Why Benilde Blazers’ Matthew Oli Took Up Fashion Design

Benlide Blazers’ Matthew Oli is working hoops and hemlines. When he’s not playing on the court, he’s busy with threads and sketchbooks designing his latest fashion project. Currently taking up Fashion Design for his college degree, the 24-year-old grew up on old clothes and hand-me-downs.

“I picked Fashion Design because it’s something very unique. As the youngest child, growing up, I had a lot of hand-me-downs, and I tried to make those clothes my own and put my own identity in the clothes my other siblings used,” Oli told ALL-STAR. 

“Back then, I didn’t know what I was doing but looking back, making those clothes my own helped me translate the creativity I had in my head. I think people can express themselves with the clothes that they wear. We put on clothes every day and I feel like the clothes are usually what makes the first impression with other people.”

Breaking stereotypes

People are always surprised when they learn that a basketball player like Oli wants to be a fashion designer. He’s been bombarded with questions about why he took up Fashion Design, even by his professors. 

“A lot of people are like, ‘You’re a varsity player and you’re in fashion?’ Why are you there?’ There are a lot of those questions every day. Even the same people still ask me like, are you sure you’re into fashion? My professors ask me every meeting if I’m sure I want to be in Fashion, and I say, Yeah. I’m here I’m showing up, I was here last week, I’ll be here today, I’ll be here next week. I don’t think I think no player has been through the Fashion Design course yet at Benilde.”

But Fashion Design wasn’t the rookie’s initial plan. He weighed out his options between taking Multimedia Arts or Fashion Design.

“I started graphic design in high school and then from there I wanted to create, I wanted to be a logo designer but as I was creating logos for other people, I thought to myself why can’t I just create a logo for myself and be my own boss and start my own clothing line?” 

Oli believes that he could be the bridge between basketball and fashion.

“I’m able to feed into basketball and fashion coexisting because I feel I would be successful in since I have a lot of basketball friends who don’t have a lot of fashion design friends so maybe once they make it to the big leagues or whatever league they make it to, and if they need a fashion designer, I’ll probably be a little bit easier to reach out to than someone they don’t know who’s into fashion and basketball.”

It helped him be creative and eventually led him to where he is now.

He has a keen eye for arts which made him confident in pursuing fashion as a degree. He also thinks that first impression leaves a mark. 

“The process of fashion design, I think the process of creating something from nothing, and being able to create a piece of clothing that you feel confident in not only for yourself but say if you sell that piece of clothing and someone purchases it, they also get an extra sense of self-confidence while wearing your piece or your design.”

He goes for a more laid-back style for his everyday fits. Comfort is a big factor in what he chooses to wear.

“Go-to outfits number one, the practice outfit um tank top and shorts. But, I think my go-to outfit would be sweatpants a T-shirt, and a fitted hat even though I’m in fashion. I like dressing comfortably and being comfortable sometimes makes you look a little laid back. I like layering but honestly, it’s too hot to layer in the Philippines if we were in a colder climate, I would definitely take the chance to layer a lot more.”

‘Deadlines in fashion are very rigorous.’

Time management is the key to everything. He learned to use his time wisely to pursue two things he enjoys doing.

When Oli’s not on the basketball court or working out, he’s usually in class or doing schoolwork. He trains with his team in the morning before going to class. Sometimes, there is so much schoolwork, he does some of it in his dorm. 

“The deadlines in fashion are very rigorous though so time management is very important and I think our professors are just trying to prepare us for when we go out into the fashion workforce,” said Oli. 

Being a varsity player can be overwhelming: You have to maintain high grades on top of committing to practices with the team. Oli doesn’t sugarcoat about that reality—a fact that even Fifi Sharma did not hide. 

“Being an athlete in fashion can be stressful at times or all the time,” Oli told ALL-STAR. 

Despite the demands of being a student-athlete, Oli indulges himself on days off. He wakes up early, eats breakfast, does some stretches, and reads in the morning. Sometimes, he stays in bed like the rest of us. 

“I try to stay in bed or stay at home! You know, bed-rot a little bit! And then just try to be around my friends, keep my mind off the other things I have to focus on when I’m not off.”

Although people are usually thrown off by his two passions that seem worlds apart, Oli is determined to keep pursuing both. 

“But both are things I love and enjoy doing. There are times that I would have to focus on one more than the other but both are very important to me and when things are significant I feel like you find ways to make time.”

Balancing hoops and hems, Matthew Oli proves that fashion—and passion—doesn’t have to pick sides.