CONTENTS ANNIVERSARY 2011 contents
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The Artisan
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QUEST
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Whiskey Hill
Kix Suarez presents superb craftsmanship.
Features
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New Releases
018
Event Recap
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Sounds
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Anton Lopez
adidas Originals Stan Smith 80s x Lux Leather Stingray
Dr. Martens Philippines Concept Store Opening
Anticipated follow up albums, old artists in new projects, the turning point approaches in the generations music.
Jose Villanueva III lets you know about the music and the message.
TBC (To Be Continued) Manila’s founder gives Intramuros a new attraction.
An intoxicating spot to score skate gear.
Cover Story
052 Evolution of A Sneakerhead The process starts with an initial attraction to the sneaker.
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Sneakers Dictate the Color Dress like a pro with your sneakers taking the lead.
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Kaching
adidas Consortion ZX800 “Clot”
Hypethetic
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Shaun Chua introduces the noteworthy streetwear brand from Singapore.
Kimbra McCaul X adidas x Neighborhood ZX700 Boat
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Sneaker Selection
Sneakers to satisfy the hunger in you. Eat up.
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Paraphernalia
These gears are as important as your lunch money. Rock ‘em right.
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The Parties You Missed
Rjay’s 11.11.11 Mixtape Launch Progress x Terminal x Secret Service Anniversary Party Urban Athletics x Nix Damn P Pinoy Otaku Encore 2011 Auto Salon Bosch Cruise For A Cause
www.msclavel.com
2011 ANNIVERSARY
Staff and Crew EDOUARD CANLAS editor-in-chief
HANIKO
associate editor
YENTOWNKID & CO. concept and design
DALEMATIC GARCIA design consultant
SAM KIYOUMARSI photographer
KEVIN CABANBAN
marketing & events
NHEZ AGUILAR
advertising account officer
BERNIE GONZALES
sales & distribution officer
contributors ARYAN MAGAT NIX PERNIA SEBASTIAN TAY MIKE MENDOZA HECTOR YUZON JOHN ESTOQUE CAMILLE BANZON ADOBORAT HANS PIMENTEL ERIC DC FERNANDEZ
MSCLAVEL 2011 BOYBRIGHTBOY MULTIMEDIA CORP. info@msclavel.com 703-2531
Slip On the Difference It’s barely been a year since Canadian brand Native Shoes was brought to the Philippines by the Primer Group of Companies, yet, it has managed to pique the interest of local shoe lovers by incorporating comfort and style with its every pair of shoes. Bearing the tagline, “Life is heavy, keep it lite”, Native Shoes espouses on the belief that when it comes to closet staples, one should always have go-to items that goes beyond what’s expected. More than just being stylish, it should also be comfortable, and, it should also be practical. With the many different roles that we play in life, Native Shoes serve as the easy solution when it comes to footwear dilemmas. If you’ve ever experienced the dilemma of having “nothing to wear”, Native Shoes guarantees to be able to put an end to that with its classic footwear styles that go beyond casual affairs. Made from injection-molded closed-cell EVA foam, Native Shoes are durable, great for everyday wear, antimicrobial, comfortable, and easy to clean. Just wipe it off with a damp cloth and you’re good to go. Given its many practical benefits, it’s easy to see why Native Shoes is the perfect everyday shoe. However, in spite of its non-conventional material, Native Shoes
are actually great even for other activities – dress it up or down, it really is up to you on how you incorporate it with the existing pieces in your wardrobe. Currently with seven core styles namely the Jericho, Corrado, Howard, Miller, Jefferson, Fitzsimmons, and the newly-released, Jimmy Boot, Native Shoes is able to offer a great variety of choices for shoppers. These unisex styles also come in a lovely selection of colors ranging from basic neutrals to fun pops of color. For the more serious types, there’s the Corrado and the Howard which offers a more sleek and sophisticated style without sacrificing comfort; while Jericho and Jefferson are both perfect for more easy, relaxed days whether paired with long shorts and a tee for guys or a pretty sundress for girls; and Miller just seamlessly mixes the best of both worlds by through its timeless style that can go from day to night. For the adventure seekers and those bitten by the travel bug, Native Shoes has recently released the Fitzsimmons (which also recently won in the Red Dot design competition) and the Jimmy Boot, which has released a limited-edition style in collaboration with Marc Jacobs. Aside from being high on the style quotient, these also offer a more pleasurable hiking/walking experience given how light Native Shoes are. Say goodbye to clunky, chunky clogs! As we usher in the holiday season, Native Shoes is excited to present its latest colors
that will definitely put some cheer in any outfit. But with the brand’s popularity continuously on the rise, Primer Group of Companies warns the public with the growing number of counterfeit Native shoes that are now available in the local market. Always remember, cheap doesn’t mean better. By scrimping on costs, quality is sacrificed therefore, counterfeit Native shoes end up not offering the same comforts, practicality and style that only original Native Shoes can offer. All you really need to do is slip on a pair of Native Shoes and feel the difference. About Native Native (www.nativeshoes.com) was established in Vancouver, Canada in 2009 with a vision to combine the best of evolving technology and great design. Inspired by classic, casual silhouettes, Native shoes are made from foam-injection molded-EVA, a lightweight, durable and comfortable material. Along with a unique, low-emission manufacturing process, Native shoes are animal bi-product free, waterproof and odor-resistant. Since the first collection launched in Spring 2010, Native has secured global distribution in over 30 countries. Primer Group of Companies is the exclusive distributor of Native in the Philippines. Native - Keep It Lite.
new release
adidas Originals Stan Smith 80s x Lux Leather Stingray
EVENT RECAP
Do you still remember your first pair of Dr. Martens? Black leather lace up boots with the signature yellow stitching. Maybe you were still in grade school, or high school, or you were a late bloomer and got your first pair with your hard earned cash from the rat race. It doesn’t matter because everyone remembers their first pair of Dr. Martens. And this was a day to remember. Before the official store opening, Dr. Martens Philippines began their awareness drive with the #FIRSTANDFOREVER campaign, putting together testimonials from personalities -Mark Nicdao, Erica Paredes, Martin David, Karrots Nazareno, Carlos Concepcion, Dante Dizon, Mei Bastes, JJ Yulo, and Ricky Baizas -- of their first pair of of Dr. Martens and their next first in their various lives.
