IN 1881, German clothing brand Van Laack set out to make the world’s best shirts and suits. Have they succeeded?
On June 19, all the way from its headquarters near the Rhine, the company showed off its Spring/Summer 2025 collection (mostly sprigged cotton shirts; but also a charming evening suit in black, with a matching cummerbund) in its store at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall. More importantly, the store had Florian Ohlde, vice-president of made-to-measure sales at Van Laack, to reintroduce the brand’s made-to-measure service.
Probably its No. 1 customer here, Johnlu Koa, managing director of Van Laack in the Philippines, showed off his very own suit. He brought the brand to the Philippines in the mid-2000s, after sensing shifts in the country’s economics. “We thought that the best thing to do is equip businesspeople with the right outfits,” he said.
On a personal note, he began to patronize Van Laack after personal mishaps with his own clothes as well.
He’d have suits tailor-made in Hong Kong at affordable prices (relative to the suits he usually buys), then have them come apart in just a few washes. With another European brand (which he did not name), the suits would fit perfectly, except for his cuffs. The Philippine branches of the brand would unceremoniously shorten the cuffs, cutting off the kissing buttons — the buttons that would actually open and close on custom suit jackets’ cuffs (as opposed to the buttons on store-bought suits), thus removing the mark of exclusivity.
Mr. Koa took off his jacket, which showed his monogram and his other businesses discreetly on the lining. “When you wear it, you feel secure — in your place, in your business, in your industry,” he said. “It makes you feel secure for deals.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ohlde, when asked about the assertion about the brand making the world’s best shirts, told us to touch his own shirt. We commented on its softness, and he said that the shirt had not been ironed. “I flew from Germany to here with a tiny bag. It’s not wrinkled.”
Their fabrics come from Italy and Switzerland, and the fine quality of the fabrics is matched with German precision in tailoring. While they have since begun manufacturing in Tunisia and Vietnam, he says, “At the end of the day, you get the best shirt and suit in the world.”
“We don’t make mistakes,” he added.
He also explained how they managed to survive since 1881: he gestured at the women’s blouses, the belts, the ties and other items in the store that were not shirts or suits. They’ve even added home linens to their portfolio. “We make bedsheets with the best fabrics in the world (which) you normally wear on your skin.”
Van Laack in the Philippines is located at 3rd Level Main Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong. Book an appointment or find out more about the new collections by contacting 0917-8194814. — Joseph L. Garcia
