editorial team
Driven by standards of authenticity, craft, quality style, street and sportswear authority, Commonwealth makes its way to the commune of Makati as it opened its biggest store yet at Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center last Saturday, October 20.
Being the only Tier 0f NikeLab and Adidas Consortium account in the country, Commonwealth has staked its claim to be the authority in the street and sportswear scene. Recognized for curated brands offering lifestyle apparel and footwear that tap into the independent spirit of the street style culture, the lifestyle store creates and fulfills the demand for new and established brands that influence and inspire its market. Taken together, what the store offers is a peek into the street culture’s diverse creative passions.
Since it was first introduced by Welcome Worldwide into the Philippine market in 2015, the retail brand founded in Washington DC has grown to become the most deep-rooted footwear specialist in Manila and a haven for the city’s growing market of sneakerheads who willingly get in line to ‘cop’ the store’s latest ‘drop’.
Commonwealth’s success in the country contributed to the improvement of the level of various products coming to Manila. Brands like Adidas are now motivated to bring certain products to the country because of the great market potential that Commonwealth helped build.
“Commonwealth has always been active participants to what is considered a vibrant subculture,” explains Commonwealth founder Omar Quiambao. “Our contributions are considered authentic in the creative community. We have become the standard that others try to measure up to. We consider ourselves originators, not imitators.”
On the shelves, a wide selection of the most sought after Converse, ASICS, Vans, Nike, Adidas, and New Balance sit likely for a limited time until they are snapped up by regular customers. It is with the growing local sneaker culture today that helped bolster Commonwealth’s confidence in expanding, as the sneaker scene’s unpredictable nature is also its greatest strength.
“It’s been a very fast moving three years since we opened our first Commonwealth flagship in the Philippines. We’re proud that we’ve been so widely accepted and people are able to enjoy our point of view,” says Quiambao.
At the flagship Powerplant outlet, different brands will be in full display: Stone Island, Human Made, APC, Nanamica, Stussy, Carhartt WIP, Polythene Optics, Cav Empt, Neighborhood, Maharishi, Aries, Wacko Maria, Saturdays NYC, DIME, and Brain Dead.
“Our third and biggest flagship store is only the beginning of bigger things. With our third Commonwealth flagship opening, along with focusing on Commonwealth’s apparel line, we are excited to start unveiling some of our collaboration projects we have planned for the near future.”
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