From asymmetrical plackets to collarless cuts, May.We, based in Pampanga, shifts the seam literally and conceptually, taking tailoring off-center in both form and philosophy.

Amid the constant churn of fashion, finding a piece that feels truly considered can be rare. Too often, familiar forms return in slight disguises, dressed as something new. But the answer to this might just be lurking, not in the bustle of the metro, but in budding hotspots like Pampanga. Enter May.We, a young brand shaping its identity through everyday wear that avoids the usual tropes &mdash; elevated yet understated, and intentional without being loud.
Speaking with L&rsquo;Officiel Philippines, its founders share how the brand came to life, what &ldquo;perennial wear&rdquo; means to them, and why taking risks has become central to their identity.

May.We began as an idea in high school, a name lingering long before it became a label. For Neve Tiotuico, one of the brand&rsquo;s three co-founders alongside Kian De Rivera and Christopher Lacsina, the inspiration came from a love for continuity, ultimately drawn from the poetic ambiguity of the phrase &ldquo;May we&hellip;&rdquo;. &ldquo;May we always aspire, may we always continue,&rdquo; Neve shares. It&rsquo;s a name designed never to end in a period but to invite completion, a mindset that has shaped the way they design, build, and grow.

The trio rooted May.We in Angeles, Pampanga, rather than Manila, where much of the country's fashion scene remains centered. Building a brand outside the capital came with challenges, but also with freedom. &ldquo;We never really separated Manila and Pampanga in our mindset,&rdquo; says Kian, though they admit the majority of their audience quickly grew in the metro. Strategic seeding with influencers helped them bridge the gap and flourish in the Manila market not by blending in but by leaning into their Kapampangan heritage. Today, their pieces feel both provincial and cosmopolitan, with a point of view that&rsquo;s proudly homegrown.
For Tiotuico, De Rivera, and Lacsina, design begins with purpose. Rather than producing seasonal collections driven by trends, they focus on pieces that can move through different contexts. This is what they call &ldquo;perennial wear&rdquo; &mdash; clothing that feels relevant without being tied to a moment.

The idea is not about timelessness in the traditional sense, but about utility and ease. Pieces like the Ihiris Top and Byahero Polo were developed with climate and movement in mind, reinterpreting familiar forms while introducing subtle disruptions, like collarless silhouettes and off-center plackets. These details give the garments a quiet character while keeping them functional.&nbsp;

Intentionality in design is the backbone of May.We&rsquo;s design process. Every garment begins with a strong idea &mdash; a slanted placket, a collarless silhouette, asymmetrical pockets &mdash; and spirals into careful experimentation. &ldquo;We can finish 80% of the idea in one sitting,&rdquo; Kian shares. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s the details that slow us down: the thread, the tags, the hardware. We really pay attention to those.&rdquo;
May.We balances restraint with reinvention, often stepping back for a few days to evaluate a concept with fresh eyes before committing to production. Their process honors both practicality and craft: slanted button panels aren&rsquo;t just aesthetic choices but ergonomic solutions that allow for oversized pockets without warping the garment&rsquo;s symmetry. This exact kind of thinking gave rise to pieces like the Byahero Polo and Ihiris Top, both of which exhibit the brand&rsquo;s signature architectural quirks.

Sampling is iterative, often requiring two to three versions before settling on the final shape. Despite tight schedules and external pressures, May.We remains uncompromising. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not in a rush,&rdquo; they echo as they mirror their clothes, which are designed to move with time, not against it.
Looking ahead, the trio sees the brand continuing to grow without losing the deliberate pace that defines their work. Each collection is an evolution of the last, connected by the same guiding principle: to design with intention. This Friday, August 29, they will release their third collection, featuring the Sukbit Jacket in two colorways, Charcoal and Fatigue.

May.We, founded by three young men from Pampanga, is not just another name in the crowd of emerging labels. With a philosophy grounded in perennial wear, with pieces that evolve with time rather than chase it, the brand has established itself as a quiet disruptor.&nbsp;

What sets May.We apart is not just their branding or passion, but their intentionality. Their garments reflect careful engineering, lived-in restraint, and familiar yet elevated silhouettes. Where other brands may play safe or follow what's proven, May.We leans into risk &mdash; and in doing so, finds its own rhythm. From Pampanga, they are crafting a new narrative, one where the Philippine fashion story isn&rsquo;t only written in Manila.

May.We Designs Outside the Lines, With Intention and Risk

May.We Designs Outside the Lines, With Intention and Risk

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