A culture that sprouted from diversity might put up a good challenge to bind all the differences. Like a bouquet of flowers, the beauty of the combination of differences creates a beauty in unison.

This is how Don’t Blame the Kids and The Good Neighborhood describe their newest collaboration that brings together the cultures of the north and the south.

Don’t Blame the Kids or DBTK is a clothing brand based in Quezon City. Before DBTK, the owners Vince and Emil Javier were already entrepreneurs.

DBTK is a clothing brand that aims to change people’s mindset with straightforward and direct messages.

According to Lex Ignacio, the brand Chief Content Creator of DBTK, the Javier brothers were also invested in the shoe business.

“It started through the interest in clothes and being drawn to the idea of creating something that you can call your own… and it happens to be closely intertwined with style and apparel in general,” Lex adds.

Willow Hoods is the Co-founder and Creative Director of TUF® Barbershop, and the Founder of The Good Neighborhood or TGN, a local clothing brand.

The launching of DBTK x TGN collaboration will be held in TGN’s shop at Esmero St., Capitol Site,Cebu City.

The Good Neighborhood, by November 2017, was set to be a place to build and create new friends. He excitedly shares how he has always dreamed of having a safe space to relax.

“When I was a kid, I’ve always wished to have a spot where I can go, do whatever and feel comfortable,” Willow says.

The crossing over of both brands from north and south began with the same vision earlier this year. According to Lex, Cebu was indeed their choice to put up the pop up shop.

“We were conceptualizing new ideas we can work on, and we were thinking of having pop-up shops in different countries but we knew that we needed to start locally, we then have chosen Cebu as our location because their culture is very rich and their community is very inviting,” he says.

With the same vision to highlight the essence of community and togetherness, the DBTK and TGN collaboration happened.

Cebu City’s culture and lifestyle attracted DBTK, especially its art scene, music scene, skate scene, and a lot more.

“Fortunately, we were introduced to the guys from The Good Neighborhood and right off the bat, we thought of creating something together hence the collaboration,” Lex says.

Willow adds, “The aim of the project is to bridge the gap between our disparity and differences – to continue breaking boundaries and expanding our horizons”.

The collection comes with four designs that aim to bring the essence of community and togetherness.

Their look book celebrates differences.  “We’ve used factors that best describe both our identity as a brand and design elements that communicate our ideas in unison like a bouquet which brings in the beauty of flowers altogether,” Willow expresses.

The look book of the collaboration is reminiscent of the diversity and individuality of kids in the neighborhood. This, according to Willow, draws out their connection and affinity.

As a clothing brand that serves in the north, DBTK aspires to expand even more. “Our aim with DBTK is to continue changing the mindset of people towards young generation around the world with its timeless, positive, and goal-oriented messages and designs imprinted in every product we create,” Lex shares.

The collection comes with four designs that aim to bring the essence of community and togetherness.

The brand also hopes to expand to reach further in the spectrum. “We also aspire to continue reaching out and have our pieces available to more countries because more than just apparel, our merchandise does not only improve one’s style and we don’t only make designs that are aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. They also embody special stories that are worth sharing to the world,” Lex adds.

This is a collaboration of the Cebuanos and the Manileños; the crossover will shell out four different designs each of which having two color ways, limited to only fifty pieces. This collaboration will be launched on June 30, 2018 in The Good Neighborhood 91-C. Esmero St. Capitol Site, Cebu City.

Each shirt design can be bought for only Php 800.  And for the kids in the neighborhood, this pop up is surely something worth experiencing.