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Best Filipino Tees from The Collection of Fine & Dandy Archives
Enrique Crame III, the owner of legendary NYC vintage store, Fine & Dandy Archives, shares the best pieces of his Filipino tee collection.
“I was born in Manila on June 25, 1978. When I was 10, my family immigrated to Calgary, Canada. Coming from super hot weather to spring in Canada, we were cold and needed heavy coats. With no money to spend on puffy new coats, we went secondhand shopping. That’s when I was introduced to Value Village. My journey into vintage started right there and then.
I started selling vintage clothing in Toronto around 2003. I would buy tees from Kensington Market and sell them to a friend who had a clothing store in the Gay Village about 1.5 miles away. And he’d sell out every weekend. Kensington Market has changed dramatically in the last 20+ years.
Most of the Filipino t-shirts in my collection were acquired just a few years ago when I connected with vintage sellers from The Philippines and around the U.S. through the Instagram Live auctions community. I also acquired some shirts from my deceased father and grandmother.
All my Filipino tees are keepers – only if I get a double am I willing to sell. I have around 70 Filipino shirts in my collection now.
These shirts depicting ’Filipino strength’ are so bad ass! They were designed by Fortune Designs around 1994. The figures are made up characters. The Tagalog word alamat means ’legend,’ and walang takot ’not scared’. I have seen a similar series of ’Hawaiian Strength’ and a t-shirt with a female figure on it, too.
Jollibee is the most famous fast food restaurant in The Philippines—even more popular than McDonalds. Every city has a different menu, just like McDonalds has localized menus in different countries. I love Jollibee hot dogs with cheese inside, spicy fried chicken, and spaghetti with a tangy sweetness.
The shirt on the left is very rare and celebrates the 100th location in The Philippines. I got both these shirts from Filipino vendors. Some Filipino dealers that always have the best stuff for me are Jepar of @reworth.vtg and Erv of @thevintagejunkiemnl.
I love the tags on these t-shirts. If the tag says ’Made in RP,’ the shirt is made in the Philippines (the Republic of the Philippines). Some people might miss this! It’s one of the best tricks for checking the origin.
I like the simple hand printed designs on these 80s tourist tees; you can see little imperfections. I love the colors of blue and green together, and the typical Filipino-style fonts that are inspired by hand-painted traditional store signs.
I particularly love how the Filipino t-shirts were cut and how they feel – completely different from American made clothes. They are usually made of cotton-poly blends that suit the hot and humid climate.
The shirt on the left depicts a carabao (water buffalo) on rice terraces. Subic Bay used to be a US naval base and it played a big role in the Vietnam War.
These political t-shirts I can never sell. They are historical pieces. Corazon Aquino was a Filipino politician and the eleventh President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People Power Revolution, which ended the two-decade rule of President Ferdinand Marcos and led to the establishment of the current democratic Fifth Philippine Republic.
The official color of the People Power Revolution was yellow, so that is why these shirts always come in that color.
This is one of the few Filipino shirts I have found in New York. I bought it at Beacon’s Closet in Bushwick. I don’t get to Brooklyn too often, but I always find something when I go there. I don’t care about Playboy, but when I saw the Manila print on the other side and I just had to get it.
I was very surprised when I saw these yacht club and sailing shirts because I did not know this side of the Philippines even existed: the preppy, Ivy League kind of lifestyle with sailing clubs. Manila Boat Club was founded in 1895—it feels crazy, but then again, at the time, everyone was wearing Western wear in Manila.
Next, we have some dessert-themed t-shirts. The Magnolia ice cream tee would have been an expensive shirt to make with so many colors. It is also made of this stretchy comfy fabric which I love.
Pancake House is still around. I grew up near Pasig so it is nice to see that city on the back side where all their locations are listed. The front image depicts a Filipino family as they all have black hair.
Filipinos love beer! It is a popular way to spend time: taking a table and chairs outside to have beers and snacks like nuts and pork belly and hang with friends and family.
It is common for beer companies to sponsor movies; that’s why the first tee has the Tanduay Gold logo on the back and the movie print on the front.
These political tees are more niche collectibles. 89% of Filipinos are Catholics, and they love the Pope. I grew up very religious and attended a Catholic boys school – maybe that is why I am interested in fashion, being in a uniform all my school years.
I went through a phase of collecting Pope t-shirts myself. The Pope t-shirt is from the 1980s, when the Pope visited The Philippines and people would camp out to see him.”
Fine And Dandy Vintage Showroom
@fineanddandyarchives
Find with Gem
Filipino Strength t-shirt- 90s beige graphic t-shirt
- Jollibee
- feather gray 90s t-shirt
- 90s restaurant t-shirt
- Philippines tourist t-shirt
- 80s Philippines t-shirt
- waterfall t-shirt
- Corazon Aquino
- People Power t-shirt
- Playboy t-shirt
- yellow 80s raglan sleeve
- white ringer t-shirt
- yachting t-shirt
- boat club t-shirt
- ice cream t-shirt
- restaurant t-shirt
- beer promo t-shirt
- 90s movie t-shirt
- yellow raglan sleeve t-shirt
- 80s pope t-shirt
- 80s political t-shirt