Designer Lorenz Namalata finds doors opening in NYC Fashion since surviving leukemia

By Justine Ting

New York’s creative scene is not for the faint of heart. Especially not in the cutthroat world of

Fashion where it’s easy to get lost among the countless hordes all clamoring for a chance to shine, to be seen, to be heard.

But this doesn’t intimidate Filipino creative director and producer Lorenz Namalata. Nothing can shake his confidence and vision, especially not after surviving leukemia.

“Prior to my health issues, I allowed people to dictate what they wanted for me. I was more passive with how my life was panning out,” Namalata tells The FilAm.  “Recovering from leukemia made me more intentional and more headstrong in going after what I want.”

The Cagayan de Oro native has turned himself into one of the most recognizable names in the Metro Manila fashion scene six years after his medical episode. He’s worked on major fashion campaigns and runway shows for big brands including Bench, SM Woman, and designer Martin Bautista. He’s also produced editorial fashion shoots for magazines such as Metro, Vogue PH, and L’Officiel Philippines.

In 2023, Lorenz got his New York City break as a casting assistant, casting models for fashion shows, campaigns, music videos and other projects. Then he moved on to working for Crawford Models, representing, and managing talent as a model agent. And since leaving Crawford, he’s established his own creative agency, Fatbrain Collective, a play on the Filipino saying, “taba ng utak,” which means being witty, clever, or smart.

Namalata’s drive to excel is something he believes he inherited from his parents. His dad was a Coca-Cola salesman in Cagayan De Oro City, and his mom a proud Ilongga who worked in corporate, and later became the longest serving female National Sales Manager of San Miguel Brewery, Inc.

“Both my parents came from humble beginnings and whatever comfort they have now, all came from literally blood, sweat and tears,” shares Lorenz. “They inspire me to make the most of my circumstances because they did not sacrifice all those years working for me to be lazy.”

Lorenz spoke to The FilAm about what lies ahead.

The FilAm: Let’s talk fashion. Was there a specific moment that solidified the thought of, “This is what I want to do with my life?”

Lorenz Namalata: I remember joining a design contest during my senior year in high school and I vowed to myself that if we were to win, I’d take fashion design seriously and fast forward to now it’s one of the things I can honestly say that I’m good at. I love fashion, I love creating, I’m very visual and I think as early as in my elementary years I knew I’d never succeed in life if I wasn’t in a creative field. So, knowing that “This is what I want to do with my life” — that clarity was a gift so early in life but was fortified as I gained more praise and accolades in what I was doing creatively.

The FilAm: How do you oscillate among your many roles in fashion?

LN: It’s hard for me to just choose a role and stick with it. I feel like that’s what everybody tells me that it’s easier to “market” me if I were placed in a box. But honestly, I feel like to limit yourself is to be irrelevant so quickly. I made Fatbrain Collective which is my business entity for every project I wish to take on — whether it’s me designing, creating art for clients or spearheading a campaign as a creative director and/or casting.

The FilAm: How did your battle with leukemia affect the lens through which you view creative work?

LN: My mindset completely changed. There’s over a billion people in the world that 1 to 5 “NOs” shouldn’t matter. My worldview changed. I explored New York. I constantly feel like the best is yet to come.

The FilAm: How do you feel like your work has evolved over the years?

LN: My work has remained consistent. What changed was maybe the way that I present my work. I just don’t think of the Philippines as the market but I keep in mind the global point of view. Social media and the way everything is laid out for the world to see, really, it’s no longer limited to your own city or country. The world is watching so you have to step up.

The FilAm: How has your experience in New York affected the trajectory of your career in general?

LN: In a short span of time, I’ve met fashion personalities I’ve only once read in magazines or saw on social media. It’s a bit crazy that in N.Y. you can literally chat them up and be super casual. Brands and people I used to dream of working for were so within reach in N.Y. that I’m very much eager to still be part of it all as I shuttle back and forth from Manila to N.Y.

The FilAm: When do you know you’ve “made it”? How do you define success?

LN: My mom and I had a conversation about how being successful is having the ability to have options. I, personally, don’t see myself as having “made it.” Not yet. There’s still too many goals to achieve but I think there’s also some truth to having to acknowledge that my life in 2025 is far different from what it was in 2019. Six years ago, I was in my hospital bed, comparing my life to my friends thriving and so I cannot be more grateful to God for allowing me to “succeed” in my own little way by rewriting my narrative.