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It was a rainy day, December 9, when the Dr. Martens concept store opened it’s doors and received a collective sigh of memories from long time followers, like you and I, and a warm welcome from ultra curious and excited Dr. Martens virgins. The rains gave way to a cool evening and started the party with drinks and a performance from the Radioactive Sago Project. The Dr. Martens concept store is located right smack in the middle of The Plaza of The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City. You wouldn’t miss it. It’s the only store made from a freight container at The Fort Strip. Dr. Martens Air Wair. #FIRSTANDFOREVER
SIGUR ROS Inni XL
CAVEMAN Coco Beware Magic Man/Orgmusic In the tracks on Caveman’s first record, Coco Beware, there’s always something iridescent and on the brink within the mix. It’s a radiance of reverb or distortion, or maybe a sustained keyboard chord or a looped noise, or an= relentless one-chord strum. It’s unlike the forceful, barbed-wire distortion of shoegaze rock, gloomier and smoggier: there but not overpowering, neither adverse nor convivial, just a fact of the soundscape, a haziness at the horizons. The premeditated mellow focus offers profundity and a whiff of ambiguity to what might have been calm, undemanding indie rock; there are echoes of the Feelies, the Strokes and, somewhere there, the Beach Boys. Matthew Iwanusa dishes lead vocals in a high tenor that stays lucid but stoical, coolly delivering snappish, subtle lyrics: “Forward motion/’cause I would like to be one/decide on me/you’ll try you’ll see.” Within the mist are straightforward fourminute songs that unravel solid drumbeats and guitar-picking hooks on their way into verse-chorus-verse. One, “December 28th,” is just a two-chord, light-reggae song – fitting for, say, Jack Johnson — that lilts, “Our love is here to stay/ooh-woo-woohooh,” complete with vocal harmonies. Without hiding the song’s recall the production dispatches clouds of sustained sound drifting past the beat and vocals, all nonchalantly spacey. But just beneath the surface apprehension fumes. “My Time” and “Old Friend” wrestle with jealous doubts, while in “Easy Water” the band sings, “I don’t know where I am going/it seems like someone has lost their mind” over a tangle of percussion and minor chords strummed into edgy waves of tremolo. In “Thankful” the harmonized, unfathomable refrain — “Thankful are my friends with remorse, ah ah ah ah” — turns into a climactic upsurge, with stressed out guitars piling up until the voices fade. The fog isn’t any kind of cover-up; it’s everything the tranquil, cleanly laid-out songs can no longer hold back.
Distractions aside, the Sigur Ros live experience seems to be something like Stendhal’s Syndrome, a moment of being so besieged with artistic fervor and exquisiteness as to become bodily perplexed afterwards. Inni, a new double CD and 75-minute film covering the final Sigur Rós live appearance from late in 2008, catches the experience with arresting might. As it begins with the chillingly striking wail of Jónsi Birgisson’s aggressively bowed guitar, there is a matching sense of tragedy and elation. The film then segues to one of those classic foolhardy radio moments, where the American DJ queries if they ever sounded “more regular.” But we already have knowledge of the indescribable charisma of the band’s music, which can come off like a Bach organ concerto one moment, Led Zeppelin the next and the sound of the end of Armageddon right after that. Vincent Morisset directs Inni in a minimalist, unfathomable black and white that captures all of the sophistication, solemnity and unsettling grandeur of what might be the most extraordinary and unequalled band of their time. Watch, and listen, without interrruption.
TEGAN & SARA Get Along Vapor Tegan & Sara have spent the past 13-plus years creating and performing their brand of deep guitar pop to what has evolved to become a pretty significant fan base. However, the twins, who have done time opening for Neil Young and put out albums on a major label, have managed to uphold the kind of cult fan base that’s usually achieved by a band half their size. This can more often than not be credited to their hearts-on-theirsleeves lyrics and the hands-on relationship they persist to engage in with fans, including conceptualizing much of their own merchandise and making certain each tour and show is one of a kind. Sure, Tegan & Sara craft undisputedly good, catchy songs, but a lot of their hits and staying power can be attributed to their die-hard followers, and they are aware of it. Get Along, the Canadian pair’s new CD/DVD combo, is packaged as a gift to those who have supported them all these years. Fans get a personal view at the band on tour over two separate documentaries, and a live DVD and CD sees the duo doing an intimate show before family and friends in a Vancouver studio. The fifteen-track live album is proof of what an accomplished act they have turned into. The stripped-down and predominantly acoustic versions of their best songs, like “Alligator” from 2009’s Sainthood and “I Won’t Be Left” from 2004’s So Jealous, play with more passionate rush than their album versions, while “I Hear Noises” and “Relief Next to Me” display the sisters’ uncanny flair for coming up with mesmerizing, hook-heavy pop music. Over the course of 75 minutes, the tracks begin to hemorrhage together a little, and the strummed guitar chords and analogous subject matter start to grow worn out. “Knife Going In” is evidently warm but misses construction, and by that point in the album, one begins to desire that they would write songs about something other than their exes. But glitches and the occasional lack of focus aside, Get Along is a thoughtful present to their fans who will definitely treasure it.
CHILDISH GAMBINO Camp Glassnote Before this breathtaking record ever came up, actors making rap records were a really bad idea. Brian Austin Green, Mr. T, Joaquin Phoenix are just a handful of a long list of examples. These were the horrendous chances that Community star and comedy writer Donald Glover was up against when he took the Internet’s Wu-Tang Name Generator seriously and turned himself into the rapper Childish Gambino, but anyone who checked out one of his 2010/2011 mixtapes can tell you, he beat those odds, and with Camp, indie rap fans are in for a winning ride. The resplendently different and brilliantly brilliant rhymes that downloaders experienced are here once again, and CG’s style is still that fascinating mix of sincere and funny. He’s got that Kanye West-proportions strut on lock too, as the conquering “All the Shine” marches with flamboyant colors, and he’s just as intricate, as the song steadily goes down into lack of self-confidence and earth tones before it fades into the understated and modest “Letter Home,” all of it adding up to some kind of peculiar and large-scale bipolar traveler suite. Geeky marvels and perceptive giggles are just some of the reasons you should check out this album, but you’ll also like the plush, amazingly huge production from Glover and Ludwig Göransson, along with the excitement of straightening it out for hours on end, distinguishing the unbelievably hip moments from the affecting ones and figuring out how this rapping actor was able to put it all together sagaciously in a concept album about summer camp that doubles as his tour de force debut.
LOS CAMPESINOS! Hello Sadness Arts & Crafts When Los Campesinos! hit the music scene in 2007 with a commotion of flashing xylophones, quickening drums and yelling lyrics, it came off like a twee uprising of sorts for the indie scene. Artists with aural likenesses were lumped together, including Johnny Foreigner, Slow Club, Sky Larkin and Dananananaykroyd. For the ‘originals’ to come through however, growth had to be fast to stir up the flames of fascination among a genre boom. But Los Campesinos!’ musical progress has been both critically acclaimed and ostensibly unproblematic, so much so that Hello Sadness, their fourth record, feels almost the same. The Cardiff-based seven-piece band is now almost the sole group in an over-populated genre whose record factory has been both fertile and impressive in its production. Underneath the surface of Hello Sadness, though, is a picture perfect, at first listen unrecognizable transformation of approach. While it develops on the fullness of sound that came out on Romance Is Boring, it also pays tribute to some of the signature qualities that vanished in the acerbic-tongued severity of that album’s subject matter. Recapturing some of the virtuousness of their first album Hold On Now, Youngster, the songs mix up to make way for those repating choruses and flashing percussion. But the wisdom is not lost, nor is the down-to-earth storytelling; there are plainly less tales of vomiting on football pitches and impish trysts in taboo, holy places.
