Love, Bonito debuts new look and collection designed for real women
From your first interview to your first job, your first date to your wedding and motherhood, you name it, Love, Bonito has been through every milestone with you. More than a decade since the Singaporean brand started, it continues to be one of the go-to fashion brands for many Asian women.
Now, the brand is welcoming a brand new identity, along with the latest assortment of clothing helping women get "ready to live."
"Over the last 14 years, our commitment to empowering women and also journeying with her through her different life stages, and also redefining womenswear, especially in Asia, has been our core commitment," Rachel said during the rebrand launch attended by PhilSTAR L!fe in 4 Jiak Chuan Road in Singapore last March 14.
@philstarlife In case you're in Singapore, be sure to drop by The House of @lovebonito's shophouse at 4 Jiak Chuan Road. It is open to the public until March 24. #philstarlife #lovebonito ♬ original sound - philstarlife
"We have been so proud to be able to journey with you through the different stages and also to be able to showcase the heart and soul that goes behind creating each and every Love, Bonito garment," she added.
'Ready-to-live not just ready-to-wear'
The brand's core mission of inspiring and uplifting Asian women globally through functional clothing, which CEO Dione Song stressed during the event.
"Fashion as a category has historically been one of the most disempowering categories for women, right? It's about you know, it's about looking beautiful but maybe not about form, function, comfort, by all of that convenience. For us always being a thoughtful brand has been a core mission and our purpose is really to inspire and uplift Asian women globally, hence the rebrand. Making clothing that is ready to live, not just ready to wear," she said.
The rebrand, she said, pays tribute to their Singaporean roots. This is evident not only through the clothes but in the stores' design as well, with pops of red and subtle orchid motifs.
"If you have been to our stores in the last few months, you will notice that we've changed our plant features. We've moved and started infusing a very subtle use of orchids across all of our stores," Dione added, noting that they have partnered with mostly women in their journey.
Signatures collection
The campaign features a powerhouse line-up of Asian and Asian-American women, including Korean-American actress Arden Cho, award-winning author Chanel Miller, content creators and mother-daughter duo Gym Tan and Mya Rose Miller, and R&B artist Yuna.
The ladies are decked in the new Signatures collection, which offers versatile pieces for effortless transitions between feminine styles and power suits, all at accessible prices.
The collection includes 30 pieces made with wrinkle-resistant fabrics and flattering colors, perfect for any occasion. Design-wise, Jon Goh, the design manager of Love, Bonito, said that the clothes were created with real women in mind. That includes clothes that are bloat-friendly, bump and nursing-friendly, and have functional features like padded inserts, pockets, and multi-use styles.
"She (Monica) really started the design with the idea of 'I am my own muse.' We wanted the Signatures Collection to represent things that our community would really know," Jon said. "All the heart that the LB community is to us, we wanted the collection to represent you most importantly, the real woman, that are so central to the brand."
Part of the collection is the "Blazer of the Year" called Rachel Ruched-ready Blazer. The outerwear features garterized in-sleeves that allow the wearer to ruche the sleeves up without it sliding down.
"It was born out of having to pinpoint the rules of having to keep the blazer up. And then we decided to solve our own problems creatively, infusing them into the blazer," Rachel told L!fe.
Talking about the versatility of Love, Bonito clothes, chief commercial officer Pat Achakulwisut shared a time when she arrived at work wearing the same skirt as Dione. She ended up grabbing a different outfit, one she loved but wouldn't normally choose.
"That's part of the brand DNA, encouraging women, giving them the confidence to try the kind of pieces you might not have tried," she said.
"I think that's what we want: the ease and the effortlessness to be able to style within our wardrobe," Jon added.
Coming soon to the Philippines
With a goal to become the ultimate go-to destination for Asian women, Love, Bonito announced that it is expanding its global stores by heading to the Philippines this year.
“We are excited to finally come to Manila. And I think it’s been a long time coming,” she told L!fe.
“The Philippines has a very special place in our hearts, that’s why we always try to go as much as we can to be with the community as well. And I think also, through pop-ups, we realized that ‘Wow, there is really such an encouraging response from the community in the Philippines!’ So, we decided we’re gonna take the leap of faith to open up and to serve our customers in the Philippines,” Rachel continued.