At the launch of SOLÁ’s Terra collection on March 12, 2026, at D’Bodega in Pasig City, Kylie Verzosa didn’t pretend fashion exists in a vacuum.
Fresh from a beading workshop showcasing SOLÁ’s new essentialwear pieces, Kylie sat down with PEP.ph and addressed the reality most brands try to tiptoe around: people are thinking about money now more than ever.
And fashion? It’s not exactly at the top of the list.
“That’s a very difficult question if you are competing against essential and basic needs,” Kylie said when asked how she convinces buyers to still spend on shapewear and lifestyle pieces amid rising costs.
Read: Kylie Verzosa on the comment that influenced her next collection
Instead of pushing a hard sell, she pointed to what is essentially Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—prioritizing food, shelter, and safety before anything else.
“I would really recommend them to complete the basic necessities first.”
Only after that, she explained, does fashion enter the picture.
“And then once you have that and you feel safe, then you can move on to the next tier which is like fashion or basic wear, and I feel like this [Terra collection] kind of falls in a nice sweet spot.”
That “sweet spot,” as Kylie describes it, is where SOLÁ positions itself: “It’s not exactly the cheapest, but it’s premium affordable. If you want premium pieces at an affordable price, I feel like this would fall at a good price point.”
Still, she’s realistic about the limits of that positioning: “But if we’re gonna compete with gas, that’s a whole different category.
“That’s like very necessity to something like a premium essential—like a premium affordable piece.”
If there’s one way Kylie frames fashion as a more justifiable expense, it’s through repetition, not novelty.
“I love repeating clothes. I think it’s a real mark of a fashion guru to be able to repeat clothes, accessories, again and again.”
For her, the value of a piece isn’t in how new it looks, but in how often it can be worn.
She emphasized: “Clothes are not meant to be worn once. They are meant to be worn again and again and styled in many different ways.
“I personally love timeless wardrobes. Things I can wear and style again and again.”
Read: Kylie Verzosa regrets getting this cosmetic procedure
SOLÁ TERRA COLLECTION
That same mindset of wearing pieces repetitively is the ethos of SOLÁ’s latest release.
Based on the brand’s materials, the Terra collection marks a shift toward what it describes as “basic essentialwear,” moving away from the compression-focused pieces the brand is known for.
Instead, the new line leans into everyday staples meant to stay in rotation and be worn on their own, without needing much styling to work.
“Pieces that women can reach for every day—effortless, versatile, and designed with intention,” Kylie announced, adding that the collection still carries the same attention to fit and comfort associated with SOLÁ’s earlier releases.
The collection includes four core items: the Basic Tube Top with Side Slit (PHP1,225), Basic Fitted Shortsleeve Top (PHP1,225), Basic Asymmetric Longsleeve Top (PHP1,425), and the Basic Mini Skirt with Inner Shorts (PHP1,525).
Compared to previous collections, Terra is notably the brand’s first without its usual sculpting or compression elements, allowing for more flexibility in how the pieces are worn.
That shift also opens the collection up to more casual use. The pieces can be mixed and matched easily; paired with denim, layered with outerwear, or worn as coordinated sets.
The modal fabric, described as breathable and lightweight, also makes them suitable beyond everyday wear, extending into activities like yoga, Pilates, or even light sports.
Read: Kylie Verzosa's new shapewear promotes body positivity among men
Profit first, then everything else
Behind the brand, Kylie approaches business with the same clarity she applies to spending.
“I think it’s important to know what your goals are as a business,” she said.
“Do you wanna make profit? Do you wanna scale as fast as you can? Do you want more investors? Do you plan to go international?
“And then you work back from there. What do we need? Do we need to do this?”
“If you wanna get investors, you kinda work backwards.”
“Always know the end goal in mind.”
The Miss International 2016 titleholder’s approach strips business down to a basic truth that many founders tend to soften.
“I think the main goal of a business is to make profit,” Kylie said.
“Without profit, you cannot grow. Sometimes we tend to focus on things that do matter—but financially don’t matter,” she admitted.
“Let’s say marketing, it’s hard to equate. It’s hard to prove this is how much ROI [Return of Investment] I got from this campaign.
“Or focusing too much on aesthetics, which I care about. Okay, your brand looks good, but is it earning?”
At the end of the day, growth depends on revenue, she said.
“Without the earning, you can’t make the brand grow.”
Balancing both sides—creative direction and financial sustainability—remains an ongoing challenge.
“So, it has to be a good balance of growing the business and having profit, but also taking care of the brand,” she said.
“I personally love taking care of the brand, and my partners are in charge of making enough money to grow it. So it’s balancing both.”
“But I would say focusing on the profit aspect without losing the core of the brand. It’s kind of difficult, to be honest.”
Read: Kylie Verzosa on Spending Habits & Money Management
Hands-on with money
Kylie takes the same practical approach when it comes to her personal finances.
“I have some in crypto, I have some in real estate. I have some in property,” she related.
But returns, she noted, tend to be strongest in areas where she has direct involvement.
“The ones where I see the most return is the investments I handle myself.
“Let’s say I put it in a business and I know where the money goes—I like it because I know where it goes exactly.
“Unlike putting it somewhere and I don’t hold the control.
“So, I would say businesses. Businesses that I know where the money goes. That’s where the best returns are.”
Beyond investments, she also highlighted the role of discipline in financial decisions.
“Make smart decisions,” Kylie advised.
“I am always focused on my goals. From there it’s easy to always say no to things.”
“Does it help my goal? Then I say yes. If it doesn’t, then I say no.”
Even the people she surrounds herself with, she added, play a role in financial outcomes.
“Invest in good people around you because they also affect your financial wallet,” she said.
“It’s important to choose the right friends, choose the right people you listen to and surround yourself with. I’m very picky with my surroundings.”
Her perspective as a founder also shapes how she views workplace policies, including conversations around paid menstrual leave.
“I am for maternity leaves,” Kylie said.
“Menstrual leaves? I am for it—but I just don’t want it to be abused.”
Speaking from the standpoint of running a business with an all-women workforce, she acknowledged the operational realities involved.
“As a business owner and with an all-women workforce, I need them in the office,” she said.
“I just don’t want that to be taken advantage of. I love it for girls, but as a business owner I’m like, ‘I need you guys in the office.’”
“You cannot take four days off, paid, and I need you.”
Even with a grounded approach to pricing and profit, Kylie’s ambitions for SOLÁ remain expansive.
“I still wanna see how far SOLÁ can go,” she said.
“I wanna expand internationally, still see how far we can push it.”
Read: Kylie Verzosa soft launches rumored beau during France trip