19-Year-Old Parsons Drop-Out Ericka del Rosario Launches Label Kakáslok

Established last year, New York-based men’s and womenswear label Kakáslok is the result of an unlikely journey by its founder, 19-year-old Ericka del Rosario. Born in the impoverished Project 6 district of Quezon City in the Philippines, del Rosario’s parents, and those of the other children in the neighborhood, would leave the community everyday to work long hours as maids or performing cheap labor, leaving the children in the care of an older woman who would refer to them by nicknames — del Rosario’s was Kakáslok, or “little shit.” Having moved to Seattle, Washington later, del Rosario then studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York City, before dropping out and then taking up various positions at Opening Ceremony and Dover Street Market, before ending up as a creative within Alexander Wang. Looking to blend the wearability of streetwear together with the craftsmanship of couture, del Rosario founded Kakáslok taking inspiration from brands such as Alexander Wang, Raf Simons, Helmut Lang, Y-3 and COMME des GARÇONS. Check out a preview of the brand’s “Project Six” 2015 fall/winter collection above, and click here for more of del Rosario’s work.