It is hard to imagine that half a year has gone by since the quarantine started. Dining out at a hip new restaurant, grabbing a drink with friends at the neighborhood bar after work — these commonplace events now seem like a lifetime ago, especially when some of these establishments we used to frequent are on the brink of closure. While many in the F&B industry have shifted to a takeout business model, it is still a struggle to get by. If growth was their initial focus then, the indefinite goal for now is clear: survival.
To lend a helping hand to the industry they have grown to love, longtime friends Audrey Mooney and Monica Magsanoc’s contribution is Manila Takeout, a design-led initiative that supports the service staff of some of our favorite restaurants and bars.
“One day, Audrey reached out to me in a panic when our favorite restaurants began to close down,” starts Magsanoc, who was working as an art director in New York at the time. Inspired by the merchandise she had purchased over there to support establishments affected by the pandemic, the two had one thing on their minds: t-shirts. “We realized that heritage merchandise — while always a great fundraiser — would also be the perfect way to keep brands accessible to their patrons as they navigated new business models post-quarantine,” she adds.
In Image — Monica Magsanoc / Photos — Zaldine Alvaro
With the marriage of their unique skill sets — Mooney handling operations and on-boarding restaurants; Magsanoc taking charge of the overall art direction and contacting creatives — Manila Takeout was born. “Takeout gives restaurants an alternative option to connect with their customers, as well as a way to raise funds for their employees,” says Mooney, who uses her background as a consumer analyst to her strength.
Each release is limited, lasting for only two weeks to give equal opportunity for other restaurants and artists. “By limiting the amount of brands per collection, Takeout is able to promote each restaurant and the talent of their respective partner artists as equally as we can,” shares Mooney. Initially, the restaurants chosen were simply places that the two would frequent. But given the reception of Manila Takeout, they decided it was time to diversify to include as many independent establishments.
In Image — Monica Magsanoc and Audrey Mooney
Their Release 3 pays homage to bars that were — and continue to be — very much a part of our lives, featuring Bowery by Elbert Uba, Today x Future by Bad Student, Curator by Cj de Silva-Ong, Route 196 by Rob Cham, and Oto by Edsa. With news of a few of these places closing down recently, we can’t help but reminisce, holding on to memories that a shirt from Manila Takeout can represent. “People are excited to literally wear their heart on their sleeve and declare love for their favorite establishments. Design singles out and creates this unique community of supporters, one that will continue to live long after the pandemic,” shares Magsanoc.
Prior to this, their very first collection paired Dan Matutina with Milky Way Café, Marla Darwin with El Chupacabra, Michelle Pasia with Wildflour and Betsy Cola with El Union Coffee. Following this, their second drop featured Sean Bautista with Yardstick Coffee, Miguel Lugtu and Ian Anderson with Lagrima, Soleil Ignacio with Made Nice and Artifact Studio with 12/10.
Release 3
Release 4
Release 5
“We choose artists that have unique experiences and/or personal relationships with our partner restaurants. Through this, we create an ecosystem of collaboration, one where restaurants are able to work with some of Manila’s most incredible artists, and where artists have the opportunity to create lasting designs for the city’s iconic restaurants,” says Mooney.
As 100% of the proceeds, go to the staff and service team of the featured establishments, the artists are given creative freedom once guidelines and design expectations are set. “We establish early on that artists donate their time and talent free of charge to support their partner restaurant. Therefore, they’re granted complete freedom to design in their personal styles, as well as share final say in the output to ensure that their vision is correctly represented,” says Magsanoc.
In Image — Audrey Mooney
With Manila Takeout, we are brought back to the universality of a t-shirt and its role as a blank canvas, a means for self-expression. Whether we’re aware of it or not, design plays a highly important role in society, and continues to stay relevant as we’re facing this pandemic. “As we have seen in the reactions of our customers during our last three releases, design has played an important role in uplifting people’s spirits,” starts Mooney. “Takeout t-shirts not only offer people an avenue of support, but also gives them something to look forward to despite today’s uncertainties,” she adds.
To learn more about Manila Takeout, and to check out their latest releases, visit their website here.
