Bellagaux by Franz, Justin, & Paulo: Filipino, Fashion, and Class

(Left to Right: Paulo Pecson, Franz Javier, and Justin Uy)

A business born in the pandemic, Bellagaux is a Manila-based local clothing brand started between three friends. Franz Javier has long been in the fabric business industry in the Philippines and thought of making amazing quality clothes at a sensible price point. 

Franz was able to pull in his two close friends, Justin Uy, and Pau Pecson, and together, these three became the building blocks of Bellagaux. 

They had trouble coming up with the perfect name for their business venture. 

“One of the early challenges [was] to name it. We’re looking at it as elegant yet unique, something that can catch your attention when you hear or see it,” says Franz. 

It was in Franz’s experience that businesses or companies are named after the founder’s children so they went with this idea. Basing the name on Franz’s daughter, Margaux Isabel, after different mixes and matches, they finally came up with Bellagaux. 

Some might wonder the reason behind starting and launching a business smack in the middle of a pandemic when others are struggling to make ends meet. 

“In our minds, the pandemic is a reset button in terms of our economy, especially in the clothing/fashion world. Everyone will need to start from scratch and learn a new system to produce sales or advertise their brand, so for us, it’s a great advantage to start” says Justin. 

So the three started right away and began brainstorming collections, designs, events, and trends. 

It wasn’t easy at first. They didn’t meet their target funding or goal investment needed. Bellagaux began operations after the initial investment and they see this as the first hitch in their journey. 

Due to this, after only a few months, Bellagaux started having trouble with its funds, especially in terms of marketing. It took about a year before Bellagaux was able to stabilize its funding and start operating normally. 

After their initial results, they realized that their plan wasn’t working. Franz shares “knowing the root problem is a big factor. We made our weakness, our strength and re-aligned our brand, making sure it hits the right people. Realizing no matter how good your product is, as long as it doesn’t hit the right people, it will still be unappreciated.”

Another card up Bellagaux’s sleeve is their network and supply of high-quality cloth. They know where to get the best fabric and material at the lowest possible cost. This ensures fair pricing without sacrificing standards. The fabric they use is mostly the material being used in Philippine Fashion Week. Bellagaux’s sewer has even made clothes for the Prince and Princesses of Dubai. 

With this, Justin says “main goal is to establish Bellagaux as a brand with integrity, quality, affordability, and a timeless collection. Anyone can be sophisticated at the palm of your hands.” 

Bellagaux currently has its first collection live and ready for purchase on its website. Be sure to check out their Instagram and Facebook for more.