What is up, y'all?
+ Here is the entirety of the DatuKutti archives, from conception to modern day. Take a peek at what you missed, what's to come, favorite photos from shoots + commentary when relevant.
Current: 2026
Diaspora Junkie
Smiley Araw Dad Cap (ube) (unavailable) , Oak Cliff Forever Cropped Tee , Hot Girls hate Fascists Cropped Tee , Jackson Heights Forever Cropped Tee
Exclusive Ube colored dad caps, only available at Ube Land. If you missed it... see you next year ! Oak Cliff and Jackson Heights are two lil places I pay homage to. Rep it if you want. I fear I may find the Hot Girls Hate Fascists corny like I did with Intersectional Feminist, but I think the difference is that its hot girly? I actually like the design? LOL. Anyway, 2026 isn't done yet, and neither am I!
We're Not Done Yet..!!!:
Desi Princess Tee
I've actually had this design in my inventory since the Jollibae era, but didn't know what I wanted to do with the image (color, no color, border, no border, etc). Just need to take pics.
Silk Road Tee (coming soon) , Custom Hometown - Historic Punjab (coming soon)
Looks like it's a season of anime desi baddies. My upcoming Custom Hometown series should be fun. Starting off with Historic Punjab, originally supposed to be just matching tees with Ganieve, marked is her hometown and mine. Once I get my shit together, you too can choose your hometown and have it marked for your own. Very excited to start an interactive design.
2025
October - Scraping the Brand Back Together Era
Smiley Araw Dad Cap (charcoal)
Smiley Araw Socks (cherry) , Sweetheart Tote Bag
Started mentally spiraling after HTown FilFest 2024, so actually the brand took a long long hiatus technically. I felt the brand falling apart but forced myself to pull it together for Filipino American History Month in October. Only managed to work with previous designs. Had always been told to offer accessories, so here come the hats and socks. I didn't even bother to restock any clothes, since I had basically dumped the brand at the end of the year before. The goal was to clear all stock and just start from the groud-up.
2024
The Renaissance
Tagay Tayo San Miguel Tee (black) , San Miguel Tee (black) (back) , Pulang Kabayo Tee (charcoal) , Pulang Kabayo Tee (charcoal) (back
Feeling more confidence in the direction of the brand, attempting more complex designs, steering the direction to feel like summer / warm autumn nights.
Original Dallas Sweetheart Tee (retired) , Smiley Araw Tank (Ube) (retired) , Island Strength Tee (retired)
Smiley Araw in purple was released for the second Ube Fest, but ended up being popular enough to keep. Unfortunately, I have a hard time consistently having purple blanks available, so I decided to retire the design.
Island Strength is good in theory, but I felt I could do better with the font / lettering. Will potentially revisit.
No Nazar (large) (retired) , No Nazar (back) (retired) , No Nazar (pocket) (retired)
No comment, was trying to do something different. Did one run. I still like the design but does not fit the brand imo.
HTX Jeepney Racing Club Tee , HTX Jeepney Racing Club Jumper , Hoodie, Cropped Tee, blah blah
This one, SLAPS imo! Wym a Jeepney with SWANGAZ??? Hello?? I made these for HTown FilFest, but funny enough, they did a lot better in Dallas. Filipinos x Car Culture x Houston Culture?? Hello?!?!?! I don't know, I find it fire culturally, diasporically (excuse my French), and visually. I think it still fits the theme of summer / warm autumn nights. Was very happy with my Filipino collection this year.
2023
Finding Footing
Biryani Boys Club Series (retired)
In an attempt to add more playful designs to the desi side, I attempted this piece. I like it, but I've always despised spoof-esque merch. Was fun to have, but we can do better.
Product of the Philippines Tee (retired) , Product of Pakistan Tee (retired) , Ube Dreams Cropped Tee (retired)
Our puff print era. I didn't think the seals were super unique, but I felt like it was something my audience was looking for from the brand. Ube Dreams was actually very popular for the first ever Ube Fest. Unfortunately, I find puff print incredibly difficult to be consistent. Abandoned designs for now.
Lumpia Lifters 2.0 Tee
Although my previous Lumpia Lifters Tank did well, I was a bit ashamed at the lack of artistry. I got a little into 30's cartoons, and this piece was born.
