EDITOR'S NOTE
@riaprieto: Cheers!
RUMINATING ON YOUTH What is youth? According to Webster, it is the time of life when one is young— the time between childhood and adulthood (maturity), “the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young.” Youth and freedom, though, should not be measured by age. I know senior citizens who live their lives with so much enthusiasm they beat a 13-year-old’s. I think more than a number or the appearance of the type of youth, what I wish I would have is a youthful spirit. To me, that means an endless willingness to learn and the enthusiasm for adventure. And people, at least those who wish to continually grow, are wise enough to want to know and understand the youth. I’ve heard older people say they are enjoying their “youth” now, in the twilight of their years, because they have learned not to sweat the small stuff. It also helps when you’re already financially independent, therefore you have the freedom to do and pursue whatever your heart desires. What I am really trying to say is that when you are young, remember that time is on your side—you can do what you want and learn from your mistakes. And when you turn a little bit older, remember that age is just a number. At least, that’s what I tell myself. Hope you enjoy our issue!
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Le sC las s
To integrate the modern standard of design with the timeless The metamorphosis pearl is an edict of contemporary of the classic pearl sophistication that Jewelmer Joaillerie’s own WORDS K ATYA ROX AS design philosophy adheres to: “Beauty is present in nearly every piece of fine jewelry, but the poetry is in the details.” The pearl’s understated opulence and dainty appeal have charmed their way through the times, raising appreciation for glorified femininity—a prestige that could have only been attained through a delicate and sensual refinement as elegantly personified by Coco Chanel, the designer that took the once menswear-exclusive trousers and fashioned them into a piece imperative to be included in one’s boudoir. Perhaps a perfect formula for opulence: expertly produced pieces complemented by precisely cut diamonds and a brilliant gold that brings out the pearls’ luminous essence and perfectly iridescent finish. With that in mind, seasonal modifications, like those of the Les Classiques and L’Essentials collections of Jewelmer, make an ocean of difference between one woman’s pearl collection and that of another’s. As remaining passive to the changing demands of fashionable women could prove to be a self-destructive path to tread, Jewelmer’s succeeding new collections factor a glistening contrast to the conservative and ordinary silhouettes that were once in abundance, thus proving the classic pearl’s resistance against monotony. •
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TIME-HONORED ELEGANCE
ntials necklace, Jew e l ’Esse m er, N s; L ew ing p arr o r tM se ue al iq
INSET PHOTO BY PATRICK SEGOVIA
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ART
BEST IN SHOW
This month’s exhibits around the city and beyond W ORD S A NGELA NATIVIDA D A ND CHA B OCA MP O
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Just Before the Pitch Black by JC Jacinto Runs until July 4, 2015 Artinformal, 277 Connecticut Street, Greenhills East, Mandaluyong City “Just Before the Pitch Black” examines memorials as something that glorifies yet distances whoever it stands for. By capturing the moment of physical destruction, JC Jacinto’s works reconcile the image of the memorial with the anxiety of death. The messy, unpredictable, and unexpected destruction of the subject depicted in the pieces aim to both humanize and dehumanize.
Propaganda Runs until July 4, 2015 Lopez Museum, Ground Floor, Benpres Building, Pasig City Co-curators Ricky Francisco and Ethel Villafranca pieced together archive photos of World War II and election propaganda and juxtaposed them against works pertaining to the political, almost mythmaking aspect of spreading information. Erroneous and fallacious beliefs are showcased alongside symbols of war still rife with tension and contesting meanings. “Propaganda” also fuses technology with the older artworks as well by using ultraviolet scanners to find details in Juna Luna’s “España y Filipinas” that have never been seen before, and allowing the viewing of Lopez Museum’s oldest books through digital copies. “Propaganda” shows the very frailty of accountability within information. 3
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TRACES Runs until June 27, 2015 Finale Art File, Warehouse 17, La Fuerza Compound (Gate 1), 2241 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City “TRACES” showcases the works of 16 photographers whose images contribute to the discussion of past and ongoing issues about memory and loss. The featured photographers include Geloy Concepcion, Tammy David, and MM Yu, curated by fellow lensman Veejay Villafranca. By examining the past through modernity, the exhibit evokes an uncanny feeling from the viewer who is both familiar and unfamiliar with the subjects of the photos.
After Utopia Runs until Oct. 18, 2015 Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., Singapore The word “utopia” actually translates to “no place,” and exhibit curators Tan Siuli and Louis Ho, through artworks by a number of Asian artists, showcase the imminent failure that ensues in striving for an ideal society. Human yearning for this perfection is evident in the pieces through the joining of the want for utopian principles and the harsh realities of the contemporary world; where there is desire for progress, the modern man falls short. Each narrative at “After Utopia” explores the grandness of perfection and how it also fails to arrive.
