ONE MIGHT have already passed by a BOCU store several times and not realized the minimalist brand is wholly Filipino.
On July 18, BOCU opened its latest store in SM Aura, showing off the brand’s sleek and clean lines. The brand is owned by Golden ABC, Inc., behind labels like Penshoppe, OXGN, Forme, Memo, and Regatta.
At BOCU, we saw clothes that were less prep, and more normcore (a trend that began in 2015; but the millennial and now Gen Z slant towards neutral clothing in terms of color and shape still stands). Think several pieces in beige, black, and white but in different textures; only slightly spiced up with pieces in safe pastels or conservative navy and wine. It’s as safe as you can get, and priced slightly higher than P500.
BOCU Brand Manager Amanda Liu, a member of the Liu family that founded Penshoppe in the ’80s said that the brand originated during the pandemic lockdowns in 2021. The brand, an acronym, initially meant Born Online, Curated for You; since evolved to Beauty in the Ordinary, Comfort in the Understated. “This really reflects the identity of the brand. When you hear that and see our pieces, it all kind of connects and makes sense,” said Ms. Liu. They first sold the pieces online through shopping apps, but an opportunity came for them to open a physical store at SM Mall of Asia. They have since jumped up to 12 branches, with another coming before the end of the year.
She talked about the brand’s inspiration coming from pieces she discarded from her closet during the endless rounds of spring cleaning during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020. “It was all these really trendy pieces that maybe at some point were loved, and were super in,” she said. “But after a certain point, it’s really not very wearable anymore.”
“You’re looking for something we wanted to wear every day, that was still comfortable, but also elevated,” she added. “Maybe it’s also — I’m getting older, and you still want to look very elevated when you go out. You don’t want to look very sloppy. At the same time, you want something low effort.”
We’ve mentioned that the prices range above the P500 line, a slight jump from their more mass-based brands. “If you look at the quality of the things that we’re putting out, it’s also a little bit different. But if you compare us, for example, to other international brands which is what we peg ourselves on, we are still very value for money.”
We also noticed their line of perfumes, which could serve as dupes for international brands. These have since included scented candles, opening the door for more opportunities in other categories. “There’s so many opportunities for different categories. Accessories are definitely something that we’re also growing.”
“Who knows? The possibilities can really be endless.”
As we’ve mentioned, the brand plans to open one more store before the year ends, in alignment with their expansion plans in response to the warm reception of this cooler sibling brand. “That’s why we’re continuing our expansion. There’s definitely still a lot more room to grow, but we’re trying to be a bit more intentional with the spaces that we open.”
This includes expansion abroad: some Golden ABC brands are already available regionally, and BOCU itself is currently sold on Zalora’s Southeast Asian channels. “There are definitely plans in the works. The look that we cater to, we really can also compete with the global brands as well. We’re aligned to the vision of Golden ABC as a company: we’re bringing proud Filipino brands to the rest of the world.”
For store locations and sneak peeks, visit www.boculifestyle.com or @boculifestyle on Instagram. — JLG