CUT COPY Zonoscope Das Modular/Modular While Cut Copy’s past albums saw them creating songs significantly along the lines of neon-soaked electro-pop/rock meant for the dance floor, their third release comes off like it was meant to take you some place much higher. Zonoscope shines with a specific aural charisma that kind of overwhelms the ears in heavenly bliss so much that you’ll probably catch yourself looking down to make sure your feet are still on the ground. This record grooves and moves smoothly through the ear canals while calls to mind a spellbinding attack of passage in the route of funky guitars, flowing drums, and upbeat dance floor rhythms. The beguiling melodies of songs like “Pharaohs and Pyramids,” with ephemeral strings quivering about on a serving of swelling synthesizers, seem to call your muscles into moving with a curled finger. At some point, proceedings turn a little disco a’la Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” growing into boogie delight and taking you on a ride up into the sky. But they didn’t totally desert their pop/ rock roots behind, which is made apparent by tracks like “Alisa” and even more so “Where I’m Going” – “one of the more pop moments of the album,” as band guitarist Tim Hoey has been quoted as saying. The revitalizing quality about artists like Cut Copy is that they’re unswerving. Far too often do artists shift direction throughout their tenure and at times is unable to find their touch with that “thing” that made us all listen to them with enthusiasm with them in the first place, but this isn’t the case with Zonoscope. Yes, it is obvious that Australia’s new-wave heavy hitters are trying something novel here, but at the same time, it’s also comprehensible that this is just a broadening of what they started with – an advancement, so-to-speak. They haven’t lost that good thing; they’ve just gotten better.
That’s not to say talk of obsessions shortlived and tormented relationships has all of a sudden been cut. Far from it, as track one and lead single “By Your Hand” is a textbook Los Campesinos!-style story of boo-boos in the dark when boy meets girl. There are catchy keyboards that recall their early years, but the drums are more thought of, the lack of female vocals perceptible for their virtual absence, and the sound altogether fuller. “Songs About Your Girlfriend” feels just as instantaneously magnificent. Sweltering drums and highly-strung xylophones build to equal the intense lyrics that speak of frolicking with a friend’s girlfriend, before the band play conscience through the jovial chant, “Oh your mask is slipping.” It’s also in this track where surprising late-80s, early-‘90s riffs make an appearance, later sifting into “Life Is A Long Time” – a song that feels unlike anything the band has tried in the past - and Hello Sadness, which is supported by New Order-esque hooks and rhythms. Its production has a staggering precision, so much so that it’s easy to overlook there’s a storyline to delve into among the violins that speak of anger, flogging into an Arcade Fire-esque whirlpool of instruments.
Runnr opens two more branches in Trinoma and Alabang Town Center. Defying its limits, RUNNR now has its third branch in Trinoma to reach, inspire and encourage more people to take on running and engage in an active lifestyle.
one roof. It also boasts of a team of highly trained staff that can take each customer through the Footworx fitting process which offers accurate and comprehensive recommendations based on an individual’s foot type and gait characteristics.
RUNNR opens in Trinoma
First, foot morphology is analyzed using the Runnr “Footdisc” Analysis System, which uses a thermodynamic system to determine foot type. Second, using the high-speed video gait analysis, customers will run on a treadmill while the camera captures the way they run, checking their pronation angle as they go through their normal gait cycle. Then they can compare different shoes to find the one that works best for them. Third, Runnr offers the “Flashfit“ custom insole molding process in which insoles are heattreated to make the perfect insoles in while you wait. These customized services ensure that whatever one’s requirements may be as a runner, the shoes and optional insoles minimize foot instability for better shock absorption, and minimize fatigue while reducing the chances of injury.
RUNNR, the Philippines’ first world-class running specialty store, opens its branch at Level 2 in Trinoma, Quezon City and in Alabang Town Center at the 2nd level of The Garden offers running gear from all the top brands such as Adidas, Asics, Fuelbelt, Hammer, Nathan, New Balance, Nike, Polar, Brooks, 2XU and many more. It is also the first to launch the revolutionary line of Newton Running Shoes and CW-X compression apparel in the country. Other running gear and accessory brands available at Runnr include Sennheiser, Halo head bands, Body Glide, Speedlaces, Finis, Equipe,Mueller, Spenco, and Oakley, among others. carries the same exclusive products and services Runnr has been known for since it opened 2 years ago. Earlier this year, Runnr was named “Store of the Year“ by Ayala Malls and was voted as the Number 1 running store in the Philippines by Spot.ph, the leading online lifestyle magazine. Runnr features the revolutionary Footworx Fitting process, a combination of three stateof-the-art technologies: FootDisc, HighSpeed Video Gait Analysis, and the Custom Insole Molding. The store is the first and only store in the country (and possibly in the world) to offer all three technologies under
A brainchild of Toby Claudio, vice president for operations of Toby’s Sports, Runnr is the inspired and inspiring store dedicated to all running enthusiasts. “We want to reach out to more runners and encourage more to try running and take on an active lifestyle,“ he says.“Runnr provides the local running market with the best products, advice, and accessories relevant to the sport.” To date RUNNR has 7 outlets nationwide including the two new branches located in Bonifacio High Street, Ayala Center Cebu, and in select Toby’s outlets there are RUNNR sections. Check out RUNNR sections in select Toby’s outlets in Shangri-La Plaza, Mall of Asia & Abreeza Mall in Davao.
ABOUT RUNNER RUNNR, is a pure running specialty store built on passion. Only RUNNR offers a wide track of the best running brands from around the world such as Adidas, Asics, New Balance, Nike, Fuelbelt, Nathan, Polar, Hammer, Mizuno and CW-X. RUNNR is also the first to bring in the the revolutionary line of Newton Shoes to the Philippines. At RUNNR, we know that no runner is the same. This fact lead us to dare push our dreams further. More than offering a wide range of running gear, we createdFOOTWORX - A combination of three state of the art services that will fully determine the exact needs of every runner: Footprint analysis, Video Gait Analysis and Custom insole Moulding. Know the exact type of your foot, get the right insole to aid your disadvantage and pair it with the right shoe. Because after all, to run your best, you need gear that works best with you. At RUNNR, we will you help achieve that. Expect a team of highly trained and passionate RUNNR staff to assist you from start to finish. Let us help you get the right shoe for your foot and help you improve your run. Because at RUNNR, we help you go beyond your best. We help you DEFY your LIMITS.
Not the Usual Street Wear
The Artisan is on the map for their limited and hand-cut-and-sewn tops. Started by owners Kix Suarez, EJ Reyes and Christian San Jose, the brand gives a wide array of unique selections. The pieces are reminiscent of American brands of clothing, but Kix, during this interview, admits that he’s influenced by Japanese brands as well. The Artisan merchandise is currently available at Terminal in Ronac Art Center in San Juan, Manila.
ej reyes
Christian San Jose
Why “The Artisan”?
Who decides on the clothing design?
The Artisan is a skilled manual worker, he uses his hands to do stuff, and our brand pretty much represents that in a sense that all our stuff are handmade. They’re not mass-produced. One by one, the pattern is cut and each design is done in a limited run because we only have two tailors who do everything. Everything’s really just handmade so that’s where the name really came from.
I do. Basically, the process is I do my sketches. Like, I pick from the swatches already then I present it to them. We end up agreeing.