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Survival Runs until June 14, 2015 Taksu Museum, 43 Jalan Merah Saga, Singapore Reminiscent of street art, Najib Ahmad Bamadhaj’s solo exhibit blends urban imagery with wild animals and endangered species as a commentary on how the human condition is gravely affecting the other species around us. The principle of survival is now seen through different lens as lions are situated in front of shops and miserable meerkats are superimposed onto a city skyline with the words “no place like home.”
Motion Science Runs from June 19 to Sept. 27, 2015 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, 107-6290 Tokyo, Minato Tokyo Midtown, Japan “Motion Science” explores motion design as an art form through the movement that it gives to expression. Found all throughout society, motion design resides in the little conveniences one tends not to notice every day. The exhibit, which features works of Zimoun, Nils Völker, Ryota Kuwakubo, and Euclid (Masahiko Sato and Takashi Kiriyama), examines the beauty of an idea becoming a reality through movement.
1. We Move Ever Closer to the Perfection of What We Were Meant to Be by JC Jacinto 2. Absent by MM Yu 3. Pasyon and Rebolusyon by Kawayan de Guia 4. Survival 6 by Najib Bamadhaj
SQUARED
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AGAINST THE WALL Jeroen van Straten keeps it open for business WORD S A NGELA MA NUEL GO P HOTOGRA P HY PATRICK SEGOVIA
Left: “This clock was a gift from a friend—it’s funny because Happy Every Day is a hashtag I always use on my Instagram. The wooden cabinet, I picked up in Market! Market! for 500 pesos!” Below: A floor-to-ceiling sticker of an antique bookshelf from Amazon. On the table stands a naughty gnome flashing a middle finger straight in Van Straten’s direction.
“THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT WHEN DESIGNING THIS PLACE WAS THAT I DIDN’T WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE AN OFFICE—I DON’T LIKE OFFICES!”
Sitting in one’s own glass office, surrounded by a floor full of bustling employees, could mean the pinnacle of success to most entrepreneurs, but Jeroen van Straten simply cringes at the thought. The Dutch businessman has his headquarters in a 300-plus-square-meter space in Quezon City that is laid out like a box with no walls. In place of walls are large bookcases with see-through brackets that act as dividers between his businesses’ different departments. “You should be part of the people, part of the team,” he explains. “I kept this open for a reason: everybody should be able to approach everybody.” Separated only out of necessity are a pantry—for obvious reasons—and a formal boardroom that Van Straten admittedly prefers not to use. “The word [boardroom] alone
I don’t like! I’d rather hold my meetings out here,” he says with a chuckle as he gestures to the clusters of tables and chairs available throughout the floor. “I’ve never worn a suit, and I never will!” The restaurateur-slash-trader’s personal area sits discreetly in a far corner, and as we walk towards it, he points out the evident change in the carpet’s color as if to mimic another room’s layout: “It’s only to distinguish the space—but while this may be my floor, this is also their floor at the same time. I don’t want the employees to be scared to approach me. They shouldn’t fear the boss.” The image of his workspace is a rather typical one: a large wooden desk—an old recycled dining table that was once his wife’s—with some chairs across it for visitor discussions.
But it’s the small details that keep the space true to Van Straten’s personal penchant for all things novelty. I curiously inquire: “Where on earth do you get all your stuff ?” The answer is, well, anywhere and everywhere: travels, friends, and even online. “One time we were in Hong Kong my wife asked me, ‘What did you get today?’ She had tons of shopping done, but all I bought were two stickers!” laughs Van Straten. At the exit, he points out a decal on the wall next to the main door: a four-inch silhouette of a man perched quietly on the corner of a motivational poster. “Whenever I buy something to add to this space, I already have an idea of where I’m going to put it—but I don’t tell my staff so it’s fun for them to suddenly notice random things that are new.” •
ATTIRED
AFTER TWELVE Easy elegance set against a neon district PHOTOGRAPHY SHAIRA LUNA STY LING MEG MA NZ A NO
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This page: Vest, Zara, Greenbelt 5; dress, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5 Opposite page: Hat, Firma, Greenbelt 3; fur shawl, AC+632, Greenbelt 5; orange top, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5
Beret, AC+632, Greenbelt 5; floral dress, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5
Above: White long-sleeved sweater, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5; tweed skirt, Tory Burch, Greenbelt 5; black oxfords, Tod’s, Greenbelt 4. Left: Blue sleeveless dress, Tory Burch, Greenbelt 5; Alma Vernis BB bag, Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4
Collared dress, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5; blue dress, Harlan and Holden, Adora, Greenbelt 5
SUBTLE STARE The industry decrees that painted eyebrows are no longer applied. Opt for groomed ones, never the almost tattooed.
