EC Is the Newest Filipino Brand You Need on Your Radar
There's no shortage of clothing brands out there today. Instead of making it easier, however, many of these fast-fashion labels have become clones with nothing new to offer. EC, a new brand by Stacy Rodriguez and Carlos del Prado, is working with fashion in a slower, newer, and simpler way.
What started as a conversation between the couple turned into a six-piece collection of clothes. The result? Unisex garments that defy seasons. Inspired by travel and utility, EC's debut collection "Vol. 1" comes from the two's idea of a couple making their way out of town and not putting too much thought in the clothes in their suitcase. Here, the two designers talk about how they got started, their debut collection, and slow fashion.
ESQUIRE: What made you guys decide to start EC?
STACY RODRIGUEZ & CARLOS DEL PRADO: EC came out of a continuing conversation we were both having about clothes. Coming up with a name was simple enough as using the first letters of our names. And it sounds “easy,” which is how we wanted the clothes to be. We just figured it would be a nice time to work on some things together, along with the fact that we had friends giving us little nudges to start something together.
ESQ: How would you describe the brand overall?
EC: A simple but considered set of unisex garments made to be worn regardless of season.
ESQ: Where did you guys draw inspiration from with the collection?
EC: These are six items of clothing that were based on mostly on some traditional cuts we love with some detailing we looked for in the market but couldn’t find. Basically, we made clothes we wanted for ourselves.
ESQ: Stacy, what was it like to go from designing a women's brand to doing menswear?
SR: I’ve always been interested in menswear but was always very intimidated by it, but Carlos’ almost geek level of knowledge was a good confidence boost for me. I really felt like I could learn from him and I’m always up for a new adventure—challenges and all.
ESQ: What are some of your favorite pieces from the collection?
SR: If it wasn’t us and I had to choose, I’d buy the travel jacket. I love the ivory twill we used for it and the pockets are so useful! Second would be the travel pant.
CDP: The travel pant and overshirt. I love me some pockets and looser silhouettes.
ESQ: I understand you want EC to be worn regardless of seasons. Is slow fashion something that's important to you both?
SR: Yes, I’m a firm believer that good things come to those who wait.
CDP: We like to give things some time, a bit of breathing room you could say. And that time allows us to make tweaks and to not stress out the production line so much as well.
ESQ: What does EC bring to the market that is otherwise missing?
EC: There’s a lot of people doing a lot of different things—good things—in the local market now. We wanted to add our voice to the conversation, and to let that bring us to places as well in terms of what we can do next with EC.
ESQ: What are your future plans?
EC: We are taking things step by step but for now we are working on our next few pop-ups to build our clientele at the same time working on our second collection. We’ve got some ideas in mind and the people who have gotten in touch and interacted with us have given us a lot to think about as well. We’re excited about what comes next and what’s possible.
Photography by Mac Villaluna
Models Philippe Magalona and Tina Ong
