Get to know what goes on in the mind of 20-year old student and aspiring designer Reese Collins Latonio, known online for his bow bags beloved by Heart Evangelista, Vice Ganda, and BINI Maloi.
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Reese Collins Latonio, or simply Collins, possesses a crystal-clear perspective and wisdom beyond his years. At 20 years old, the student and aspiring designer can clearly telegraph just how much love, how much of himself, he’s willing to put into making art. Collins is an incoming fourth year student of BS Clothing Technology at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and has recently gone viral online for his bow bags that he’s handed off to style and culture icons Heart Evangelista, BINI’s Maloi, and Vice Ganda.
@mxreeselatonio i love meme @Vice Ganda so much, even before i realized i was gay and trans. she's my absolute childhood hero and getting to meet her and give her something of mine has made me so proud to exist and do what i do! she's everything to me and she continues to become a beacon for the community, and get to even witness her greatness is a genuine gift. happy pride month to me and getting to meet my childhood idol ! kita naman sa dulo diba na sobrang starstruck ako HUHUHU she has the maxi bow bag in pink ! #viceganda #memevice #bowbag #pink #leatherbag #leather #bow #gift #dreamcometrue #trans #transmasc #fashion #fashionph #transph #prideph #pride #happypride #june #pridemonth ♬ Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
Collins’ fashion journey is proof that fashion, style, and artistic expression are intrinsically connected to one’s identity. He is proudly trans, and draws inspiration from queer media, culture, and life. “My current fashion journey was kicked off by the gender euphoria I got watching older queer media,” he says. “It is so inherently tied to my transness and my belongingness to the queer community.”
Though Collins has never seriously considered fashion and design as primary career options until entering university, he has since made it a larger part of his life. For instance, he’s transformed his interest in style and self-expression by turning it into a business.
His bow bag design earned a lot of traction online, especially after videos of him gifting bags to Heart Evangelista and Vice Ganda circulated (Heart even posted a photo of her with the bag and tagged the designer). To us, it could easily just be a sweet moment between a budding designer and an established icon, a video we smile at and scroll past—but to Collins, it meant so much more. Every instance spurred him on.
“The opportunity they have afforded me as a budding designer, as someone looking to make a name for themselves in the industry someday, is something I will always be indebted to them for,” he says. The success of Collins’ bow bag is just the beginning for the young designer, but has become a reminder of endless possibilities.
“I want people to look at my work and think it was borne out of inspiration, desire and euphoria,” he elaborates. “I may not know the sartorial legacy I would like to leave behind just yet, but I would hope for it to be one that is synonymous with trans storytelling, trans joy and trans excellence.”
To hear more about Reese Collins Latonio and his journey in making a name for himself in Philippine fashion, read our interview with the Gen Z creative below.
How would you describe your style and aesthetic?
Right now, I’d say my style and aesthetic is very vintage and a little maximalist. I’d actually go to the lengths of being hyper specific and say 1960s, 70s to 1980s New York City. A little fun and flirty, and only somewhat functional; obviously eye-catching enough because I put in some effort to look rugged, but not to the point where I’d get myself dirty.
Being a trans person, fashion takes on a whole new meaning to me. It’s not just a way to express, it’s a way for me to exist; and it’s very easy to feel out of place with the state of cis-heteronormative society. So my sense of fashion is this visage that I tend to put up between me and those who perceive me. Ask me about my rings, about my neck accessories, even about why I’m wearing a leather jacket in this weather. It’s much more fun to answer than, “Are you a boy or a girl?” For the record, I’m both a boy and neither.
Do you think the local fashion industry is increasingly diversifying in terms of style, creativity, and designers themselves getting more opportunities? Why or why not?
I think the local fashion industry is at the early stages of finding its footing. There’s been a recent uptick in more sustainable and local fashion for sure, and that’s something I’ve witnessed through establishing my own small business.
However, as a consumer, I think we still have a lot to do in terms of diversifying the style of the Filipino. It’s very easy for the market to become oversaturated or diminutive of already existing styles—so much so that we create “cores” and try to attach some sort of consciousness to clothing by calling it reminiscent of a certain aesthetic when sometimes, clothes are just clothes.
One thing I personally advocate for is finding your own sense of style and what makes you feel good. At its heart, fashion is an opportunity to forward your best self and perform for the world. So give them a good show, and be your most authentic self.
