Street fix: Lord Fauntleroy in denim and DMs

Robby is the head designer for casual label Folded & Hung.

Street fix: The mix

At first glance you barely notice the outfit of Maverick, a student who lined up to watch the shows at Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2009. His style is so unassuming that, if one is not careful, he would be forgotten in the sea of fashion victims.

Fortunately, he knows how to mix patterns (marbled and checkered), match colors (silver sneakers with gray bonnet), and use key and accent pieces (his green backpack). Everything works: while his black jacket ties everything down, the gold detailing of his bag does the opposite. And to top it all off, Maverick tells me both his bag and shorts were thrifted!

The measure of true style is how one is comfortable in one's own clothes, as if they were skin. That way, separate items are almost indecipherable in the happy mix.

Manila menswear: Bang Pineda + Jerome Lorico

As of Friday, Bang Pineda and Jerome Lorico are the clear menswear favorites for Philippine Fashion Week's Holiday 2009 collections.

Though the influences of Raf Simons, Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, and even Martin Margiela are apparent (hard to escape them!), the mix is the designers' own.

I like the half-zippered sleeves from Bang Pineda, as well as his play with lengths and silhouettes.

The marbling effect on some jeans look unique, amid all that is out in the market.

The hoodies and the twisted shawl collars are likewise commendable.

Of course, who cannot love spots? And no, I don't think it's time yet to abandon the trend.

Pineda's version reminds one of a game with red circular pieces, the name of which I cannot seem to remember at the moment.

Took these pictures from the front row. Will provide better ones once I get them from PR and complete my full menswear review.

The theme of Jerome Lorico's collection is healing. Nevermind that the sling is literal, no injuries were inflicted with the chopping off of sleeves to produce the edgy pieces a la Raf Simons.

I love the zippered bolero on the right. With the asymmetrical styling of the shorts and the leggings, suddenly the all-black outfit is interesting. It becomes a playful uniform.

Urban warriors or decommissioned soldiers?

Maybe modern day ninjas or even doctors on international peacekeeping missions?

Whatever roles can be imagined, I must say that, at least based on these two collections, things are looking up for Philippine men's fashion.


Jerome Lorico photos by Bruce Casanova of OPMB

Scars: Gaspard Ulliel

It is said that the features of one's face influence the range of personalities and emotions a person can inhabit.

Imagine then how many lives an actor can live if he has a deep and prominent scar sliced on his deceptively innocent face.

Cunning and malice can be a faint whiff of smoke, unnoticeable in the crack of a smile.

The scar marks the continuous battle between the masculine and the feminine.

Between fear and lust, peace and violence.

Old stitches seem fainlty visible from the healed wound.

We are drawn deeper into each identity he takes on because we are convinced of his vulnerability. We expect him to understand.


Gaspard Ulliel plays an angel in his upcoming film 'The Vintner's Luck'

Images from Dazed & Confused June 2009, WestEast Magazine #20, and 'Hannibal Rising'. Scanned and taken from gaspardulliel.net

Street fix: Andre Chang

Andre Chang is a designer from Manila. He often stands out in shows and events with his ensembles, which cover a wide range of styles. Many times, he personalizes what is in trend with his own flourishes.

Bosquejo Bauble: Amulet necklace 2

Here's another one. Apologies for the blurry photograph. Have to rush to the shows.

Completed this outfit with a black and white patterned scarf.


Tee, British India; Izzue jeans and cotton tie: both thrifted; filigree belt, Brave Beltworks; leather sneakers, Converse; necklace, DIY

Street photo by Patricia Suzara

Philippine Fashion Week: Holiday 2009

But before the barrage of June shows for the Spring 2010 collections commence, I will be covering menswear items from the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2009 collections.

The photo above was from Randall Solomon's show. Missoni meets the Flintstones?


Fashion week street style photos on La Folie Douce

Fall 2009 overview

A new mission for Missoni Men

Finally, I have completed my Fall 2009 reviews. I hope you have had as much fun reading them as I did conjuring them up. All set for Spring 2010!


Burberry Prorsum + Bill Brandt

Volume and severity: Jil Sander + Gianfranco Ferré

Bottega Veneta's comforting reassurance

Number (N)ine rips a hotel room to shreds

Dries Van Noten gets into the details

The army of Rick Owens

Raf Simons' pack of cards

The layers and landscapes of Miharayasuhiro

Hermes' canary in the coal mine

Junya Watanabe turned inside out

Martin Margiela's usual suspects

Lanvin flies high

Patrick Ervell: Blue and yellow

Who's Richard Chai?

Victor Glemaud: The peculiar power of buttons

Band of Outsiders: The soles of shoes

The future of Y-3 and Jean Paul Gaultier

Calvin Klein's styrofoam men

Sci-fi inspiration (with something on Comme des Garçons)

Gareth Pugh: Skin, fur, and scales

Shrug-off: Z Zegna vs Prada

The club collar by Tim Hamilton

Rag & Bone's ninja pants

Trovata's color palette

Hutson's proportions

The layers and lapels of Helmut Lang

Thom Browne's winter in the workplace