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This page: Jumpsuit, Tommy Hilfiger, Greenbelt 5; fur jacket; Tamed Fashion, 26 Olympic Heights Tower 1, Eastwood Opposite page: Knit top, Zara, Greenbelt 5; navy blue skirt, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5
Creative Direction Nimu Muallam. Hair Rochelle Lacuna. Makeup Angel Manhilot for MAC Cosmetics. Styling Assistants Angela Manuel Go and Angela Natividad. Model Inna of Ideal People.
ADMIRED
“WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT A
CERTAIN TASTE‚ 18
AND WHEN WE FIND THEM AND WE HAPPEN TO HAVE SPACE FOR THEM‚ WE WORK WITH THEM.”
Navy blazer and trousers, Marni; sneakers, Eytys, Hoodwink; comforter, Crate & Barrel, SM Megamall
Pants with mesh, Kolor; striped shirt, Sacai; sandals, Birkenstock Creative direction Nimu Muallam Grooming Amanda Padilla
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Jappy Gonzalez on the business of being cool PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK DIOKNO W ORD S CHRY S SA CELESTINO
What comes first: style or taste? In this era of fast fashion and trend blogging, popular styles instill a taste for the easily accessed—one that leads to obsessive consumer habits founded on quantity rather than quality. Mass-produced prints of bygone runway hits deceive a thirsting palate for new things, as if to display distrust in consumers’ taste. What retail often overlooks is a minority that discriminates: those who know which brands are fashionable, those who maintain an image in line with a mature yet evolving taste. But Jappy Gonzalez, retail mogul behind Homme et Femme and Univers, never forgets. Way past behind naysayers’ sentiments against his shops’ elitism, Gonzalez has maintained his momentum in style. By that, we mean poised to bring in new concepts, brands, and a retail experience that are beyond the common world of shopping. First step is to bring in Ladurée, a French bakery whose pastel macarons have populated our Instagram feeds. It might not seem to fit in the category of luxury fashion—well, it is luxury—but trust Gonzalez when he says it does. “I think it’s in sync with our world. When you think about it, one of the senses we haven’t touched on yet is the sense of taste. So why not?” he says. “If you see [the brand] as a person, it’s just a redefinition of this person, that’s all. Ladurée would just make us complete. We’re not getting into more food. When you think about it, Ladurée is a retail business. We’re not creating anything.” Of course, Gonzalez is still mindful of the division that has distinguished his domain. Fashion is going strong, and so are other brands
like Sacai, Lanvin, and Balenciaga, which he recently brought into his 8 Rockwell shop. Despite being seemingly redundant—Balenciaga opened here years ago with its trademark bags— Gonzalez believes the market is ready for the
Black shirt, Our Legacy
label’s ready-to-wear pieces. Or rather, Gonzalez believes in his market. Period. He knows, because he already understands them. “We know how it works with us in the multi-label industry. A multi-label perspective
is very different. What it contributes to image and perception is different. We’re not consumerdriven. We’re small enough to dictate what we want to do, or to do what we want to do. We’re free enough to do so that market is secondary to our decision-making process of bringing in brands,” explains Gonzalez. So when he thought of bringing in Kolor, JW Anderson, and Public School, it’s because he already shares the same taste with the people he caters to. “We’ve always been about a certain taste, and when we find them and we happen to have space for them, we work with them.” Of course, discrimination still affects his decisions. “Certain prints, for example, don’t work here. It’s cultural,” he muses. “When you’re trying to sell in a global market, the truth is, you really can’t please everyone. So not every collection is for every country.” Gonzalez crafts a specialized universe in his shops—the consumers his population, the products his infrastructure, and the store his world. And in making the world, he, too, must be as discerning. Expect marble, brass, and a feeling of luxe to welcome you in his upcoming Balenciaga shop. He won’t stop there, though. Due sometime this year is Univers Atbp., his first pop-up shop that focuses on local home décor. There, you’ll find fixtures by the likes of Gabby Lichauco, Eric Paras, and other Filipino designers. Going back to our first question: what comes first, style or taste? Because if we were to take home a piece of Gonzalez’s wisdom, it must be the latter. •
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DEVOURED
NEW MANILA Gastronomic cogitation on the nature of local dining