You specialize in cut-and-sew shirts. I think it’s because now, we have people who are doing graphic design really well already. If we enter that market, it’s too much competition already. We also want to introduce the other side of the culture in a sense that there’s already that grown-up aspect already happening, so there, pretty much. How did the concept come about? How did it happen? I don’t know, really. It started when EJ and I met during one of the bazaar events, parang we were talking about doing something already. It felt lang like the right time, July last year, it was about time. I needed office wear and then that’s where it came from. May we know the price range of the products? A t-shirt and a pocket tee is PhP 350. For a short sleeved colored shirt, around PhP 859 and for the short sleeves around PhP 1,200. It’s pretty much cheaper if you compare it with Topman, for example. Also, parang our main thing is that these are very limited in quantity. Kunwari, if you buy from us, we can guarantee that there would only be ten people that would have the same (product). The price (of it) if you get something really well-tailored, that would cost you PhP 4,000. We’re selling it for 20% cheaper.
Who are your regular customers? Mostly mga preppy kids. It’s weird, eh. At one point, there were really old people who wanted our stuff. Kids who are determined to buy, come into the store and then the dad ends up buying three polos. And the kid doesn’t get anything! (laughs) Were you expecting that kind of result? In a way, we were. Our designs naman are not loud like graphic shirts that give off a Nick Automatic vibe. It’s very plain. Everyone could actually wear it. We had so many girl customers, even with the first collection. Why did you pick Terminal to exclusively sell your stuff? At Terminal, because all their brands are Asian. They wanted to have a brand that was locally manufactured and parang noong time na iyon, wala naman masyadong cut-and-sew and they really liked my stuff. Eventually, it worked out because I’m a friend of the owners din. We were really meaning to have it online but then people were asking, “Sana you guys had a store”. Wala na rin kasing space sa Ronac, eh. If you could pick two famous persons to represent your clothing, who would they be? A generic black dude with an afro and a beard! (laughs) Hirok Nakamura and VST. Hirok kasi is my idol. And if someone you look up to ends up wearing your stuff, that would be great. VST naman kasi, my
kix suarez
partners want to do a shoot with them on a yacht. If you could choose a band to play the soundtrack that would match your brand, which would it be? I guess, The Strokes. I’d love to clothe him as well. Julian Casablancas is my god. It’s a family thing. Kunwari, Julian Casablancas, his dad was the founder of Ford models, eh. Tapos parang, ‘tangina, all his clothes, yung style, that’s the thing! Was there a brand that made an influence on The Artisan? Siguro, like C.P. Company, Norse Project. These weird cut-and-sew stuff that are nothing too loud. Neighborhood. Well, I’ll be honest. I started out with this streetwear scene with the usual, and eventually I discovered these Japanese brands na parang, I think this is what I want to do. Your sneakers are... I have a lot! Adidas. I have those Adidas, mga leopard na Campus 80s, Neighborhood. I started with Air Stab, mga runners. Do you consider selling sneakers? Actually, that’s the thing like The Artisan because we’re still so young as a brand. We can’t really do much yet. But we’d make sneakers eventually if given a chance. Yun nga kasi, an artisan is a maker of products. We want to do (it) by the end of, two years from now, five years from now. We’d like to clothe you from top to toe. That’s our goal. And everything is (by) The Artisan. It’s not like I’d clothe you with Nike or Vans. We’d like everything made from Artisan. And it’s from the Philippines.
Collection IV: The Anniversary Collection
Get ready for the
Jose “Quest� Villanueva III is a hip-hop and R&B singer slash songwriter and producer. He recently released his own independently released album Join the Quest that has been receiving rave reviews. The music of Quest is bouncy and uplifting. Pleasing to the senses and good for the soul.
Why Quest as your moniker? Quest speaks of an adventure. And that’s what my music is all about- take you to an adventure filled with learning and revelations. I don’t want you to just feel good with my music. I want my music to empower you to live great. Quest is a journey. And I wanna take all my listeners on a journey. It represents something bigger than me. I’m on a Quest to see my generation live life to the fullest, free from all the deception and insecurities the world has been giving. Live free. Love strong. And God is real. I wanna share the reality of God to this generation. If He’s real in my life, they will see Him. GOD IS AWESOME! What got you into R&B & Hip-Hop?
tracks were done, we started building the music. I had my say on a lot like arrangements, dynamics, voicing. Some songs were done on the spot out of inspiration like “Rise and Shine” and some of the spoken word tracks. Recorded everything at the Flip Music studio with Bojam and the rest is history. Who would be included in your list of fantasy collaboration? Mary J Blige, Gary V, Corrine Bailey Rae, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Julianne, Adele. And I want to have Bobby McFerrin on my show one day! Rap and R & B artists are plagued by stereotyping. Is it challenging to be Christian and an artist?
How did you put your album together?
Let me clear this first. I’m not a Christian artist. I’m an artist, period. And I am a Christian. I’m not promoting any church or religion. My music is for everybody. My music breaks the barriers of religion and culture and even race. I promote Truth, Love, Hope, Faith, Destiny. The truth will set people free. And my music is a reflection of the truth. YO, HIPHOP & R&B!! CAN WE PLEASE GIVE MORE RESPECT TO WOMEN? THEY DESERVE OUR UTMOST RESPECT AND ADORATION. Positivity is not just a word or a message. Positivity is a lifestyle. When we start living with optimism and positivity, we will affect the people around us. It’s annoying to see artists talk about love in one track then talk about infidelity on the next. There are many irresponsible artists today. They attain their dreams by destroying people. And I’m not just talking about music. I’m talking to the entire entertainment industry. We play a big role in shaping the culture of the generation. So I hope I’m not alone in this battle. Be responsible with what you present to this generation. Which discs would be in your Top 5.
Got my songs, spent a lot of time in the studio conceptualizing tracks. Once the
Faces of Love by Gary V. Beautiful Struggle by Talib Kweli. Nathan Michael Shawn
Tupac, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and Bong “B-Roc” Andres. The vibe and the groove I get from Hip-Hop and R&B is just too sweet for my life. Who do you consider as your biggest musical influences? Gary V. Francis M. Eraserheads. Rivermaya. Stevie Wonder. Brian Mcknight. Boyz II Men. Tupac. Common. Mos Def. Talib Kweli. Jay Z. Kirk Franklin. And more! Is it difficult to release an indie or a DIY album? It’s not difficult if you have the right team with you. I am blessed to have great partnerships and friendships with some of the best talents in the industry. Turbulence Productions has been supporting me since 1999 and vice versa. Jumbo de Belen of Flip Music is also one of those partners that helped me a lot when it comes to the album production. Shout outs to CH for Producing Party Life!
Wanya by Boyz II Men. The Definitive Collection of Stevie Wonder. Nocturnal by Flica. These songs represent so many sides of myself and my day. I have more but you only asked for five! Hahaha! What are your favorite cover songs? “Look in Her Eyes” - Gary V, “Himala” Rivermaya, “The Way You Make Me Feel” – Michael Jackson, “Open Your Eyes” Bobby Caldwell and “Fix You” – Coldplay. How would the QUEST sneaker line look if one will be released? Simple and an all-season type of sneaks. More like the Nike Navaro but way cooler! Haha! Which kind of sneakers do you have? Air Max 90. Dunks. Blazers. I’m gonna buy me a Janoski. I want more Air Max 90s and Dunks. I’m just a huge fan of Air Max and Dunks. I want as many colorways as I can get. Which do you love more, singing or rapping? Actually my love for both is the same. You always find me singing and rapping on a track. I love playing with melodies and also with words. So, I guess they’re both on the same level for me. Ever considered joining rap battle contests? Nope. I ain’t that good in dissing people and I’m quick tempered. I’d rather join an MMA fight! How good is Quest on the dance floor? I don’t dance, I can’t dance, I won’t dance. The least I could do is groove on stage! Haha! But no dancing. I don’t want people walking out on my shows!