Jollibae - Jaanibee Tee , Pilipinas Baybayin SeaPunk Tee (paused)
Jollibae was born from pure spite. I was shown this Filipino brand that just ripped manga scans and recolored them. When I said they should draw them themselves, I was told that no one would take the time (too time consuming). I said bet, and finished her within a few days. Still one of my favorite images.
The SeaPunk tee was because 1) SeaPunk is sick, but also...to make another statement. People don't mind walking around in a shirt that just said "Japan" in Japanese. I would even say people think it would be sick. Why not have a shirt that claims Philippines in BAYBAYIN. I want Baybayin to one day be considered as cool to have on a shirt as other languages. I was repping your roots to be easy, simple, thoughtless, everyday...
Feels Good to Be Filipino Tank (retired) , Product of the Philippines Tank (retired) , Smiley Araw Tank , Maligayang Pasko & Mahal Kita Stickers (retired)
After the first Lone Star Palengke, I got requests for certain designs as tank tops.
The purpose of the stickers was to push Filipino culture with a little more basis. I felt I could do better, so they ended up being retired soon after as well.
2022
70's Summer
I was apparently feeling very groovy this year... haven't seen it done Shaggy - Scooby style in either community yet, thought it was cute. I feel the Pakistani ones are a little cringe now, but FGTBF Smiley Araw has always done well and I think just fit the Filipino community a little easier.
Feels Good to Be Filipino Tee (red) (retired) , Keep Pakistan Groovy Tee (retired) + Duality Stickers (retired) , Feels Good to Be Filipino Hooded Sweater (red) (retired)
Feels Good to Be Filipino Hooded Sweater (yellow) (retired) , Feels Good to Be Filipino Tee (yellow) (retired)
Lumpia Lifters Cropped Tank (retired) , Smiley Araw Tubetop (retired) , Lumpia Lifters Tank (retired)
I was still in my gym douche era and needed to rep. Added a tubetop as I tried harder to lean into the fashion part of the brand.
2022
Winter Releases
Para sa Kultura Hooded Sweater (soft) (retired) , Intersectional Feminist Tee (retired) , Pakistan Joggers (retired)
Felt like I had to release something to keep the brand relevant. Intersectional Feminist Tee was me trying to establish a brand identity that coincided with my politics, but inevitably, I found it corny and felt that actions just speak on their own. Retired very quickly.
2021
Expansion Pack
Duality Tie - Dye Set (retired) + Ugat Clothing Baybayin Bucket Hat (just as besties)
I really got it in my head that there was more validity to my streetwear if I dyed everything myself, so I decided to get really into tie-dye... But NGL, these with the gold vinyl printing looked really good with my aesthetic back then haha. Too much work dying all of them myself and I also wasn't really happy with the design. Despite dying the fabric myself, it felt lazy to just slap the logo on there. Retired after one round.
Pakistan Tee (retired) , Hookah Love Sticker (retired) , Jalebi Baby Sticker (retired) , Duality Stickers (retired)
2020
Shaping Era
Duality Tee (retired) , Bebot Power Tee (retired)
Para sa Kultura Tee , Para sa Kultura Sticker , Para sa Kultura Car Detail (retired)
I discovered Baybayin in 2009 and was confused why I couldn't find Filipino merch or anything really with it. I decided to be the change I wanted to see. DatuKutti was taking shape.
2018
Leggings Era I Guess...
Pakistan Leggings (paused)
Worn everywhere. No brand yet. Worn to Disneyland, someone asked where I got them. Didn't know what to say, asked for their emails. Emailed them when I got back to Dallas, they said nevermind, lol.
July 2018
Rude اف tee, DatuKutti Conception
Rude اف! (retired) , Datu Kutti Vinegar Print
The first shirt designed with a brand in mind, not a fan. Never released.
Datu Kutti is the first piece to guide the brand to what it is today. Also never released.
March 2017
Pakistan Sweater (paused)
Before DatuKutti was ever a thought, I ripped apart two sweaters I got on clearance at Macy's, and sewed them together (probably with my mom's help) to make this sweater for my dad's birthday. I ended up wearing it more than him. It wouldn't be available until years later.
Thank you for being a part of our journey✨💖