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It’s not difficult to feel like a pompous windbag when you’re eating something as pedestrian as isaw in the ritzy confines of Gallery Vask, a modestly-sized anteroom next to Vask’s open dining area that features dark walls, art, and an open kitchen. Take for example, the first course, which came in a paper bag, accompanied by a small plate of whipped coconut butter and rock salt, meant to be grated over the dish. Inside resided a pan de sal, which I slathered with the creamy butter and proceeded to consume in a less than acceptable one minute. Chef Chele Gonzalez is not here to change Philippine dining, merely to be inspired by it. In refining humble fare like sisig (reinterpreted with wagyu, jamón ibérico, chili, and onion on a hot plate placed over dry ice to replicate the sizzling effect) or tinola (tinola royal, lobster, and Ilocos seaweed, which came across as a really luxurious chawanmushi), he elevates the everyday into something sumptuous. “I traveled across the Philippines and came across things I haven’t seen before,” he tells us in his thick Spanish accent before presenting Buro, his more meditative and mellow take on the fermented rice dish, “and I wanted that to reflect in my cooking.” •
Clockwise from top: Pingol Bato; pan de sal with coconut butter and rock salt; a modern take on isaw; Adlai cooked with bagoong accompanied by pigeon and uni; Opposite page: Cassava enveloped in dulce de leche
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GALLERY VASK
WORDS B E A J. L E DE S MA
Wine glasses and cherries, AC+632, Greenbelt 5; stone slab, A11, F.B. Harrison, Pasay City
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ELEVATED BOOK KEEPING A peek at 10 of the world’s most respected and adorned libraries W ORD S A NGELA NATIVIDA D
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Librarians and literary folk alike are faced with the constant argument that libraries are, in effect, redundant or inadequate. Although technology has managed to usurp the library’s function as a leading reservoir of information and data, these marvelous homes of culture and knowledge continue to offer a special charisma incomparable to any digital screen. There’s an unassuming sophistication that comes from spending hours upon hours relishing the rows of rich mahogany shelves and seating, admiring the craftsmanship of delicately bound classics, and taking in the efforts behind the hand-carved and handpainted opulence. While size and design are not what defines a library, these 10 have gone above and beyond their purpose with their prestige, design, and intellectual magnitude.
1 Trinity College Library Dublin, Ireland This library is the Irish counterpart of the USA’s Library of Congress and fulfills the roles that the Library of Congress serves to its constituents. The oldest building, however, is the star. Titled “The Long Room,” it houses its oldest books and is a tourist spot on its own. 2 The Library of Alexandria Alexandria, Egypt The previous Library of Alexandria was one of the seven wonders of the world before it burned down and this new one is testament to its predecessor’s grandeur. It reflects the heritage of its people and holds the collective memory of the culture it roots itself in through its collections of books.
PHOTOS BY (1) PADDY EMERSON (2) ALEX HARVEY-GURR (3) CAROL HIGHSMITH (4) ADRIAN WELCH (5) TANIA LIU (6) JON REID
INSPIRED While red wine has 1 famously populated most alcoholic’s justifications for vino’s health benefits, any alcohol may raise the amount of good cholesterol in the body—considering it isn’t consumed in crazy amounts.
3 3 The Library of Congress Washington, DC, USA This massive structure in the heart of the United States’ capital is considered the largest library in the world. It is home to over 90 million accessible source materials that are open to the public, making it famous for the research resources it holds onto and provides.
4 Danish Royal Library Copenhagen, Denmark
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This monolithic structure— sometimes referred to as “The Black Diamond”— acts as an archive for every Danish work published dating back to its first book in the 1400s. It is also the largest Nordic library, standing proud with its large collection of 34 million items. 5 Library of Parliament Ottawa, Canada With its collection of over 600,000 volumes of work, the Library of Parliament is referred to by Canadians with pride as it also appears on the face of the Canadian ten dollar bill. Although it isn’t constantly open to the public, tours are still made available for those curiously squinting at their Canadian paper money. 6 Austrian National Library Vienna, Austria The Austrian National Library boasts impressive map and globe collections— the biggest in the world. It also holds its head up high with its elaborately painted ceilings and ornate furniture.
