ADVERTISING alumna Bel Salvosa has stitched her way into the bespoke fashion scene with SALVO Tailors, a homegrown brand that weaves Filipino heritage into made-to-measure pieces that have been worn even by NBA stars.
She has outfitted global NBA icons Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, as well as three-time champions Kevon Looney and Byron Scott.
In September 2023, she crafted fully embroidered piña callado and luxury barong sets for Looney and Thompson during Anta’s Asian Tour. In April 2024, Salvosa designed a custom barong for Scott.
While studying at the College of Fine Arts and Design, Salvosa played for the varsity women’s basketball team and rooted for the Golden State Warriors, with which Thompson and Looney clinched multiple championships, making the chance to dress them all the more special.
In October 2024, she traveled to Bangkok to personally gift Irving a bespoke barong, detailed with his logo on the cuffs, during his first Southeast Asia tour with sports brand ANTA.
Before Irving’s fashion show at centralwOrld LIVE, Salvosa told the NBA champion about her vision of merging basketball and tailoring, two fields she said both require “skill, hard work, and a love for art.”
Like her signature pieces, the barong was crafted from piña fabric, woven from fibers taken from pineapple leaves.
“My vision is for Filipino people to experience the real bespoke tailoring, kasi the international market is very dedicated to the quality,” she told the Varsitarian. “And also, to bring the experience not just for men but also for women.”
Salvosa’s path to tailoring began with her undergraduate thesis on custom menswear, a top-mark project rooted in skills learned from her grandmother, who sewed gowns, and her father, whose clothing vanity often had her picking his business attire.
“What I liked about the system of fine arts in UST is they help mold your strength and your passion,” she told the Varsitarian. “You’re not stuck with just one direction.”
While most of her batchmates joined advertising agencies, Salvosa trained for five years with a Hong Kong atelier before refining her craft at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School in Makati.
In 2017, she launched SALVO Tailors with a vision to bring international-quality bespoke craftsmanship to the Philippines, especially for women, whom she felt were underserved in the industry.
Salvosa started as a travelling tailor during her early years, and by 2019, she opened her first shop in Makati.
However, the pandemic forced its temporary closure. Rather than folding, she adapted by creating women’s civil wedding suits and professional wear for clients who wanted to look sharp in online meetings.
“I didn’t stop dreaming,” she said. “During that time, I still worked on my marketing, hoping the pandemic would end.”
Today, SALVO Tailors is known for pieces made with premium fabrics sourced from Hong Kong and London.
Among its clientele is Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who wore a custom barong for the 2025 State of the Nation Address.
SALVO Tailors CEO Bel Salvosa fits a custom-made barong for presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos which he wore during the 2025 SONA last July 28. (Photo from SALVO Tailors FB Page).
Salvosa said her path to success began when she chose to focus and “start doing the work,” and urged young entrepreneurs to keep pursuing what they are passionate about.
“I’m very proud of our service because we’re not just any usual tailoring business. … Our standards are high because we serve mostly professionals, not just in the Philippines but internationally.”
“There are challenges, but I continue the business because I love what I’m doing and I think it’s a blessing to do what you really like.” E.H. Cortez