WHISKEY HILL
The intoxicating thrill of Longboarding
Last April, a store opened on the rooftop of JM Building on Zanzibar corner Rockefeller Streets in Makati along South Super Highway where you can see and get interesting, top quality and reasonably priced skating gear. A major plus for this store is that it is owned and managed by passionate and accommodating skaters: Luis Araneta, Carlos Domingo, Miguel Vargas, Cayo General and Franco Ocampo. What makes Whiskey Hill a great skate shop is its palpable zeal for the sport. What matters to the owners is the sole goal of spreading their devotion to skating- no marketing ploys, just filling the store with world-class skating items and loads of good vibes.
Describe to a non-skater the thrill of skating. Wow! We can go on all night about this! Instead of each saying what it feels like, we’ll try to explain what every rider shares. No matter what we say, it will never compare to what it (skating) actually feels like. Let’s just say that once you experience going downhill, whether at a steady pace or some crazy speeds over 60kph, that’s all you’re going to want to do. If not forever, for a long, long time. Those seconds or minutes of downhill, those are all that matters at that moment. How did the idea of putting up Whiskey Hill come up? We got a bunch of boards from guys we knew in California to sell here and they sold out. We started selling to our friends, then to friends of friends, out of the trunks of our cars. We all just wanted to see where it could go. We were also having so much fun and meeting a lot of cool people along the way. So we decided to make it a little more official and started the company. Tell us a short history of the brand. When we all first started to skate and tried out longboards, we never planned on making it a business right away. It all really came from wanting to skate with other people. Because when we started, it wasn’t as easy as it is now to be able to score or buy a longboard. All we wanted to do was to bring in boards that we could sell to other people so that we would have more people to skate with. Why Whiskey Hill? Whiskey Hill is the name of a street in California and the first legit road that Carlos and Luis bombed. That is probably what started it- just having so much fun on that damn road with your friends. That is all we wanted and continue to want from it. We always saw the brand as an opportunity to get creative and share the things we like with people, all while enjoying the ride and having as much fun as possible. Describe a day at the Whiskey Hill race. The participants come from all over. We get shocked (at) every race because we still keep seeing new faces. Guys from Cebu, Davao and so many other places come out to party with us. I would describe it as a get-together with all the friends from the skate community. It’s a picnic, a barbeque and a party. Oh, and it’s also a race.
When do you organize Whiskey Hill races? When we feel like having a big party, we throw one! (laughs) Or whenever people start demanding it. We’re planning to make it once a year, though. So it’ll be a little bigger and we can all look forward to it.
And the Rayne Longboards are your bestseller? Boards from Canada! Great quality boards. Great for downhill! Gunmetal Trucks?
Any particular skaters you sponsor?
They’re beautiful. The first time we felt any difference in a truck’s ride.
Right now, we are sponsoring two skaters, Rafa Itchon and Reno Madulid. And they’re pretty much family, too.
Do you participate in other skating events?
How do you decide whom to sponsor? Basically it’s a mutual thing between the skaters and us. They know us well and we know them well, so it’s more of like a decision from both sides to work together. They’re not just sponsored in the traditional sense but they also contribute a lot to where we take the brand. Do you have local brands aside from your usual items? Yes, now we have stuff from Bombproof, Grupo Nopo, Driftwood, Harpoon and a lot of other local brands mostly from our friends, too. The Ladera minis (skateboards) are selling pretty well lately. What if I’m not a skater but I want to be and I want a good board from Whiskey Hill. How much do I need to get what I need? We have boards that range from PhP8,000 to about PhP15,000 depending on what you want to do. Yes, we will surely help you assemble it. We actually enjoy the experience as much as the buyer because we like to get to know the people who are buying our stuff.s Do you offer fixing or repair services? We offer any service that we can give. Did that sound bad? But yeah, as long as it’s cool and doable, we will try our best to help out. Why do you say Ladera Skateboards are your best items? They were the first boards we ever brought, straight out of Ladera, California. I remember one description of Ladera I read in some magazine that summed it up pretty good“Boards with a Soul.” We’ve ridden every single board that they’ve made. They even send us prototypes and every single one just has a certain feel to it. That’s also why I guess a lot of guys hold on to their old Laderas.
We do. Sometimes as sponsors or manpower. However, we can really help or contribute. We also sometimes join them as competitors or participants. What was the most memorable skating event Whiskey Hill participated in? It’s gotta be the first Whiskey Hill race. Downhill skateboarding wasn’t anywhere as big as how it is now, here or anywhere in the world. They had other races in the US and Europe, but none here in Asia. You could just feel that it was the start of something. It wasn’t about the gear because no one had any, or even the skill. Again, we were all pretty much starting out. It was crazy! Everyone just had a blast. Several traditions were born that day. It was just one big party. Which shoes you wear when skating? Vans, DC, Nike, Adidas, Lakai, Puma, Zoo York. Garb? Bombproof, Team Manila, Fluid surf, Whiskey Hill, Nike, Volcom. Sounds? That’s too hard to answer but we’ll try! Jimi Hendrix, RJD2, Dyamkru, The Black Keys, White Stripes, Corporate LoFi. Kriss Kross, Miscellaneous, Gaijin, Tokimonsta, Jay-z, Bob Dylan and more. Any new stuff in the works? We’ve been coming out with shirts for a while, but we’re also coming out with new stuff that we’ve designed like backpacks, and doing collaborations with friends making other stuff. Just stuff we get interested in. Coming up at Whiskey Hill… 2011 Ladera Longboard Line-up is coming in! Some new stuff we’re designing on our own and some that we’re developing with friends. Also, the complete Gunmetal Truck line and some other surprises! You can call us at 0917777-73-11 if you want to drop by or catch us there every full moon for a drink or four.
ANTON LOPEZ
Vanguard Of Art In The Walled City
Anton Lopez is a New York-based Filipino artist who has a global vision for the local art scene. Aside from his job as graphic designer and doing re-branding for major international companies like Diesel, Nike and Sony, among others, he devotes his time into mashing and collating ideas that will improve the already-respectable art commune. Lopez wanted to make his curt stay in the country worthwhile by curating a two-month long exhibit in Intramuros, Manila featuring seven international artists, including him, with different backgrounds and style. Unlike any other group shows, TBC (To Be Continued) Manila is a statement that dialogue in art can extend globally, with the encouragement of local ingenuity and mixing it up with international talent. Set in the courtyard of Plaza San Luis in Intramuros, the show features artists with portfolios that range from installation pieces to photography. TBC Manila transformed the primordial façade of Intramuros into a multi-media setting for modern art: striking colors, video projections and weekly workshops to “get the message out there”. The exhibit’s vision is to bring these artists with their individual works together and produce a documentary based on their experiences in terms of creating.
About the exhibit...
How long will the show run?
The title is “To Be Continued”. There are seven artists involved: Julia Chiang from New York; Cody Hudson from Chicago; Young Kim, this Korean artist from Hong Kong; Dan Pak, a photographer who’s also from Hong Kong; Jon Santos, a Filipino from New York; Chris Rubino and myself.
