Four Ways Forward
New Era Philippines turns 11 with a collection that hands its core values to four of the country’s sharpest creative voices…and lets them run.
Words Gerie Marie Consolacion
Photos courtesy of New Era Philippines
July 20, 2026
Some anniversary collections are built to look backward. NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE isn't one of them.
To mark its 11 years in the Philippines, New Era handed its four defining values: Individuality, Pride, Authenticity, and Collaboration—to four artists with nothing in common except talent.
Presenting Jethro Olba, Lei Melendres, Nicolo Nimor, and Raco Ruiz. Each was assigned one word, no further instructions, and told to make it their own.
The result is a four-piece capsule that launched nationwide on July 14, celebrated with a launch event and private signing session at Uptown Mall BGC.
NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE Featured Artists Jethro Olba, Lei Melendres, Nicolo Nimor, and Raco Ruiz.
During the event, the Art+ Magazine had the time to have an exclusive talk with the four artists. Diving into their inspiration, these artists shared their connection with the word they own.
On Jethro Olba’s Individuality
Jethro's assignment was the collection’s most on-the-nose pairing: an artist known for nostalgic, character-driven illustration, handed the value of Individuality.
His design leans fully into that instinct, built around the freedom of self-expression and the confidence to stand apart.
Artist Jethro Olba
For Jethro, the theme wasn't abstract, rather, it was personal.
“It's about expressing your own self,” he says, “but at the same time, still connecting with the roots.”
His own roots as a student, layered against New Era's roots as a brand now eleven years into its story in the country.
He's also the collection's clearest advocate for what happens when art leaves the gallery. “It really helps in terms of breaking the barrier of art as an exclusive thing,” he explains.
“It doesn't only help the artist—it also inspires people, whether they're creative or non-creative. That's the beauty of wearable pieces.”
When the team asks him what he hopes lingers after someone buys the piece they’ve worked with, the answer comes without hesitation: nostalgia—the same feeling that runs through the rest of his work.
What does ‘Collaboration’ mean to Lei Melendres?
Lei's artwork transforms his signature intricate linework into a visual expression of connection—individual ideas coming together to form something bigger, which is more or less the whole idea behind this collection in the first place.
Artist Lei Melendres
He’s also the artist most candid about needing the constraint. “If I'm not given a direction, my imagination is super wild. I don't know where else to start,” he admits. “But because you gave me the value, I was like, ah, this is where I'm going to draw inspiration from.”
Collaboration wasn't a random draw for him, either. He points to his own habit of working alongside other artists as proof the theme found the right person.
“This value, for me, it's super fitting because I like to collaborate with artists. I think collaboration could be the perfect theme for it.”
Presenting Nicolo Nimor’s Authenticity
Nicolo's piece is a bold, confident composition, built around staying genuine. Like trusting your instincts, creating with purpose, and expressing your identity without compromise.
Artist Nicolo Nimor
For him, the word isn’t just a design brief, it’s close to a professional creed. “When talking about authenticity, it's important for an artist,” he says, “because that's the distinction. Your styles are different, your outlooks are different. The word authenticity is really authentic from you as an artist.”
It's a value that doubles as a definition of what makes any artist worth following in the first place: not technique, but the unmistakable fingerprint underneath it.
Presenting Pride through Raco Ruiz’ Works
Raco’s contribution rounds out the collection with vibrant visual storytelling and a playful use of color, celebrating the confidence to own your journey and take pride in your craft.
The theme, he says, was less an assignment than a description of how he already works. “I really used pride as my inspiration because I think that's also something I try to do with my work,” he explains.
“I'll be the first one to be proud of my work, so that it's easy for people to follow after that. If you're not proud of your own work, it's going to be hard for other people to believe in your creativity.”
Artist Raco Ruiz
Raco is also the collection’s most thoughtful voice on what changes when art becomes something people wear. “When designing for wearable pieces, I have to be a little more considerate about the subject matter,” he says.
“If it's a gallery piece, sometimes I don't care if it will offend people. But for fashion, this person will wear this in public the whole day.” That doesn't mean playing it safe, it means finding a design that's easy for the general public to take in, “but you can still be yourself with the design,” he added.
As for what he wants a buyer to feel long after the piece is worn in, he stated that “Super cheesy, but happiness. That's the point of my artwork and the characters I used in my piece.”
Asked how the collection reflects the broader state of Filipino creative culture, Raco is the one who takes the question furthest. “I really like how now we're celebrating people's unique styles instead of trying to get everyone to fit into a mold,” he says.
“It's less about trying to be the same, more about trying to be what makes you different”, a fitting way to describe a collection built on four artists refusing to sound like each other.
And when asked where the line was between personal expression and the brand's vision, the answer was simple: there wasn't much of one to find.
“To be honest, they didn't hold us back with the design,” Raco shared. “The brand wanted us to do something that's true to ourselves more than anything. It wasn't hard to balance. That's all.”
Presenting the NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE
The capsule features four SKUs, each carrying pieces of all four artists’ work.
Starting with Raco Ruiz’s favorite among the collection, 59FIFTY, is a reimagined in a bold red colorway, with tonal embroidery pulled from each artist’s illustrations, custom interchangeable enamel pin badges, and an undervisor printed with the full collaborative artwork.
Next is Jethro and Nicolo’s favorite, Camper, is finished in a deep green palette, with interchangeable velcro graphic patches and embroidered details highlighting the collection's identity.
Then, 9TWENTY is a classic navy colorway featuring embroidery from all four artists, plus an exclusive paintbrush-shaped cap pin as a nod to the creative process behind the collaboration.
New Era’s Collection from the NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE
And lastly, presenting Lei’s favorite among the collection is the Commemorative graphic tee that brings all four artists’ interpretations of New Era’s core values together into one design.
Every purchase includes special packaging on a first-come, first-served basis, along with a blind pack containing one sealed, randomly selected artwork from the collection, presented in a collectible acrylic display with a mini easel.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
More than an anniversary collection, NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE is a celebration of the artists, communities, and creative culture that have grown alongside New Era Philippines over the past eleven years.
(L-R) Lei Melendres, Jethro Olba, Nicolo Nimor, and Raco Ruiz
By turning the brand's most recognizable silhouettes into canvases for self-expression, the collection makes its case simply: eleven years in, New Era's values aren't something handed down from a boardroom. They're something four different artists can hold, interpret, and make entirely their own.
NEW ERA CO11ECTIVE is available now at New Era Philippines stores and online. Follow @NewEraPhilippines on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook for updates.
