By Joy Agoylo
Four days.
That was the amount of time between RANDOLF losing his grandfather and welcoming his niece, Sari, into the world. It was a strange stretch of days for any family, one marked by grief, then suddenly by new life, and it stayed with the designer long after January had passed.
That experience became the starting point for The Waiting Room, RANDOLF’s latest collection and one of his most personal to date.
The designer opened Day Two of MNL Fashion Week 2026 at SMX Aura on Friday night, drawing a star-studded crowd that included Anne Curtis, Pia Wurtzbach, and Enchong Dee, alongside photographer BJ Pascual, content creator Mimiyuuuh, Thai actors Boss, Ngern and Oat, and fashion personalities Helen Hiu, Cissylia, and Linh Chau.
At the center of the collection is a thought RANDOLF kept returning to: what if his grandfather and his newborn niece could have met?
“I kept thinking about that special moment where Daddy, my lolo who passed away, and Sari, my niece, might have met and gotten to know each other,” RANDOLF designer RJ Santos says.
He imagined a place where that meeting could happen, with the dogs his family had loved and lost there too. That became The Waiting Room, a space somewhere between the real and unreal, life and death, memory and hope.
The idea is personal, but the clothes tell the story through repetition. Patterns and textures return throughout the collection, giving the looks a stronger sense of connection than the designer’s more individually expressive work.
“This season, my love for repeat patterns and textures resurfaced,” RJ says. “Instead of making each look feel completely expressive on its own, I wanted the collection to feel more uniform and connected.”
That play with texture and silhouette also caught the attention of the guests. Anne Curtis, who was in the audience, loved the collection’s eclectic and versatile quality.
“I loved how eclectic it was. I loved how the pieces were very universal in a sense that whatever the guys were wearing, in my mind, I’m like, I could totally wear that as well,” Anne says. “I loved how universal and eclectic and fun the vibe was. And the music was definitely from my generation.”
Mimiyuuuh had a similar reaction to the playful side of the collection, pointing to the silhouettes and fabric work as particular highlights.
“I really love the collection because it shows that fashion should be fun. I love the silhouettes, I love the fabric manipulations, and you know, I’m a fan of RANDOLF, and I’m just so happy na napanood ko ang kanyang show for the Philippine [Manila] Fashion Week.”
The calmer approach also allowed him to move beyond the barong work he has become known for through his made-to-order pieces. Still, familiar RANDOLF signatures remain, including his recurring skin-shed motif inspired by his fascination with snakes.
The label itself has come a long way from its beginnings with printed tote bags and T-shirts. Over time, RANDOLF moved into embroidery, tailoring, wider silhouettes and his own interpretation of the barong.
“I don’t think it happened overnight,” he says of the brand’s identity. “It came from the things I genuinely enjoy instead of chasing trends.”
Those influences—pop art, tattoos, music, humor, and pop culture—are still present, but the designer says his work has become increasingly personal. With The Waiting Room, he draws from his own experience while leaving room for people to find their own meaning in the clothes.
For RANDOLF, the personal nature of the collection does not change the simplest reason he designs in the first place.
“I just want people to feel good in our clothes,” RJ says.
Next for the label is a Purveyr Fair pop-up, along with continued custom work and the beginnings of its next collection. Follow the brand here.
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MNL Fashion Week 2026 continues at SMX Aura until September 6.
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