Crispin and Basilio are two fictional characters from a 19th-century Filipino novel.
Los Angeles-based designer Donny Barrios always had an inquisitiveness for the different aspects of clothing and fashion. Growing up in Manila, he then entered the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, focusing on those very interests. Menswear at that time was at the height of its modern resurgence, and Donny gravitated toward it. Women's fashion was always just a passing thought. However, with the launch of crispin and basilio in the fall of 2006, Donny transformed that passing thought into fancy.
Early in his career, Donny was already merchandising for J Crew Inc. Just prior to c&b, he spent two years as the head menswear designer for a Los Angeles contemporary label. The company restructured, and Donny left soon after. The experience allowed him to be more intimately familiar with women's clothing, stirring a familiar passion which opened a new creative door.
"Designing women's clothing was spurred by my curiosity of its scope," says Donny. "The options available and the different choices made are of a different intricacy."
The clothing, beautiful whilst thoughtful, comes from two sincere intents: One is that of balancing design and technique with the clever and the unexpected. And the other, the pursuit of attractiveness true and current to the c&b woman-- the concept that begins every process.
Since the debut of the line, crispin & basilio has been recognized by the industry as a rising talent, with ELLE and WWD naming Barrios a "designer to watch" and NYLON heralding him as one of the "young talents changing the face of LA fashion."
