Ramon Felix Totengco

Rafe (originally "Ramon Felix") Totengco is a Filipino-American fashion designer who specializes in women’s handbags, shoes, and small leather goods, and men’s bags and accessories. In the late 1990s and through the 2000s, he garnered a number of awards for his designs.

Career

He grew up in Bacolod City, Philippines. Even in elementary school, he began modifying his school uniform and going to tailors to have new clothes made for himself and his friends and family. Most Filipino fashionistas remember Rafe for Schizo, a clothing and accessories business under Sari-sari store. He was only 18 then and with no formal training in fashion. Unsatisfied he wanted to expand his horizons and soon enough, he went to New York where he enrolled in FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) evening school in fashion while supporting himself as a design assistant.

In 1996, he produced his first accessories (skinny mod belts) for a SoHo boutique. One year later, the first collection of Rafe New York handbags debuted at Bergdorf Goodman. Since then, Rafe has worked in New York City. He started Rafe Studio Ltd., in 2000 and Rafe products are now distributed at department stores and boutiques worldwide, as well as through his own ECommerce site, and select online shopping sites. [ [http://www.rafe.com/aboutrafe.html About Rafe from his site] ]

The Rafe collections have broadened over the years to include women’s handbags, shoes, and small leather goods, as well as men’s bags and accessories. Recently Rafe was asked by Target as the first designer to create a capsule accessory collection for this mass retailer.

Awards

*1996: Fresh Faces in Fashion - Gen Art [ [http://www.genart.org/fashion.event.htm?itemid=191&cacheid=1207950643.9389&origin=&genart=f9vl6iphkkivccufstig9f60j0 Gen Art Foundation] ]
*1997: The "Ten Best" Award - ENK International
*1997: Membership Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) [ [http://www.cfda.com/index.php?option=com_cfda_content&task=members_display&user_name=RafeTotengco Council of Fashion Designers of America] ]
*1999: Finalist: Perry Ellis Accessory Design Award - CFDA
*2000: Rising Star Award - Fashion Group International (FGI)
*2001: Best Accessories Designer (ACE Award) - Accessories Council
*2002: Ten Outstanding Young Men - Philippine Jaycees [Awarded by President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] [ [http://www.op.gov.ph/news.asp?newsid=2372 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo TOYM page] ]
*2005: Entrepreneurship Award - "Filipinas Magazine"
*2007: Asian Entrepreneur of the Year - "Asian Enterprise Magazine" [ [http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=124&a=20684 Asian Journal] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.rafe.com Rafe New York Corporate Site]
* [http://shop.rafe.com Rafe New York Shopping Site]
* [http://canitellyou.rafe.com Rafe's Blog "Can I Tell You?"]
* [http://latestnews.rafe.com Rafe New York News Blog]