It’s going to be on for two months. We’re going to shoot a documentary with people coming in and out. I just think it’s a really important thing to share with the people here and also to share with people and to the artists who will to go back (to their) home- an experience they would like to share with their peers. It’s a really good way to approach art and culture because not many people know what’s happening here.
Do give us a background of each artist. Julia Chiang does a lot of installation work and was recently nominated for the REMA Horn Foundation Art Grant. She tries to find a lot of materials to work with whether it’s wood or paper and she’ll make a site-specific installation. Cody Hudson does a lot of sculptural work. He’s going to incorporate found objects here. Young Kim is more of a performance artist. He’s into shooting a lot of people and offbeat concepts. Dan (Pak), the photographer, is going to document the whole thing. He’s going to juxtapose that with the kind of landscape we have here. Jon Santos is going to do projections onto the buildings and ruins. So we’re going to shoot around Intramuros and project that on structures during the show and I think that’s going to be really something special in a sense of something that’s big of a scale, visually. Chris Rubino is going to anchor the show in a more classical way. Everybody has the right concept because they’re coming here and they want to find materials here. I’m based here in Manila. I’m working here until the run of the exhibition I’m working on. The show seems very special. These are artists that are being so generous because they’re coming here for the experience. They will come together for the cohesiveness and for the love for it. And that is what makes the show so special. It’s hard to find a group that shares the same passion and I’m really glad that they’re coming here to do this show. I know that they’re gonna want to do something special here. The TBC (To Be Continued) Manila show is diverse. It’s a group show exhibit by seven artists, including myself, and we’re all from abroad. Well, I’m here, but really, we’re all from other countries. The concept is we’re going to fly everyone here, two weeks before the show. Mostly everyone (it) is gonna be their first time. The idea is they’re going to create their work for the show here and just be influenced by whatever comes naturally. That’s a nice concept. For the Filipino art community, I think it’s an interesting way to share with the rest of the world what we have here by bringing the international artists here. That’s the concept and it (the show) is now in Intramuros, this beautiful place that we found, since November 12th. We have the support of the Department of Tourism and we’re just trying to make it a really beautiful event that’s just about art.
What kind of stories does your art tell? Right now I’m just trying to work without thinking on how to put things together because I don’t want it to look like “this is exactly what I want”. I want to have the chance to come up with something unexpected. If it happens, I wanna keep it and I want to be open with that experience. Like when I travel, you never know what’s gonna happen. When did you start to get involved in art? It’s kinda corny but this is the only thing I know how to do. It’s like, I never had to make a decision and I’ve always wanted to do it. I don’t know if I can do anything else. Which medium do you like to work with the most? Right now, my favorite medium is more on the installation work, if we’re talking about my Fine Arts. I’ve been into projections, as well as mixed media. I like building things and maybe, projecting. I used to do a lot of work on canvas, but it’s hard to always combine them.
How do you go beyond these places and ideas with your work? I’ve traveled around Europe, Asia, Madagascar, Iceland and (the) U.S. and I try to take as many works as I can. I photograph, I document. It becomes sort of like a personal catalog that you look at whenever you’re ready to work and take inspiration from whatever you’re feeling at that moment. How do you describe yourself as an artist? Yeah, I’m an artist. I’m a graphic designer. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of re-brandings. I was the senior lead designer for the graphic team of Nike and (I) did a lot of Nike Japan products. Before that, I lived in Switzerland and in other parts of the world just doing my thing. How do you channel your art to your work as a designer? I think you have to do it whether you want to do it on purpose or not. I do my best to be very sensitive to what my clients need. It’s always about making sure that they are happy and if I get a chance to add my voice, that’s great. But the people I have to take care most are the clients. From your professional point of view, which local brand needs improvement? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the branding of Philippine Airlines but I love travelling. The logo could do better. How long have you been doing shows?
Where do you usually get your inspiration?
A long time. I started showing 15 years ago.
Lately, I haven’t had time as much as I like to focus on my own, but it’s always there. But for this, it’s the first time that I really put a lot of effort into an artistic entity (the exhibit). I try to collect experiences when I travel and as many kinds of beautiful ideas as I can.
What is your impression of the local art scene?
Does music inspire you? I love music. I really love soul. It works really well when I’m working. It kind of matches the type of work that I do and it is also kind of like, where my head is. I like dub. I definitely like dancehall and reggae. I like hiphop. Those are things that have different impacts on my work. More than anything, I kind of like quiet music when I’m working because I got enough noise going on in my head that sometimes it’s too much. Do you gravitate to a certain kind of work? I’ve been looking at a lot of mixed media lately. I went to the Bienalle in Venice and so much of the artwork there are installations and projections. Just kind of like environmental work. I don’t know why but I really respond to that right now. I really like architecture. I love the idea of structural art. Things that have a presence and not just always on the wall, but of course, I respect that. Do your designs posses an eternal style? Not so much, because my background is Fine Arts in New York. The thing with my design philosophy is that I approach design the same way I would approach any painting. I try not to think about the computer too much and I just try to make whatever concept I have in my head. I guess, for me, it’s all about the concept.
The main impression is there’s a lot of craftsmanship involved with the art scene but I guess my immediate reaction would be, I feel disconnected with the actual content. If it’s anything, I feel like we have to elevate the combination of craftsmanship and content so it’s relevant to a global audience. We just need that community, a bigger voice in this global art community. We talk a lot to ourselves here. How can we communicate in such a bigger scale? I’m hoping that this show is a nice kind of opportunity to start that dialogue. It’s just an idea, you know. Hope it works. Where do you see your art in a couple of years? It’s like a puzzle that I like to figure out. I think the biggest challenge for me now is to be a really good artist. That’s what I really want to focus on right now. Hopefully, I’d be further along. And what is a good artist? Somebody that understands how to express themself without needing skill or kind of concept or personality. As long as they’re comfortable with the work they’re doing. I think it’s important that an artist knows where he is going before he works on his art. A good artist should just be themselves, but it’s kind of a contradiction, actually. If I see a color or a piece of work, it’s enough for me to base my work on those.
An array of designs with local identity
Hypethetic
Singapore’s Hypethetic is a streetwear brand that has taken the responsibility to show and prove that their brand is at par, if not better than, imported ones that are saturating the market. They incorporate and feature their local identity in the designs of their products to show their talent and creativity that is uniquely their own. Shaun Chua, co-founder of Hypethetic, is also in charge of the marketing. He shares with us the brand’s history and tells us about Hypethetic’s extraordinary appeal.
Tell us the story of Hypethetic. Joe, who is a sneakerhead, started collecting shoes almost 10 years ago. That was the period where custom sneakers started to take off. One fine day in the year 2006, he came across a contest in a U.S.-based magazine Sole Collector’s Forum and decided to take part in it. At that time, he enlisted his long time friend and classmate Shaun to come onboard. The duo came up with the Sole Warlord as their entry to the contest. Naturally, there was some chemistry to begin with and that was how the Hypethetic label came about. The meaning behind the label was simply a combination of the word “Hype” and “Pathetic”. It was because of hype created in a product and label that makes followers pathetically poor in their pockets. Singapore, the place where the label was born, is a hype driven society where modern influences come from the U.S. and Asian countries such as Japan. It is also pathetic that such a modern country does not have a street culture to call our own. Back to the contest, when the results were released, to their surprise, the duo managed to clinch second place in the fabric category out of the numerous submission. News got around and the duo decided to take it to the next level by customizing sneakers. More friends came and went (due to personal commitments) to lend a hand for a good four years.
