Fil-Am fashion designer shares journey of defying adversity to build own brand

Life has not always been a series of big wins for Filipino-American fashion designer Romel "RC" Caylan.

In a tough industry, a good vision, clear inspiration, and determination are essential to overcoming numerous challenges. For Caylan, building his own fashion brand in the proved to be his biggest obstacle.

"It's not always... a winning moment. It's not. There's a lot of hardships. There's a lot of obstacles," Caylan said in an interview with GMA Pinoy TV's Sparks of Joy on Filipino American History Month this October.

"The biggest obstacle, I think, is that when you are a designer, you're not only responsible for a design. You're making your own brand. So you're also planning to have a business," he added.

It has been nine years since Caylan opened his small studio in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.

To stand out among other designers, Caylan knew he needed to forge a strong brand identity.

"How are you going to be able to compete with other brands? Especially, I am building a brand that is a namesake brand. Creating your own label or brand, it's not just like you are a great designer and then you'll be okay," he explained.

Caylan noted that there are other critical factors a designer must consider. Beyond technical excellence, he asks himself: What impact do I really contribute to the community and my clients?

As a visionary, the Filipino American designer emphasizes the importance of listening to clients, as fulfilling their needs, expectations, and desires remains his top priority.

"So, to answer the question would be something that all of them are special. When you're hearing them, they're giving you reviews of your work. That is, to me is the satisfaction of the hard work," Caylan said.

Style icons

In shaping his craft, Caylan looks up to three established fashion icons.

"Third would be Alexander McQueen. Second would be Hubert Givenchy. And the first would be Christian Dior. I aspire personally to be them. And they're one of the greatest artists that we have in the fashion world," Caylan said.

Caylan shared how deeply he connected with his top fashion icon, particularly noting how Dior's origins resonated with him when he reached the same age.

"When I found out that story of him, Christian Dior, it really like, feels me like, I feel like maybe I am the new Christian Dior," Caylan said.

"I'm a designer that is very inclined to women's CC and I love playing the textures. I love classic silhouettes, timeless beauty of it, which really, I feel like I was born again," he added.

Aside from industry legends, the Filipino American designer keeps his husband, mother, grandmother, and family close to his heart as constant sources of inspiration.

He shared that since the beginning of his career, he has been incredibly fortunate to receive unwavering support from them.

Joy in creating

Caylan's efforts have been rewarded with recognition as "Designer and Couturier of the Year" from the Platinum Global Awards 2026.

Even with international recognition, Caylan said he recognizes that learning, evolving, and striving to accomplish greater things each year are all part of his journey.

The Filipino fashion designer emphasized that the joy felt by his clients feeds his own passion to create, even while navigating a highly challenging industry.

"It feels that validation again of, yeah, you belong in this industry because this industry is not easy. And to me, to be able to achieve that is a lifetime achievement," Caylan said. — VDV, GMA News