano and Gela Laurel-Stehmeier have collaborated with him on later brand and collection development. The Laurel family is also connected to former Philippine president Jose P. Laurel through the broader Laurel family line.

Grandfather:

Herminio Guivelondo Teves

A Negros Oriental politician described as Laurel's grandfather.

Uncle:

Margarito Gary B. Teves

A former Philippine secretary of finance and Laurel's uncle.

Sister:

Venisse Laurel-Hermano

A business collaborator and co-founder associated with House of Laurel.

Sister:

Gela Laurel-Stehmeier

A makeup artist and collaborator on later Rajo Laurel collections and brand projects.

References

• Rajo Laurel Official Biography The designer's official biography describing his training, businesses, design practice, and roles at House of Laurel, RAJO, Rajo Laurel Enterprises, and Laurel et Ross Enterprises.
• Rajo Laurel A profile documenting Laurel's education, House of Laurel, awards, Project Runway Philippines appearances, Drag Race Philippines role, sustainability views, and creative collaborations.
• Meet The Tribe: Rajo Laurel An interview and profile covering Laurel's early interest in fashion, education, House of Laurel, international clients, employment achievements, and views on slow fashion.
  2019
• RAJO LAUREL BIO A professional biography describing Laurel's training, fashion and entrepreneurship awards, Project Runway Philippines judging role, and design philosophy.
• Rajo Laurel's Archivo: Beauty at Fashion Week Asia 2026 An account of Laurel's Archivo retrospective collection and his reflection on more than three decades of fashion design.
  2026