Raibyn Cabiling - ILLA MANILA

Raibyn Cabiling is the founder of San Diego based apparel, accessory and hard goods brand ILLA MANILA. As the founder, creative, production, sales, marketing and owner Raibyn merges his Filipino American background, experience of growing up in the 80s with influences like skateboarding, hip hop and graffiti to create all of ILLA MANILA’s goods. Through focusing on Filipino imagery like balisongs, cock fighting, the Filipino sun, ILLA MANILA bridges cultures and generations, while representing Filipinos though their designs. From shirts to skateboards, hats to enamel pins, Raibyn uses his graphic design and Art Director background to create a clean and cohesive look with typeface and familiar Filipino imagery. ILLA MANILA takes community global with their skate team in the Philippines as well as local with collaborations with Fil Am musicians (Klassy, a video with Rocky G' on soundtrack, and more coming). The brand is a love for culture and Raibyn connects culture and generations.
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@illamanila

How did you create your career path? What brought you to pursue ILLA MANILA?
Growing up in San Diego, CA I was always into creating. When I was in high school we started a clothing company, which lasted for a few years. We learned a lot and made a lot of mistakes. After high school I started working as a graphic designer at an advertising agency called Blk/Mrkt in downtown San Diego it was run by super talented designers, Shepard Fairey/Obey and Dave Kinsey. They taught me that you can become successful for being who you are not what people want you to be. After that I moved on and started working for Vans shoes as the Art Director for skateboarding, It was a great 8 years there. When I first started at Vans, it wasn’t as popular compared to back in the 80’s, during my time there we were very successful in making Vans cool again. While I was at Vans, Converse shoes approached me and asked if I would be their Art Director to help them get back into skateboarding. I accepted the challenge and we were very successful in establishing a solid foundation in skateboarding. After 4 years, Converse asked to me to move to the corporate office in Boston. I couldn’t leave my life in California. So I declined and took and used the 15 years of experience throughout my career that I learned from production, design, marketing to sales, and decided to start ILLA MANILA.

What is the mission behind ILLA MANILA?
Our mission is to serve as a point of connection between cultures and generations.

Have you always been drawn to art and design?
I think it was in 3rd grade when my teacher recognized a piece of art that I did, I think I won an award or something. I can still remember how that felt.

What is your creative process and how do you get into the creative flow?
I like to make a connection between old and new ideas and make it my own. I always try to evoke an emotion.

How important is the connection of Filipino culture in your work?
Our goal is to give Filipinos something to proud about and to provide a sense of community.

How do you use your platform to represent Filipinos worldwide?
One example of something we do to represent Filipinos, is that we established a skate team in the Philippines. We help the riders get exposure by giving them a platform to showcase their talents to the world. One of our riders, Mak Feliciano, just got a silver medal at the 2019 SEA Games (its the Olympics for
Asia).

What are so me of your favorite collaborations, designs, projects?
At the moment my favorite project we did is our latest skateboard video called “Young, Gifted and Brown”. For the soundtrack we collaborated with a young
rapper in the Bay Area named “Rocky G”. The skating and music together perfectly represents what the brand stands for. Check it out on Youtube.

Who/what has been instrumental in your personal and creative growth?
My family and environment. Growing up as a kid in the 80’s in California, I was influenced by skateboarding, graffiti and hip-hop.

How do you handle balancing being the founder/creative/ production/ sales/ marketing and owner ofILLA MANILA?
Enjoying what I do helps me get things done. It doesn’t feel like work to me. Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

Do you have any advice for those wanting to pursue entrepreneurship?
My advice is to do your research and just go for it. You’ll make a lot of mistakes and fail, you just have to learn from them and move forward. If you don’t try,
you will never do.

Are there any upcoming projects, designs that you’re excited about?
We have a project coming soon with the band “Balikbayans with Ruby Ibarra” its fire!

Photos courtesy of ILLA MANILA