Noel Manapat graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Communication Arts. Aside from starting a creative agency with a friend after college, he juggled two jobs: one in advertising at Lowe Lintas and the other in publishing at Agenda magazine as editor.
While Noel was working at the publication, Bench, an advertiser, called to ask who was behind the shoots for the magazine. The rest, as they say, is Bench history.
Noel started to work on their advertising campaigns, which was how he got into professional styling as a career. Noel is one of the best, if not the best, in his field today. In spite of his success, he remains soft-spoken and humble; yet when asked for advice, he is one to immediately share whatever ideas he has, always happy to help others.
During the pandemic, it wasn’t surprising when he came up with Carmen & Consorcia: an online community kitchen that brings us closer to the best artisanal food products that Pampanga has to offer. With the good quality of food items and innovative packaging, Carmen & Consorcia has a regular clientele and has successfully conquered the online food industry.
Noel comes from a family of professionals: his father, Felix, was a lawyer, his mom, Heidi, worked in government, and his only sibling, Bernadette Heizel, is a medical doctor.
“I am probably the first in the family to work in fashion,” Noel says. “Taking on a freelance career was unheard of in our family, but I was lucky to have been allowed and supported in carving my own path in the field of my choice. Fashion is in a constant change, so we have to keep on learning, adapting, creating and enjoying.”
For Noel, food, clothing, and shelter will always be essentials; thus, there will always be a need for clothing. The bigger challenge for the fashion industry, he shares, is how to provide more value to the products so that the consumer sees and selects it not just because it is essential, but because it holds more value for them, whether in terms of sustainability, status marking, how it helps the community, or simply good design that translates to a feel-good moment.
Asked about his thoughts on the future of the fashion industry during these times, Noel shares these insights:
1. Food, clothing and shelter will always be essentials. Thus, there will always be a need for clothing and there will always be business in fashion.
2. What added value does this shirt or dress provide? I think this is the question we should ask if we want to compete in fashion. Here are a few things to consider:
3. Sustainability is a social responsibility, so brands should integrate it into their agenda. This is a growing concern, especially for the Gen Z market, who will inherit the problems of this earth and it is important to provide them sustainable options.
Designer Russell Villafuerte (StrongVillage) upcycles his unsold inventory and dead-stock fabric to create new, one-of-a-kind pieces. He recently partnered with retail brand Human to upcycle their existing inventory. Bench launched a line called Better Made, a line of apparel and caps with fabrics partly made of recycled PET bottles.
4. Does it help the community? Consumers care who makes their products and what their purchase means to their community.
Collectives like Purveyr and Basic Movement gather together like-minded, young artists and brands and bring them and their audience together through stories, talks, workshops, online shops and pop-ups. Katutubo Pop-Up Market brings together weavers, artisans, designers and brands with distinct Filipino design elements through weekend markets and an online shop.
5. Have a unique voice and a story to tell. It’s a noisy world out there so it is important to have an interesting, relevant story to tell. Designer Lesley Mobo’s foray into the terno and tropical Filipino has become such a distinct visual narrative that fields beyond fashion, such as food, have collaborated with him. Glorious Dias, a purveyor of vintage finds, has elevated the concept by upcycling vintage fabrics into pinafores, wall decor and other products that create new stories from these old pieces.
6. Good design. Will it make you look good? Will it make you feel good? After two years of the pandemic, our future needs all the feel-good moments that fashion or dressing up can provide, whether through just a lounge shirt in comfortable and comforting fabric that you wear at home or occasion wear that is predicted to be a growth category as soon as social freedoms are back in place.
7. Are you online yet? Every online platform now is an opportunity to either show or sell your brand. Beyond online marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee and Zalora, social sites have either features or links or advertising opportunities that will help you reach your market, especially during these times when consumer mobility is hampered by public health regulations. Post-pandemic, social commerce will remain unparalleled in both convenience and innovative engagement.
8. For consumers: I’ve worked with many local designers, from young ones through Bench Design Awards and established ones through Red Charity Gala and have seen firsthand the amount of creativity, hand labor, and time to make a one-of-a-kind piece that is sometimes priced less than a luxury bag or shoe or a phone case. I hope the new, growing luxury consumer base in the Philippines also discovers, lines up for appointments and is willing to pay premium prices to support our local designers.
9. It’s time to set our minds on the metaverse. It will take time to navigate it.
10. The past two years have been challenging for the fashion industry. The pandemic has not only changed the future of fashion brands but has also reshaped the mindsets of the consumers. But while these changes may pose problems, they also present us opportunities. Let us keep our outlook positive.