What are some of the most difficult things you’ve had to overcome (or are constantly overcoming) as an aspiring designer and creative?
On a technical business level, there’s always the fear that I don’t have enough time. I’m a student, and that’s my primary occupation—my primary concern. I’m entering my final year of university, and making it out alive with a graduation collection that I’m proud of is at the forefront of my priorities.
So when school gets rough, and it takes up a lot of my time, I tend to struggle with my business. I’ve started to hire a few friends to help me, but sometimes I still find it difficult. You get off a hard day’s work of academics and then have to ship out bags.
@mxreeselatonio look at this gorgeous bag i made ! it's so perfect and so coquette i'll be wearing it a lot this semester for sure hehe. i'm thinking of opening commissions for it soon, but definitely in small batches since it's a bit hard to do and i haven't perfected the quality quite yet. it fits my 40oz water bottle, laptop and umbrella so it's perfect for me! what do you think? (lil break from the talking vids, but another one's coming soon for sure.) #coquette #maroon #burgundy #leather #leatherette #bow #trendy #bag #fashion #style #fashiontok #fashionph #outfit #bag #trans #transfashion #bows #bowbag #handmade #sewing #selfmade #fashionstudent ♬ som original – edits
On a more personal level, I worry that I’m running out of time. The industry is extremely fickle. It has this well-known phenomenon called planned obsolescence, an industry-wide hush of an expectation that designs will come and go, and more importantly, people will come and go—creating fashion that is a ticking time bomb, and not an art to be known for its longevity.
In booming at such a young age, I will admit, I am scared that this is all I’ll ever be. But I have more to give, and I know that this passion and fire of mine will push me to keep going.
Did you always want to make design and sewing your career or was it first a hobby that you realized you could turn into your career? How did that come about?
I come from a science high school, so designing and sewing as a career was definitely not something I entertained seriously until I entered university. I went into the program blind. A common misconception about Clothing Technology students is that we have to know everything off the bat going into college. Definitely not true. I personally learned how to sew only in the summer leading up to my first days as a freshman just so that I could rub this naivety of being from the province and from the sciences off me.
@mxreeselatonio im such a yapper so here's my recent feelings in part one of three videos about my recent developments in life !! once again thank you so much to gold fortune textile for giving me this opportunity to get back into casual sewing :)) #chitchat #vlog #transfashion #smallbusiness #lifeupdate #gratitude #transmasc #tiktokph #trans #transmasc ♬ Cool modern chill out, 10 minutes(1001927) – 8.864
But I have always loved the art of performance and the soul that comes with storytelling. We often associate performance with make-believe, but in every act there is always a hint of truth—an experience we capitalize on to make others believe. There’s a certain sincerity that comes with using fashion as a means of storytelling—of having a medium so accessible to the rest of the world, yet so close to the chest.
Fashion is a legitimate medium to send a message—political, social, personal—take it from me, a trans student designer. But with clothing as a universal necessity for all, there’s an invisible string that binds us together. Fashion then becomes a human experience, one that we simply choose to participate in but at its core is inherent. And I want to work behind the scenes to orchestrate that beauty of sartorial expression.
There’s always been that sentiment that there is no money or future in the creative industry—people just get lucky. What are your thoughts on this and how do you personally reconcile dreams and ambitions with practicality?
There is a lot of heartbreak that comes with pursuing a future in the creative industry. There are indeed a few people who get lucky, but it is also filled with people who are gifted and have years of experience and hardship in their repertoire. Two things I would say are extremely important: a decisive brain and an iron will.
I say decisive and not well-planned, because plans fall through. What you need is a mind that recognizes when it’s time to realign, and when it’s time to capitalize. It’s important to equip yourself with the skills to make well-informed decisions.
As for an iron will, it’s because it isn’t easy. There’s also a lot of heartbreak that comes with pursuing your ambition and grounding yourself with practicality. It’s a continuous cycle of wondering if it’s all worth it or if you should just give up—understanding what to let go of and what to keep. Having a strong sense of self cushions that heartbreak. That belief and recognition of knowing that what you’re doing matters—not even to the world, even just to you—pads you from the occasional slip when hiking the summit.
Lastly, everyone is gifted with time. Although each person’s timeline toward success may differ, we are all gifted with a singular sense of time, so use it wisely. Success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s an intricate game, ironically where no one truly wins or loses—but we’re all in it for the thrill of the chase.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Photos courtesy of Reese Collins Latonio.
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