Perched in the streets of Cubao X stands Twelfth House, one of the Manila scene’s enduring independent brands. Noted for their sleek design and brand image, it has permeated through cult-status and etched itself onto the local consciousness. A lot of it has to do with the roots that The Twelfth House founder Mikki Dela Rea set down from its inception expanding and growing all the way to last September 5, their fifth anniversary.
“The vision was basically to express ourselves because we didn’t see anything available at the market that we really gravitated to,” says Mikki. “Back then we were nobodies; we had a lot of friends but now our audience expanded. The audience became younger, before we were the young ones, and now it’s passed down.”
That little bit of nostalgia came full force at the anniversary drop. With collaborations with twelve local brands, the Cubao outfit maintained its grounded attitude, incorporating its signature tag lines in each collab. “I told them I have these guidelines — choose one and interpret it in your own way and get back to me with the design. It’s still in the mould of The Twelfth House, it’s still clean but there’s a design element in each brand that is really unique,” shares Mikki enthusiastically.
The brand’s signature seems to bleed on the anniversary drops: Stay Low, Keep Firing, and Socorro Tribe. Some of The Twelfth House’s tag lines are adorned on the apparel, echoing a thriving relationship with the collaborating brands. Mikki mentions that it’s his way of paying homage to the brands that helped him build his brand. Seeing as how he previously worked for the likes of THE and UNSCHLD, it’s no surprise that they’re on the twelve-brand lineup this time around.
In an age where consumers care more about what brand they wear and not where they got them, the mono-brand store stands out quite distinctly. But what keeps it standing though? In essence, it’s community. Mikki says that The Twelfth House has gone as far as it has because of the camaraderie and mutual respect incensed from the network of creatives and brand owners that share his inspiration. “Eventually meeting people who have the same interests as you, the same vision. [Those brands] are more like friendships, than a brand network to be honest.”
Mikki’s brainchild is a labor of love; it being independent leaves him the captain of the ship with substantial brand control. Especially since he’s been championing the brand since its inception — a difficult feat to do, especially with retail. “Whatever you see there is me, but If I take you behind the curtains, I got my staff, who have been with me for two years.”
The Twelfth House’s evolution as a brand seems to have grown out of its necessity for more. That eventual growth gave rise to its tangent, Freedom Print Lab. Aside from getting to direct print, Mikki has expanded The Twelfth House’s repertoire with Socorro FM, an online community/radio where DJs can freely play their vibe; its launch coinciding with the their fifth anniversary.
“When you’re in bars and clubs as a DJ, you sometimes don’t get to play what you really want, you’re playing to the crowd,” says Mikki who himself spins as supermikki. Socorro is part of this and The Twelfth House’s push into the zeitgeist, “It’s just us, playing our own. I’m trying to build that here. The talent is here and it’s my way of giving back to the community.”
Much has been brewed and taken in at Cubao Expo the last five years; an evolution of sorts that The Twelfth House seemed to be at the helm of. As time passes, and the brand’s sound, vibe, and energy reaches a younger generation, it seems as if they have five years down and a long and exciting future still to go.
Photos — John Crawford
