Makati ‘barberdashery’ a one-stop shop for men’s grooming, tailoring needs

Meet my brother Jerome. He represents a fair number of men for whom a trip to the barbershop was one of their earliest steps on their journey to manhood. He fondly recalls that at the age of seven, after years of tagging along with our mom to beauty salons, he got his first haircut at the skillful hands of Mang Tomas in our hometown’s most prominent barbershop, Master’s Barbers.

“There’s that feeling of manhood when a young boy steps into a barbershop for the first time—the musk, the muscle chairs, the all-male customers and the very male barbers. It all spells ‘man’,” he said. “Then there’s the brotherhood. Sharing that common task of having a haircut with other boys is like silent bonding.”

Since that first haircut, Jerome has enjoyed not only the services of Master’s Barbers but also the relationship he’s had with Mang Tomas. Even now that he is grown and life has called for him to move to other places, my brother is a strong patron of barbershops.

Like many men, Jerome is pretty much fuss-free with his needs: a good cut, a forceful yet relaxing massage, and clean surroundings. These are all easily available at any of the number of barbershops in town, but one thing he’s been constantly looking for all these years, with little success, is that sense of brotherhood he first felt at age seven.

Until he discovered Felipe & Sons.

Situated on a small side street in Salcedo Village, Makati, this self-styled "barberdashery"—barbershop and haberdashery—has amassed a faithful clientele since it opened in late 2013. It’s not hard to see why.

Located in a dated building, Felipe & Sons has that old-fashioned vibe. From the wide wooden staircase leading up to a framed glass door, to the brick walls and the sturdy wooden floor reminiscent of those in antiquated homes, the place looks and feels vintage. And the customized leather interiors make it a man’s cave.

Most of the services offered by Felipe & Sons are no different from what the average barbershop offers—cut and rinse, massage and a hot towel shave.

However, its luxury shave seems to lure first-timers and hook them into becoming regulars. My brother availed of this service and explains that it is “an old-fashioned and more extensive manner of shaving” that offers a smoother, softer shave and a cleaner after-feel. The barber uses a blade to remove facial hair and then applies shaving cream with a fine brush before doing a close shave.

Felipe & Sons also has a team of tailors who will create custom shirts, trousers and even three-piece suits from a selection of fabrics. Bespoke shoes courtesy of Sapatero are also offered in this joint, and there's even a shoeshine stand.

The barberdashery aims to create an atmosphere of camaraderie by hosting live viewings of NBA and PBA finals, Manny Pacquiao fights and other sporting bouts. Local singers have also performed live here.

On top of all this, the place offers its clients freshly brewed coffee, ice-cold beer, whisky and other drinks. Said co-owner Marco Katigbak, “Barbershops, especially neighborhood ones, always have that sense of familiarity. Here in Felipe & Sons, we try to make the environment inclusive and not exclusive, and often a drink or two enables that.”

There is no actual, flesh-and-blood Felipe. The barberdashery's name is instead an homage to tradition and the kind of craftsmanship that is passed from one generation to the other, explains its website. "Felipe is the Philippines, and we are all his sons," the site says. "Just like our fathers before us, and their fathers before them...[W]e remember our fathers and grandfathers as models of propriety—in how they acted and in how they dressed. As a barbershop and haberdashery, Felipe & Sons stands to safeguard this heritage." — BM, GMA News

Felipe & Sons can be found in LPL Mansion on 122 San Agustin St., 1227 Makati City.