RHETT EALA, THE COUNTRY'S TOP TRENDSETTER: 'I WANT FASHION TO BE EASY AND DEMOCRATIC'

Do you remember the time when we wore miniature Philippine maps on our shirts, close to our hearts? Almost every Filipino wore these shirts, feeling nationalist minus the stiff piña barong or terno sleeves.

- MILLET M. MANANQUIL

Red Charity Gala movers Kaye Tinga, Tessa Prieto and Ben Chan with 2025 designer Rhett Eala and guest model Piolo Pascual. This year's beneficiaries are the Philippine Red Cross, Assumption HS 81 Foundation, Hope for Lupus Foundation and Cebu earthquake victims.

Balikbayans devoured them and brought them everywhere to their compatriots who were aching for vestiges of home in their lonely diaspora.

The designer behind this mini-map trend, which soon reached Greenhills tiangges and Baclaran markets, is Rhett Eala.

That's the same Rhett Eala who made poncho tops fashionable after he was a bestselling RTW designer at Rustan's. The one who put wide lace bands at the hem of tops and skirts in printed brocade.

The one who, for years now, has made our patriotic dressing easier with the short terno tops easily opened in front or the back, in user-friendly fabrics. And now, his kimono-style tops with different prints and amusing Filipiniana appliques continue to give us stylish comfort and warmth.

Clearly, Rhett Eala is the country's trend setter. Is he a fashion dictator? Yes and no. Whatever he designs, naturally sells. But to be a dictator? No, because he says his mantra is: "To keep learning from life and be humble."

Rhett Eala is actually the sum total of his vision, his journey and his travails.