They do not need luxury brands to make them stand out. Their presence is their brand.
Fashion icon Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s famous quotes come to mind: “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman” and “Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity.”
The second rang true then, and it still does to this day. Confidence and respect are the ultimate luxuries that money cannot buy—they can only be earned. Confidence and respect, in fact, enhance whatever one wears or uses.
Taking the lead in their business suits or the traditional barong are siblings Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, billionaire Enrique Razon, Andrew and Kevin Tan, Sabin Aboitiz, and Manny Pangilinan.
Taking the cue from the ultra rich, “quiet luxury” has become a clever marketing tool for people who want to look rich, to look like they come from old money.
On the contrary, there is an old saying that even if you dress a monkey in silk robes, it will still be a monkey.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain part, but foolish consumers part with their hard-earned money for overpriced items that they think will give them an aura of wealth and distinction.
The true achievers, power players, and the wealthy are into quality, timelessness, simplicity, and elegance that are not necessarily luxurious—but oftentimes are. Custom-tailored suits cost money, while designer bags without the flashy logos cost even more. Because elegance, not the label, is a vibe.
Quality and fine craftsmanship come at staggering costs because of the skill and years of training that craftsmen pour into creating the product, making them worth the asking price.
DMCI’s Isidro ‘Sid‘ Consunji, who is never afraid to under dress in his very ordinary polos and leather slippers, exudes authority no matter how casual he appears.
Some of the Philippines’ business elite are often spotted in well-made, tailored suits. Having been a business reporter and editor all my life, it was amusing to hear members of the press making comments on how dapper the CEOs are, not just on their companies’ performance. Reporters are human, after all.
Siblings Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Fernando Zobel, billionaire Enrique Razon, Andrew and Kevin Tan, Sabin Aboitiz and Manny Pangilinan take the lead with their sartorial elegance in a business suit or the traditional barong.
Among the power players in the Philippine business community is Tessie Sy-Coson. She stands out because she dresses quite simply. She does not need to wear a designer brand for people to recognize her. It is her business acumen and leadership that define her. Her decision to open the Sy family wallet to finance some of the biggest business deals in the country is her “quiet luxury.”
Then there’s fashion maverick Manny Villar with his favorite leather jacket and polos; Ramon Ang with his preferred black polo and cap; and Isidro “Sid” Consunji, who is never afraid to underdress in his ordinary polos and leather slippers, still exudes authority no matter how casual he appears.
They do not need luxury brands to make them stand out. Their presence is their brand.
For recent Philippine visitor Marcus Wallenberg, a member of one of Sweden’s richest and oldest business families, his idea of how people must present themselves is based on his experience as a banker.
Wallenberg is current chairman of Swedish bank SEB, a leading North European financial group with a current market value of $30.61 billion (approximately P1.7 trillion), and Saab, a prominent Swedish defense and security company with a market value of $10.36 billion (roughly P580.18 billion).
According to Wallenberg, “I learned through a very long life in business that you don’t dress for yourself, you dress for the person that you have to meet…for respect, that’s why we dress.”
