What started as a humble attempt to raise funds for PURVEYR’s print magazine has evolved into a unique celebration of creative commerce. Pursuit is vision-driven more than anything else; grounded on its maxim, “Thoughtful brands breed a thoughtful community,” the fair draws in a diverse spread of storytellers hoping to make a dent in an otherwise flat marketplace. PURVEYR welcomes entrepreneurial minds that paint the world of business in alternative tones. In its most recent installment, it managed to attract almost seventy merchants who pride themselves not on profit, but by the personal stories, causes, and beliefs that their ventures are predicated on.

Photos by Jilson Tiu

Last year, it was stated that the Philippines raked in over P600 billion from a sprouting creative economy; on a micro level, events like the Pursuit Fair allows us to experience that growth. There is a particular pulse as you walk by the racks and shelves of goods displayed—one founded on the philosophy of street, but not caged by stereotype or appearance. Transdisciplinary Designer Virgil Abloh has spoken on the matter numerous times, stressing an essence that transcends surface-level trendiness or style: “streetwear” alludes to being creative with limited means—the point of it being aspirational, the way the fair hopes to encourage and inspire.

For starters, you can have a reasonable pop-up: Pursuit welcomes budding entrepreneurs, allowing them to manifest their visions on a modest scale—to test the waters without the dispiriting pressure of overwhelming costs; it’s a manageable risk, freeing startups to introduce their product while schooling themselves on what it takes to connect with an audience and market. Pursuit had after all, originated from small beginnings itself, emerging into the scene thru the much more intimate space that was Warehouse 8. Having traversed its fourth run last November 24, 2018, the fair recently expanded into a much bigger location: a convention center that could accommodate PURVEYR’s ever-growing community of enterprising creatives.

At its most pragmatic, a business aims to earn, but various entrepreneurs share different motivations to starting stints of their own. For Lance and Jack of Pundesal, the endeavor is an outlet to create independently of their day jobs. That’s when I soon realized that not all brands were driven by the eventual need to profit; some can run comfortably alongside corporate work or office gigs—and that’s perfectly okay. As ironic as it sounds, business was a way for them to de-stress and find themselves as creatives. On the distant end of the aisle was R-U-A (pronounced roo-wa), which challenged the notion of imposing clothing silhouettes according to gender. To owner Joe Sibayan, androgyny meant that we could style our clothes by creative choice, regardless of stereotype or expectation; thru the relaxed construction of their kimonos and loose t-shirts, their inclusive pattern-fits-all is a soft statement to be worn. And then there’s the LOVECLUB store representative of PURVEYR’s organic stretch and global following; with owners Zane and Dennis hailing all the way from Guam, Pursuit invites fellow Filipinos to re-connect with their roots through its universally felt creative energy. With art and commerce combined, the fair provides a wide-ranging space to be occupied by artists, designers, and makers who typically stride off kilter in the scheme of the mainstream. Shops like Randolf and Salad Day open doors to a braver, more colorful world of fashion, summoning Filipinos to flirt with pop, funk, and saturation. It remains to be a challenge for entrepreneurs angling at something different, as Pinoys often take time when embracing alternative tastes, but PURVEYR has opened its arms wide to that gradual, steady pace, patiently planting until the audience is ripe to consume fresh ideas. It’s been quite the sprint since Pursuit just launched itself last July 2017, but every year has turned out to be an even greater harvest.

As one of PURVEYR’s founders, Sara puts it, “Pursuit Fair would be nothing without the support of community and brands advocating for our local, creative culture. Thank you for making it happen. We’ll see you next year.”