We were quite aggressive in coming up with so many custom sneaker designs and after a while, things got a little too taxing for us. Customizing sneakers is time consuming especially with the deconstruction and reconstruction. Unlike, most sneaker customizers who paint on the shoes, we wanted designs that are more wearable and durable. Fabrics itself are strong and can withstand the harsh weather and thrashing. Fashion is all about mixing and matching and we didn’t want to just stop at designing sneakers. What better way can we do it (with) than to come up with our own apparels to go with our sneakers? You’ve been in the business for five years. Can you tell us your formula for success? Clearly, working with people you know is never easy and it was bound to have disagreements and quarrels. Eventually, we worked out our differences and the relationship became stronger. There’s no special recipe to success. It’s all about hard work, dedication, determination, making sacrifices (time and money) and having a clear vision about what you are doing. How is Hypethetic different from other brands in Singapore? Our brand serves the streetwear market and streetwear is all about attitude (in a good way): being yourself and knowing your roots. That’s the core value of the Hypethetic label and we’re humble about it.
They slogged for days in a row after day jobs to fulfill their customization orders. Clark, an ex-colleague of Joe, happened to be a streetwear fanatic. He came on board to help with the production. Will, who handles the finance and administrative matters, and Ken, who is our resident designer, joined the label along the way when we started the flagship store.
All the members in the crew come from average family backgrounds and we believe that everybody deserves a chance in life. We do not claim that we know everything, but we try to learn new things every step of the way. The team is made of different talents, where everything is done in-house from the design all the way to production and marketing.
How did Hypethetic evolve from designing sneakers to designing apparel?
We don’t judge our peers from their background nor do we talk down at people.
We love working with people and definitely treasure the experiences that we share along the way. That’s why we are actively involved in events all over the region. Local brands usually look after their own interests and don’t work with others as much. We would like to promote fellow artists and designers as much as we push our label. Like our friends from the industry, the main driving factor behind each culture is the people itself. How can we have a culture of our own if we don’t support the very people that make up this very culture? We are not just a brand, but also a movement to support local talents. There are just so many meanings to our label and we’re molding it each and every step of the way. Fight for Your Rights – Summer 2011 Collection is a campaign to fight for individuality. Taking the U.S and Japan as example, the people are very patriotic about their local labels. However, we cannot say the same for Singapore. There is little or no love for local brands, which makes it hard for brands like us to thrive and for individual artists to be acknowledged. We are constantly suppressed by foreign influences, which is pretty sad for a modern country like ours. What sneaker do you think would best represent Singapore? Our choice would be the FLOMs (For Love or Money). Singapore is a very commercialized country, everything is about money and only the rich get richer. (LOL) What’s the inspiration for the design of your flagship store? We wanted something simple and presentable, nothing too flashy. A clean look is our approach to things, as we believe that the quality of the designs and products speak for themselves.
Tell us more about these customized sneakers:
What’s your favorite among the sneakers you customized?
Hype Or Money (H.O.M)
Definitely the Sole Warlord! Well, it’s the pair that got Hypethetic noticed in the sneaker customization community.
To commemorate the launch of Hypethetic on September 11, 2006, Hypethetic produced a sample piece of Hype Or Money (H.O.M).
Tell us about the HYPerceptn series.
Sporting the Singapore Currency, H.O.M is inspired by by Futura’s FLOMs. Black vacuum materials clad the rest of the other parts of the kicks giving it a space-age feel. It also comes with a matching gold HYP lacelocks.
The hustle and bustle of life in Singapore is so hectic that we sometimes hardly take a look at things from a different perspective or light. The HYPerceptn series is about looking at things this way, a celebration of the wonders of the human mind.
Hyperstrike Woven
The triangle emblem in this series is a pretty interesting subject to look at. Based on what you see, there may be 4 triangles, maybe there’s 5, or maybe just 1. Which way is it pointing? Up, down or left or right? It’s all subjective. There is no right or wrong. It’s just a matter of perception about things in your life and your surroundings. Ponder about it...
We love the woven pattern and decided one day that we should have that done on our own customs with 3M fluorescent orange fabric and reflective materials. The entire shoe was deconstructed and woven pattern was done by hand. Once the weaving and shaping were completed, the shoe was painstakingly sewn back together.
What’s your favorite piece from the collection?
Sole Warlord III “Sole Warlord III” is inspired by the Five Tiger Generals of the Kingdom of Shu during the period of the Three Kingdoms in China. The Five Tiger Generals namely Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yu, Ma Chao and Huang Zhong, are fierce warlords and generals who were bestowed this title in honor of their contributions to the establishment of the kingdom. They have fought countless battles and were almost invincible in their campaigns. This release is a follow-up of our previous release of the Sole Warlord featured in the Sole Collector AF-1 issue. Hyper Gerbil Our first collaboration work with Singapore’s very own visual artist, Killer Gerbil. He has been creating the character The Killer Gerbil since 2003 as an alter ego, a street rat that kill empty spaces with colors and forms with means of beautifying. Inspired by his pet gerbils, street culture and urban art, this pair of customs features both repeated patterns of Killer Gerbil’s signature font and the Hypethetic logo. The multi-faceted tone with gradient effects signify the paint sprayed by a spray can of a graffiti artist. An interesting thing to look out for is the Nike Swoosh made up of white fur that represents Killer Gerbil’s signature character fur coat
Favorite piece? The turquoise one!!! Reminds us of Tiffany dunks. And Tiffany and Co brand as well. (LOL) What’s a usual day for Hypethetic? A usual day for Hypethetic is down at the workshop. Joe, Clark and Will would be thinking of new ideas and designs for our next collection as well as operating procedures for our launches and events. I help out with the marketing through various channels like our website, social media. I also handle the photography / videography as well. We don’t meet all the time but we make an effort to stay in touch and fulfill our individual tasks at hand. Do sneakers dictate the color of your outfit? It has become a habit for us to let the sneaker dictate our outfit. What is the most OG sneaker in your personal arsenal? Why do you hold on to it? Nike Footscape 95, blue colorway. It is one of the first pair Nike shoes that feature shoelaces at the sides that we personally feel that they make it really special.
What are your plans for the coming year? For sure, we would like to expand the business eventually, but it has to be done progressively. We believe in laying a proper foundation for our brand and letting people know that we are serious about it first. When you do a good job out of your products and play the cards right, eventually other things will follow. We had a sneak peek of your Fall/Winter `11 collection. The collection has been officially launched last November 30 th. “The Other Side” is the theme for our Fall / Winter 2011 collection. Our scene is heavily influenced by the western culture. This time around, we go back to basics with the beautiful traditions of such culture. As such, Native American fabric patterns and details are our focus for this collection. We imported limited quantities of each design so you can expect this collection to be very limited. For the leather wallets, the woven details are inspired by Hypethetic’s woven custom shoes. They are hand woven by Hypethetic and constructed together by leather artisans of OGL. Made-to-order and available in limited quantities. Any events we should watch out for in the next few months? We’re expecting to collaborate with more artists from the creative industry in Singapore to expand our range of products. So do look out for it! The Brightspot Event. We’ve been to Jakarta for vacations, but never had we imagined of being there for the Brightspot Event. It was definitely an eye opener for us and something we are really thankful to the Brightspot team for inviting us down there, and our friends from Skematic who made this all possible for us. The event itself was massive and we had our share of audience gathering at our booth to see our own crew with the live sneaker customization and checking out our designs. We were glad to be sharing with the crowd how we work with sneakers. Will you drop in on the Philippines soon? Definitely! We would love to visit the Philippines to learn more about the culture there and exchange ideas with all of you.
