For many purveyors of Filipino streetwear, Don’t Blame The Kids was their gateway to the culture. Launched in 2012 by brothers Emil and Vince Javier, DBTK rose when international labels like Supreme and Stussy dominated the scene. The brand would evolve from small stalls at conventions to launching high-profile collaborations with H&M and Pokemon, showcasing the full potential of local creators.
Today, Filipino streetwear is a fledgling community that sees other established names holding hyped drops, releases for signature sneakers, and budding 20-year-olds designing their wares in their bedrooms. The culture is taking off, and it all started when a pair of brothers dared to say: Don’t blame the kids for dreaming big.
Complex Philippines talks with Emil and Vince about their role in jumpstarting the movement, the story behind the name, and what we can expect from the local industry soon.
Emil: When we started the brand, kakatapos lang namin ng college. We had struggles and challenges. Dumating sa part na kami nagbayad ng tuition namin. So we thought, “Ano ba yung brand name na makaka-inspire sa amin?” I was 24 at that time, and Vince was 21.
Then nakita namin sa isang random YouTube video ni Lil Wayne. Sinabi niya yung isang phrase, “You shouldn’t blame the kids.” Tumatak yun sa utak ko. Sa dami ng pinagdaanan, dun namin naisip na [the brand] should be about the youth.
Lahat tayo alam yung feeling na “Don’t Blame the Kids.”
[When we started the brand, we had just finished college. We had struggles and challenges. It got to the point that were paying our own tuition. So we thought, “What brand name will inspire us?” I was 24 at the time, and Vince was 21.
Then we saw a random YouTube video of Lil Wayne. He said the phrase, “You shouldn't blame the kids.” It stuck in my brain. With everything we went through, that's when we thought [the brand] should be about the youth.
We all know how it feels when someone says “Don’t Blame the Kids.”]
Emil: Very humbling, kasi nag-start kami without knowing anything about the industry. Sali kami sa convention, tapos makikita mo lahat sila magkakakilala, tapos ikaw nandun ka lang sa isang corner.
[Very humbling, because we started without knowing anything about the industry. We’d join conventions, and you would see that everyone knows everybody, and you’re sitting at a corner.]
Vince: Nag-start kami para iinspire ang sarili namin, pero indirectly, kami yung nakikita ng iba to start a brand, a passion project, kasi nakikita nila na nag-eenjoy kami. Yun naman kasi yun eh. Kung nag-eenjoy ka sa isang bagay, dun ka magiging curious, then dun mag-ggrow yung knowledge mo.
[We started in order to inspire ourselves, but indirectly, we were looked at to start a brand, a passion project, because people say that we were enjoying. That’s how it starts. You enjoy doing something, and it makes you curious, then it makes you more knowledgeable.]
Vince: Sa akin, iba yung creativity. Nakikita mo yung hustle mentality, lahat may pinapatunayan. Sabay-sabay tayo magkikita sa Divisoria. Iba yung competitive fire nila, and of course, namin.
[The creativity is different. You can see the hustle mentality in that everyone has something to prove. We’ll see each other in Divisoria. Their competitive fire is different, but so is ours.]
Emil: A decade ago, makikita mo halos lahat nasa sneaker convention naka international brand. Pero after 10 years, the market is ready to appreciate local brands.
[A decade ago, everyone was wearing international brands at sneaker conventions. 10 years later, the market is ready to appreciate local brands.]
Emil: Totoo yun, nakakapagod. Kasi si Vince yung creative mind. Nag-sshare talaga siya na “Kuya, walang pumapasok sa utak ko.”
[That’s true, it’s tiring. Vince is the creative mind. He sometimes confesses that he’s running out of ideas.]
Vince: Siyempre yung competitiveness namin, hindi siya nawawala. Ang pinaka-ginagawa namin is innovation. Doing things that have never been done before. More research.
[Our competitiveness never went away. What we try to do is innovate.]
E: Kumukuha kami ng talented young creatives kasi sila nakakaalam ng market. Nandiyan kami para mag-direct. We appreciate, listen and adapt.
Dun mo makikita na sobrang gagaling ng kabataan ngayon, kaya di mo sila pwedeng ma-underestimate. Sila na nag-ccontinue ng story ng brand ngayon.
[We hire talented young creatives because they know the market. We’re here to direct. The kids nowadays are so skilled, so you can’t underestimate them. They continue the brand’s story.]
Vince: Mas may identity na ang Filipino streetwear. Mas makikilala. Pag tinignan mo mga [streetwear] owners sa US, mga Filipino yun. Abkd, RHUDE, Anti-Social Social Club. Pero iba parin pag dito [sa Pilipinas]. Di ko pa nakikita yung dito nakagawa pero nakilala [overseas].
[Filipino streetwear will have a stronger identity. It will be more well-known. If you will look at the streetwear owners in the US, they’re Filipinos. Abkd, RHUDE, Anti-Social Social Club. But it’s still different when someone’s roots are in the Philippines. I’ve still yet to see someone who created a brand here and became famous overseas.]
Emil: Vision namin maging globally known. Hopefully, after five years, magkaroon tayo ng mismong distinct creativity, na pag nilagay sa global market, mas ma-aappreciate.
[Our vision is to be more globally known. Hopefully after five years we have our own distinct creativity that can be appreciated in the global market.]
Vince: Consistency. Kasi madalas mag-sstart ka dahil uso, one year, nag-eenjoy ka. Tapos biglang yung ideas mo nawawala na. Consistency is needed to leave a mark. For us, 11 years na, pero feeling 21 parin kami.
[Consistency. Often, someone will start [a venture] because it’s trending and you’re enjoying yourself. But after that, your ideas will dwindle. Consistency is needed to leave a mark. For us, it’s been 11 years, but we still feel like we’re 21 years old.]
Emil: There’s always something new in being creative. So walang problema if someone wants to start something, kasi iba’t iba tayo ng naiisip. Natutunan namin to not just treat the brand as a business only. Mahalin mo muna yung gagawin mo.
Nag start kami, every week, isa lang bibili ng shirt, tapos lugi pa kami kasi bibili pa kami ng food after. Nag eenjoy lang kami, then nakita namin after a year or two, na “Uy, nakakabayad na tayo ng bills natin.”
Tignan mo muna if stable. If it is, treat it as a business.
[There’s no problem if anyone wants to start something because we all think differently. We’ve learned not to just treat the brand as a business; you have to love what you’re doing.
We started selling one shirt a week, then we’d be in the red because we’d still have to buy food afterward. But we were just enjoying ourselves, then after a year or two, we realized we can now pay the bills.
Observe first if [your venture] is stable. If it is, treat it as a business.]
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Photography Borgy Angeles
Art and Art Direction Alexandra Lara and James Francisco
Interview and Story Gelo Lasin and Xavi Bautista
Styling Assist Jana Silao assisted by Sophie Silao
Makeup Nadynne Esguerra
Hair Patrick John
Production Complex Philippines
Location Bulb Studios
COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive.
© Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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