Philip Rodriguez: So money

MANILA, Philippines - Philip Rodriguez’s rich-looking collection of suits has an equally affluent inspiration. “I just came from Europe and I was inspired by the trip,” the designer shares. “I wanted the looks to project the lifestyle of the old rich, the ones who have the French Riviera and the Hamptons as their playgrounds.”

A great-fitting suit, of course, can instantly elevate a man’s look and standing. Rodriguez takes it further, though, by showing that a suit can take a man anywhere, from a Manhattan office boardroom to the waterfront boulevards of Cannes to an opulent ancestral home in the middle of a ranch in South America. Less stuffy and more sortie, Rodriguez’s suits ­— made of linen, burlap, and twill — have the ease and carefree grace seen on guys who are comfortable with their money. “The scarves add to that feel,” he adds. The designer also elevates a local classic into the rich playboy’s club, as for the collection’s last look, he incorporated the barong into the three-piece suit. Layered it under a structured jacket paired with relaxed fit linen pants, the barong fits right in with the dandy English look. “Valentino has already done a barong for the ladies in one of his collections,” Rodriguez reasons. “Why not do the same for the men?”