Fashion is one of the key factors in first impressions, more so on what it can tell you about a person. Willar Mateo, owner of the nine-year-old independent fashion label Salad Day – famous for its unique and maximalist pieces – will let his clothes do the talking for him. His design principle goes beyond the garments that he has made, as he is just as unabashedly unapologetic and spontaneous as his creations.
Willar’s motivation on becoming a fashion designer began at a young age when he became a fan of the anime Cardcaptor Sakura, specifically in the character Tomoyo. This fascination grew into an admiration for the early 2000s Japanese street fashion trend, taking inspiration from Ganguro and Harajuku culture—we can still clearly see these Japanese influences in his designs up until now.
It also helped that his mom used to bring fashion magazines on a weekly or monthly basis back when he was in high school. As a young Willar would describe these magazines, they were “a beacon of hope” amid his humble beginnings. The then-young aspiring designer found himself living in Las Piñas together with his grandmother who, at one point, wanted him to take up nursing as a career since she would be the one to cover his college education expenses.
“Sabi ko, ay ayoko na mag-aral kung ayun lang din yung course na kukunin ko.” (I don’t want to study if that’s the program I have to take.)
Through Willar’s conviction, he was able to pursue fashion by taking up a three-year Apparel and Fashion Technology vocational course and was followed by Industrial Management for the next two years so that he can get an official degree. It was during his university years that Willar was able to explore his passion even further by becoming an intern for the the I Love You store in the iconic Cubao Expo.
“Parang sa lahat na nag intern dun, ako lang yung marunong mag tahi,” Willar described his internship experience being the only designer surrounded by artists and painters. (Out of all the interns there, I was the only one who knew how to sew).
And just below the I Love You store, Willar found an almost second home in Today x Future – a beloved bar that many artists, fashion designers, photographers, and musicians flocked to during its nearly 12-year existence. Not only was it considered to be an LGBTQ+ haven and a go-to spot for hazy dance parties, but TxF, to put short, was a pioneer in promoting the local creative industry through the many events that it had hosted in its quaint little spot—from film showings, retail pop-ups, and so on. This is the culture den where a 17-year-old Willar, and many more like him, fell in love with the camp and offbeat world of fashion.
Images — Zaldine Alvaro
“Exposed na exposed ako sa ganon, so parang every month parang ay sige outfit tayo… every week ata nag dre-dress up na ako.” (I was really exposed to that world so almost every month I’d say, ‘Let’s put on an outfit’… And then each week, I really dress up.) In his world, normalcy and the mundane was the odd one out.
Willar began building his Salad Day brand once he completed his Industrial Management course, and instantly targeted an international niche audience, “Mga nag fo-follow sakin [in Instagram] mga taga Malaysia, taga Australia… Kaya yung style ko nag revolve sa pagiging global.” (The people who followed me on Instagram were from Malaysia, Australia, etc. that’s why my style revolved around being global).
On coming up with the brand’s name, it didn’t originate from the popular Shakespearean idiom Salad Days as one may think, but from his high school slang wherein he would use that phrase whenever he felt any sense of gratification, even in the simplest day-to-day achievements, “Kapag naaayos ko yung cabinet ko… parang this day is Salad Day.” (Even just as simple as when I would fix my cabinet, I’d call it a Salad Day).
“Design philosophy ko, iba yung naiisip mo sa nagagawa ng kamay mo… kung ano yung nagagawa ng kamay ko dun ako nag i-istart.” (My design philosophy is that what you ideate isn’t the same as what your hands can do. I start with whatever my hands can craft.
As compared to other designers who usually start their ideation process by building mood boards or starting off with a rough concept, Willar takes pride in letting his hands do the figuring out for him, whether it be spontaneously sewing pieces of fabric, or doodling odd characters, “Work [with] what you have din.” (Work [with] what you have.)
It’s as if Willar hit the ground running when his brand came to be because aside from his designs being featured in shoots for local publications, Salad Day branched out to Singapore as well. He hosted a fashion show there, got a stocklist for his brand, and was featured in Female Singapore. What makes this all the more surprising, is that up until now, Salad Day is a one-man team. Willar handles all the operations and production tasks, with at least one assistant that helps him finish garments in case he needs help. Burnout had been inevitable for Willar through the years, but his passionate self never allowed him to give up on his brand.
“As [a] Sagittarius, ayoko i-box yung sarili ko sa clothing. Gusto ko siyang i-widen – kung ano yung magagawa ng craft ko,” Willar described what his plans are for the brand moving forward. (As a Sagittarius, I don’t want to box myself to clothing. I want to widen the possibilities of my craft.)
After his art exhibit collaboration, he’s planning to create more kinds of merchandise and crafts under Salad Day. For a future clothing collection on the other hand, Willar teased on releasing a sustainable Bootleg Fantasy-themed ensemble, taking inspiration on intentionally “pangit” (ugly) things and finding the beauty in them.
Willar’s strength lies in how he values the importance of authenticity above all, “Kung ano yung pinaka authentic sayo, yun yung dapat mo i-pursue” (Whatever that you feel is most authentic to you, that’s what you should pursue.) which is why he doesn’t let his style or fashion identity be narrowed down to one singular definition, or have it be judged on how much “hype” or likes it can garner. “Wala akong specific na ma-sagot… siguro spirit ko kasi… very happy spirit, very lighthearted, parang always young.” (I don’t have a specific answer… I guess it’s my spirit… very happy spirit, very lighthearted, sort of always young.)
It’s through Willar’s fearlessness through the years that made Salad Day what it is in the present; from his unwavering spirit to take up fashion despite his family’s preferences, becoming a constant attendee in Today x Future events which had a great influence on his journey as a designer, to being consistent with his “I don’t take shit from random people” attitude that created the very existence of his brand. In true Willar Mateo fashion, we’ll just have to wait and see where his creative instinct will take Salad Day next.
In line with this story about Willar Mateo, we came up with this collaborative t-shirt design through melding our brands’ inspirations together. “Mama Mo Salad Day” is an ode to Willar’s unapologetic nature on life, fashion, and design. The design is based on an actual cutout art by Willar using extra fabric he found around his studio. We decided to go this route to fully evoke his passion, vision, and craftsmanship.
