If you know where to look in the Philippines, you’ll find spaces large and small stuffed with racks upon racks, piles upon piles, and boxes upon boxes of secondhand clothing, shoes, bags and more.
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Mothballs scent the air while local radio dramas or outdated ’80s love songs provide the soundtrack for sifting through countless garments in search of treasure, with prices often starting as low as 50 pesos. This is ukay-ukay, the Filipino version of thrifting – and these are the spaces I love.
The word ukay is derived from the Tagalog word “hukay”, which means “to dig”. As a professional stylist, “digging” is part of my job.
My love affair with ukay was born out of a need for self-expression in the early 2000s. On a student budget and fresh out of my high-school uniform, I spent my breaks taking the short train ride from my Manila university campus to Anonas MRT station (still one of my go-to destinations), a stop which opened directly onto an entire floor of a massive ukay-ukay, and was annexed to a building of many more of the same.
The cheap prices allowed me to explore a multitude of trends from seasons past, and costume myself for the first time in my life – my first real foray into creative styling.
If I was lucky, I’d stumble upon a true vintage piece, like an Italian leather cropped jacket in deep blue, or a Prada silk skirt from the late 90’s.
Photos: Carla Villanueva
Navigating the selections of an ukay isn’t as overwhelming as it first looks. Clothing is categorised into dresses, pants, tops, jackets and more, with prices usually easily visible on top of each rack. Blanket pricing is the norm and depending on the time of the month, you might be able to get a discount on the already low prices. New arrivals start higher but drop after a week or two – maybe even to less than half their price.
Most ukay-ukay goods arrive in large, wholesale, unsorted boxes from neighbouring countries like Japan, Hong Kong and China – countries with rapid-fire seasonal turnaround and a wholly different approach to clothing and consumption. The Philippines, an impoverished country by comparison, purchases these boxes of surplus and discarded clothing wholesale by weight.
With more than 10% of Filipinos living below the poverty line, ukay-ukay serves the dual purpose of clothing a nation unable to buy this basic necessity through mainstream retail channels, while also offering the style conscious a way to shop more sustainably.
Older now, and somewhat wiser and more aware of the role I play in this system, my hunt for treasure has evolved into something more mindful. Thrifting is still my favourite way to participate in the fashion economy. But I now peruse racks of garments much more keenly – searching for the right colors and silhouettes to give life and history to a character on screen, or saving a still-luxurious designer piece from an uncertain fate (sometimes at great restoration cost), is what truly brings me joy.
The thrill of the hunt still exists, but the satisfaction of giving something beautiful another life is what persists.
If the joy of ukay resonates with you, too, check out these places the next time you’re in town.
Photos: Carla Villanueva
Lolo Oboy’s Commercial Center
Located at Anonas MRT Station in Manila, Lolo Oboy’s building houses three storeys of ukay spaces with a variety of price points. Larger stores still follow the blanket pricing system of traditional ukay, but some smaller “special selection” shops have air-conditioning and a more curated selection of designer items at higher prices. I once found a ’90s vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bag here for 10,000 pesos, and a La Perla lace dress for 500 pesos. My latest find while researching this article? A dress from Fendi’s SS2023 runway, haggled down from 2,500 pesos to 1,500 pesos at store 101 on the first floor. Careful, though, these stores select pieces based on the garment tags and don’t have authentication processes in place – it’s up to you to make sure your purchase is genuine, because sometimes fakes make it onto the racks.
Makati Central Square
There are multiple stores located in the ground floor and basement of this old Makati mall, which has a considerably larger selection of men’s clothing than elsewhere. This is one of my go-to stops for quick-fix costuming needs, even if price points are much higher, sometimes starting at 400 pesos and only ever going as low as 100 pesos when on sale. Still, it’s centrally located and fully air conditioned. My past finds have included authentic Japanese selvedge denim at 300 pesos, a crushed velvet mens’ suit custom-tailored in Hong Kong, also at 300 pesos, that I gifted to a friend, and Marni sneakers at 500 pesos.
Photos: Carla Villanueva
Cubao
Cubao ukay-ukay covers a large area in a central commuter hub that houses multiple shops spread out across the space. It’s by far the cheapest ukay spot, as well as the most-visited and well-known amongst locals. Several large-scale ukay-ukay can be found here, such as Dysebel, Uncommon Trendy Apparel and Clip & Hanger, all within walking distance of one another. There are also smaller “boutique” ukays, like Thrifty Daisy, where I recently scored a pair of Bally vinyl mod-style knee boots, perfect for the rainy season – a relative bargain at 600 pesos. Prices in the Cubao area are a little lower and the selection is vast, but you have to be ready to dig through the endless racks.
Baguio
Located in the mountains in the north of the Philippines, around six hours by bus from Manila, ukay-ukay in Baguio offers a different experience. This is THE spot for leather – pants, jackets, cowboy boots and hats – as well as authentic vintage denim Levi’s in all cuts and shapes, dresses from obscure brands from the ’60s to the ’90s, collectible band tour t-shirts, plus the requisite designer goods. While shooting a film here, I sourced many of my costumes for the extras, as well as several last-minute key pieces for some of the main characters, at the huge nightly street market. For myself? A Supreme x Andres Serrano collab t-shirt from FW2017, and a pair of light-wash ’80s mom jeans that fit perfectly, both from the Hilltop street market and purchased at 50 pesos each. I also recommend the multi-level Sky World Commercial Center, a rickety maze-like building with individual shops dedicated to treasures like vintage silverware.
Creative’s Closet Sale
Twice a year for the past 10 years, local creatives – including myself – purge our closets, offering up the results at a different venue each time. Happening in March/April and October/November, the sale offers a curated selection of what’s in our wardrobes and showcases our individual styles. Many of us frequent ukay-ukay, collecting pieces for our shoots, projects, personal closets and client work, and this event allows us to resell them to a fun and thriving community of thrift lovers. My favourites from over the years include a gorgeous red satin dress handmade by fellow stylist Geoff Gonzales for 300 pesos, and a pair of black leather cowboy boots I traded with a fellow vendor for a pair of Zara wedges.
