Two Friends and a Shared Legacy

From a studio built through partnership to a collaboration grounded in arts and culture, Team Manila Lifestyle presents a collection for MoCAF 2026.

Words Rica Mae Labbao
Photos courtesy of Team Manila
July 05, 2026

Sometimes, something special comes from the usual—the routine, the familiar, the expected. For Jowee and Raymund, a niche creative partnership that began in college eventually grew into something much bigger than either of them first imagined.

Jowee Alviar and Raymond Punzalan co-founded Team Manila Graphic Design Studio, a studio that started from a long-term freelance collaboration and a simple need: a T-shirt they actually wanted to wear.

Going back from the start

Both studied Fine Arts and Design at the University of Santo Tomas in the 1990s, where they were classmates before becoming close friends. Over time, they found themselves repeatedly working well together—sharing similar work ethics and creative instincts that would later become the foundation of Team Manila Lifestyle.

With experience spanning graphic design and advertising, their focus gradually shifted toward more experimental work.

Graphic design felt more experimental, the clients more interesting. “When we graduated, we wanted to do something in that direction,” Jowee shared.

A turning point came when Jowee joined an international art competition, which led him to pursue graduate studies at the California Institute of the Arts. There, he began reflecting more deeply on identity and representation, particularly what it meant to create work rooted in Filipino culture.

When he returned to Manila, the two began freelancing together more actively, submitting work to international design publications with a clear intention: to put Filipino visual culture on the map—hence the name Team Manila.

Eventually, they began imagining themselves not just as designers, but as their own clients. That idea sparked something new: a brand that turned their graphic work into wearable pieces they would actually use.

From there, a legacy took shape.

A vision with a mission

Since its beginnings in a family garage, Team Manila Lifestyle has carried a consistent goal: turning cultural commentary and advocacy into wearable design.

“We want to be the voice and pulse of this generation. Aside from promoting Philippine pop culture, culture, and history, we also listen closely to what people are saying—especially the younger generation. We translate that into merch, into statement shirts.”

For Jowee, the brand has always been more than a business. It is both livelihood and platform—based in a desire to represent Filipino identity in ways that feel accessible and contemporary.

A collab to get excited about

He also spoke about ongoing collaborations with artists, young designers, and like-minded partners. One of these is their participation in MoCAF 2026, which opens the door for new experimentation and creative directions.

“Aside from merch, we want to release graphic design studio prints—more experimental explorations of our work. It won’t be the usual. It’s an opportunity for us to try new things, explore, and show that process.”

For this latest collaboration, the goal is simple but layered: to remind people that Filipino culture has always been present—woven into everyday life.

Follow Team Manila on Facebook (Teammanila Lifestyle), Instagram (@teammanila), and the web (https://shop.teammanilalifestyle.com).