Singaporean brand Love, Bonito now has a branch in Cebu. Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News
"We're not just here for fashion," declared Love, Bonito co-founder Rachel Lim as they kicked off their regional expansion in the Philippines.
After three stores in Manila, the Singaporean brand is setting its sights on the Queen City of the South, opening a new branch at SM Seaside City Cebu.
It was a response to the growing demand from customers in Visayas, who have been resorting to traveling to the capital or ordering online.
Love, Bonito opens 3rd PH store in QC
The biggest selling point of Love, Bonito has always been its thoughtful approach to clothing, with pieces designed specifically for Asian women. Take, for example, the Rachel RuchedReady Blazer — named after Lim, it has plenty of deep pockets as well as sleeves that stay comfortably in place without needing to be constantly rolled up or folded.
Across their collections are sleek pieces that can easily transition from workwear to formal events, with practical features such as bloat-friendly silhouettes, built-in padding, and wrinkle-resistant fabrics.
Love, Bonito also has a dedicated line for petite women, with custom-adjusted proportions rather than just shortened hems.
Love, Bonito's Rachel RuchedReady Blazer (left) and Bra-free Tube Dress with built-in pads. Handout
"It's important that we look good, but more important to us is that we feel good and confident in the pieces," said Lim, who flew to Cebu for the launch of their newest branch with Love, Bonito chief executive officer Dione Song.
"Back when international fashion brands were coming into Asia, I'd try on their pants and my legs were either too big or too short. I couldn't fit into them. I just spent extra money altering them," she recalled, seeing a huge gap in the market for pieces created for Asian women.
"Until one day, we decided to make our very own pants."
Aside from the Philippines and its home market of Singapore, Love, Bonito is also present in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Cambodia.
For Lim, what makes Filipino shoppers stand out is their love for color, sparkle, and prints — which she believes is a reflection of their warm and friendly personality.
"The Christmas season is huge here in the Philippines compared to the rest of Southeast Asia," she noted. "So when we do our December collection, we need to make sure to cater to the Filipino market."
Love, Bonito co-founder Rachel Lim (third from left) and CEO Dione Song (leftmost) with the brand's muses and members of its Philippine team. Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News
Going beyond the usual store launch, Love, Bonito used the event as a platform to showcase businesses in Cebu, from the beachfront property Reef Island Resort in Mactan to the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant Lasa.
It also tapped women-founded brands for community-based activations, such as gelato shop Bacio, social enterprise Anthill Fabric Gallery, personal care brand Shepard, and Dosage & Co. cafe.
"We're a brand by real women for real women. That's really how we started," Lim said of Love, Bonito, which is now on its 16th year.
When asked to give advice to fellow women and to aspiring entrepreneurs, she replied: "Life is short. It's a show, not a dress rehearsal."
"I want to encourage all of us women to take life as a series of experiments — sometimes we win, sometimes we learn. It's always a stepping stone for us to do better and to be wiser."