James Reid and Nadine Lustre Front Folded & Hung’s Style Army

The first time this writer met with James Reid and Nadine Lustre, they are relative newcomers traipsing into the world of the mainstream entertainment industry—days from announcing that their pairing has just gotten a solid backing by signing into their now home network, ABS-CBN. They both came out from the fresh but unexpected success of their first bubblegum flick, Diary ng Panget, raking in not only over 100 million pesos at the tills but an overwhelming attention both from fans and insiders alike.

Three years into the love team, JaDine, as they have been more commonly addressed, are arguably two of the most recognizable faces in all of entertainment these days. They have metamorphosed from newbies fitting into the mold of a successful national sensation to young personalities with firm grasp of their individuality.

It is unsurprising that this very notion of embracing one’s sense of self serves as the axis by which Folded & Hung’s new campaign revolves around in. With this, the retail brand puts the spotlight on James & Nadine as its newest brand ambassadors, leading the pack of young personalities that embody the brand’s youthful and current DNA. With their personal styles described as edgy and risqué, JaDine’s strong sensibilities and personal branding, are set to bring a new energy to Folded & Hung.

“Folded & Hung has always been a brand that likes to push the boundaries of the local retail scene. It’s edgy and forward-thinking, while still being representative of the personalities and interests of each generation,” Eldzs Mejia tells Rank, marking his entry as the brand’s newest creative director. He continues, “The brand mirrors the zeitgeist and I’d like to think that James and Nadine embody the modern youth. They’re both very self-aware, have strong personal styles, and really understand how to present themselves at a time where people’s main source of inspiration is Instagram.”

With Mejia’s rich body of work in fashion and publishing, his creative vision is set out to shape Folded & Hung’s brand direction, tapping into a generation driven by digital media. When asked about his role as a creative director, he shares, “I believe being relevant is important. With fashion being such a saturated industry, the question I always ask myself is on how our brand can influence today’s evolving market.”

He adds, “The market today consumes fashion in a different way—and they spend majority of their time online, looking for inspiration and styles to try. I understand how people’s tastes shift on an almost day to day basis. With digital media, it is important to present a complete and coherent brand image that people will see as authentic in such a way that they will aspire to be a part of.”

Mejia’s stake as Folded & Hung’s creative director and the entry of James and Nadine as the brand’s newest partners ushers in the brand’s Holiday 2017 collection which features cool and chic, 1970’s-inspired party wear.

The decade was ultimately a defining moment in fashion—an era of revolution both in self-expression and ideology. The Folded & Hung Holiday collection references the rich party aesthetic and trends that are inherently seventies—glam metallics, plaids and checks, silks, florals, retro stripes and velvets. The color palette is dark yet vivid, with specks of jewel tones, with a bevy of pieces that can be mixed and matched with the essentials and the classics we have grown to love.

“More than anything else, James and Nadine carry the clothes very well. They are a gorgeous couple! They have always been into fashion and throughout the years, I’ve seen a constant evolution of their personal styles. More than just having great style, they’re both very knowledgeable when it comes to fashion. They look at brands and understand trends, but at the end of the day, they know exactly what they want,” Mejia states.

As its latest endorsers, Mejia also shared how JaDine are set to shape the brand’s creative and style direction. “We hope for them to be a representation of the brand’s lifestyle. I envision them to be, if not already, this generation’s tastemakers. But we also want their personalities to transcend across the brand and not just be celebrities endorsing us. I would like them to really believe in the clothes and direction of the whole Folded&Hung brand.”

Rank asked Mejia what Folded & Hung’s style stamp is. He says, “It’s a triple C. Cool-Chic-Confident. These days, kids aspire to be cool, they want to be stylish, and more than sexy and sultry, they exude confidence”.

Folded & Hung is a modern and casual wear brand in the Philippines. The brand is kicking off its party mood as it is set to celebrate its 20^th year in the industry next year.