Hype Or Money (H.O.M.) Hyperstrike Woven Sole Warlord Hyper Gerbil
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CAPTAIN MORGAN LANDS ON PHILIPPINE SHORES He may have been born in 1635, but Captain Morgan is no stranger to the present-day party scene.
hit around the world and was received with the same kind of enthusiasm by the local market. It definitely helped that the Captain himself, and his equally friendly Morganettes, were on hand to get everyone into the party vibe.
Original Spiced Rum in tow.
Though he did cause quite a scene earlier in the day, when he misplaced the treasure chest upon docking somewhere in Manila Bay. “Have you seen my chest?” he asked strangers on the street. He boarded a good samaritan’s vehicle and ended up along EDSA, where he learned of radio show Good Times with Mo on 89.9—which he barged into to ask DJ Mo Twister’s listeners to be on the lookout for the missing chest.
Tides Grill & Bistro, Scout Albano Street, South Triangle, Q.C. became the venue where Captain Henry Morgan introduced the drink to hundreds of consumers. His signature cocktail, Captain and Cola, has been a proven
He then proceeded to Boy Scout Circle in Quezon City, telescope in hand. Pedestrians stopped, curious to know why (and how) a 17th-century captain ended up in the middle of the busy rotonda. Restless but optimistic,
The Philippines got a taste of this when the fun-loving, swashbuckling Captain arrived in Manila, with his Morganettes, and treasure chest of his Captain Morgan
the Captain trooped straight into the nearby ABS-CBN studios and continued his search right in the middle of the live airing of Showtime and Happy Yipee Yehey. GMA also reported sightings of Captain Morgan during a morning news break, and on evening news programs 24 Oras and Saksi. Eventually, his ever-helpful Morganettes received a tip from someone who spotted it in Manila Bay. Soon enough, Captain Morgan was reunited with his treasure chest, which was filled with bottles of rum. “These are my gifts to my newfound friends, my shipmates, in this beautiful country,” he said gratefully, and called upon everyone to join the party at Tides in the evening. And now, Captain Morgan is here to stay, thanks to the legendary Captain and Cola cocktail now popping up in drink lists nationwide.
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CHILL SESSION.
THE PARTIES YOU MISSED PARTY SEASON.
rjay’s 11.11.11 . mixtape launch, the deck, ronac arts center
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progress x terminal x secret service anniversary party x all love, kyss, makati ave
photos by paolo martin cruz
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Pinoy Otaku Encore 2011: Cosplay, KPop and Advocacy in One Naruto Cosplayers PH (NCPH) and Slicknine Digital Media for the first time brought three concepts in one convention. This concept includes Cosplay, KPop and advocacy. Pinoy otaku Encore 2011 which was held at Megatrade Hall 3 of SM Megamall, November 26-27, 2011 NCPH is headed by its President Edwin Romo while Slick9.com was headed by Johnson Reyes and Angel Santos-Reyes. The event aims to bring an event which is a product of team work and which will benefit both cosplayers and a project for a cause. NCPH and Slick9.com will be donating part of the proceeds for peace in Mindanao through a peace project by the PeaceTech Embassy. The event was also co-presented by Hero TV, Otakuzine Anime Magazine and UnisilverTime. Clavel Sneaker Magazine was one of the official media partners of the event and distributed copies of Clavel Magazines. The KPop Dance Battle and Cosplay Competition were two of the main highlights of the event. More than 15 cover groups of various Korean pop icons like 2NE1, Super Junior, Miss A, and others competed on stage for the top 10 spot which will compete for the finals on the second day. Among the 10 groups 2PIEM was judged as 2nd runnerup, D. Inc. as 1st runner-up and Boys On Fire were declared as the champions. For the cosplay competition, Project 8 which did a Kamen Rider cosplay skit won in the group cosplay competition. The individual cosplay competition which
was started a bit late was participated by 126 cosplayers. Winners includes BEST NARUTO COSPLAYER, Nico Leo Arenzen as Uzumaki Naruto; BEST CHIBI COSPLAYER , Bolen Lareza as Unicorn Gundam; BEST MALE COSPLAYER, Herbert Chavez as Superman; BEST FEMALE COSPLAYER, Myrtle Gail Sarrosa as Rena Grand Archer from Elswordl; BEST MECHA/ARMORED TYPE COSPLAYER, Christian Umali as Coratleavy Artillery Unit from RF Online; and SPECIAL AWARD: HERO’S CHOICE AWARD, Eddieson Jaluag as Red Hawk from Birdman Ranger Jetman). Besides the exciting competitions Pinoy Otaku Encore also for the first time introduced a ticket which is also a discount card which ticket holders can enjoy for three months. Among the discounts are 10% discount from cosplay shops such as Devangelic, Ynnoks and Sugarfree and Blue. You can also avaial P50 off per game from laser Xtreme plus 10% discount from Octoboy Japanese Pizza and Chikara Hats. Meanwhile Candy House Comic Co and Taiwan Doujinshi Sgop as well as SkinTecn Enterprises producer of Fiona is also providing 5% discount on their products. “This event is an event made by fans and congers for their fellow fans and congers. We want it to be a memorable and worthwhile event,” says David D’Angelo, Co-Project Manager of Pinoy Otaku Encore 2011. Other winners during the event are: KPop Fashionista • Male: Ryan Caraan - 2PIEM • Female: Redelyn Cuadra - Last Minute
KPop KARAOKE • Song, Min Joon JPop KARAOKE (UnisilverTime Watch + GC) • Maria Aika P. Baylon COSPLAY RAMP IDOL (UnisilverTime Watch + GC) • MALE - Michael Vincent T. Garcia • FEMALE - Justine ART CONTESTS (UnisilverTime Watch + GC) • STILL ART - Clarivel Jane Matias • CARICATURE - Akhina Gorospe • PINOY THEME - Daime Marie L. Aviles COSPLAY KULTURANG PINOY • 1ST PRIZE: Kyle Danielle Mayuga and Alessia Rem Mayu (UnisilverTime Watch + P3,000GC) • 2ND PRIZE: Maria Ann Ira Orduna (UnisilverTime Watch + P1,000GC) • 3rd PRIZE: Justine Iris Salvador (UnisilverTime Watch + P1,000GC) The event was attended by more than 3,000 visitors. Those who also helped the event and served as major sponsors were Janice Hung Arts and Sports Foundation, Muzikademy, Granny Goose Tortillos, Nissin Yakisoba, Dynamie, Sugarfree and Blue, EXIST Exhibit Systems and Ynnoks Dres Shop.
pinoy otaku encore 2011: cosplay, k-pop and advocacy in one, megamall
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