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EXPLORED
OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA A scenic dispatch from the storied cradle of civilization W ORD S A ND P HOTOGRA P HY J ENNA GENIO
I have become smitten with South Africa. The hodgepodge of colonial artifacts, combined with a robust outdoor culture, has tugged at my heartstrings; like something caught in a pirate’s curse, I think they’ll forever feel pulled in that direction. I had arrived at Johannesburg and gone straight to the Makweti safari lodge, one of the several permitted to set up shop at the private
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Welgevonden Game Reserve. Every sunrise I had was spent out on safari, drinking coffee flavored with Amarula cream liqueur from metal camping mugs, and every sunset was celebrated with boozing out in the bush. Every meal served was beautifully plated bush gourmet. At the reserve, I stalked a rhino on foot and rode a Toyota LC slowly rolling through a huge
pride of lions out on a morning stroll through the veld. I marveled at the majesty of the male kudu’s impressive horns—I now want a tattoo of that animal. THE STUFF OF LEGENDS Cape Town is a short flight away from Johannesburg. The charming city is as pretty as
any European coast town, but the African flavor gives it a distinct character. Its citizens are wards of Table Mountain, the towering geological wonder that looms towards the ocean, dwarfing everything else. Legend has it that the cloth-like clouds that flow over the plateau came from a Dutch pirate who had challenged the devil to a smoking duel; I witnessed their visual phenomenon from the top of the mountain, as well as from the ocean while on a sunset cruise. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, meanwhile, was landscaped to feel wild. The prehistoric specimens it boasts feel so alien and exotic, and beneath its canopy of trees is a walkway that must be the most beautifully crafted wooden bridge I have ever seen. Here, I rode a boat right through a colony of Cape fur seals and watched the penguin invasion of Boulders Beach. I traversed Champan’s Peak Drive, the famously twisty and scenic road that would invigorate any motoring enthusiast. In the historic towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, I sat through a wine-tasting in one of their many vineyards, walked through heritage houses from the 1700s to the Victorian era, and drooled over the ultra-rare automotive collection of the Franschhoek Motor Museum. My entire time there resonated with a part of my soul that has always wanted to be sophisticated yet ruggedly adventurous. COLLIDING WORLDS South Africa seems to have so much of what I value in such a concentrated area. So many spaces were treated with vintage treasures: dark and rich wood, hunting trophies, leather, and luxurious adornments. How all these unique things collide is so curious. European architecture. Amazing food and flavored game meat. Quality wines. Friendly people. Seriously badass accents. Scenic roads, paved or otherwise. A maritime mien of pirate fantasies. Mediterranean landscapes. A roaring and passionate ocean.
Opposite page: Cape fur seals hunt and sunbathe on the coast; This page, from top: “That’s Kevin. Rangers and guides always have incredible stories. Get to know them.”; Sunset on safari was always spent drinking out in the bush; A Dutch farmer’s home preserved from the 1700s looked like something out of a rustic painting
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“I SPENT DAYS OUT ON SAFARI WITH RANGER TOETS FROM ZIMBABWE, AND WE’RE STILL IN TOUCH THANKS TO THE INTERNET.”
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EMPOWERED
SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
A design school’s co-founder and executive director on creative natives WORD S MEG MA NZ A NO P HOTOGRA P HY A RTU NEP OMUCENO
“I think that’s the best thing about being in the [fashion] industry: you get to meet and discover so many new talents and people who love what they do,” muses SoFA Design Institute’s co-founder, Loralee Baron-Soong. Immersed in the business of fashion, BaronSoong continuously attempts to provide a vehicle for creative natives to further their crafts. Quite
timely, as the perceived shift from corporate to creative—how young students are now more welcomed to pursuing the arts—has grown more rampant. However, despite putting up a local agora that helps students pursue a career in the arts, Baron-Soong intimates the need for a certain art to be present even outside the classroom or the design house. “Creative thought is actually essential to
almost any field! It’s always important, even if you’re working in a desk job, to find a solution that is creative.” What’s your personal creative philosophy? Good design is one that is appealing, functional, and sturdy; not only must it be beautiful, it must serve its function as a product, and be of
STYLING MEG MANZANO HAIR AND MAKEUP BYRON VELASQUEZ OF MAC COSMETICS
EMPOWERED
Top: Travel Trove: Conversation pieces fused seamlessly with her little library; Bottom: Vintage Lanvin and a Joyce Makitalo ring
31 quality. It is upon these three characteristics that designers must critique their work against to be able to come up with compelling and relevant design work.
What would you say is the most important value one could possess in aspiring for a career in fashion? How has this mantra helped you over the years? I think it is invaluable for aspiring designers to be able to identify and embrace what makes them unique. In such a big industry, a brand’s aesthetic is what will set it apart from competition and in the minds of consumers. It is important to keep to your identity as it will help you in your creative process as well as in deciding business futures.
“GOOD DESIGN IS ONE THAT IS APPEALING, FUNCTIONAL, AND STURDY.”
You enjoyed a successful career in the business side of the fashion industry. What made you transition into education after life in the corporate world? It was a very enriching experience for me to travel to the world’s fashion capitals (New York, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong) regularly to view the latest collections and meet with luxury brand representatives to learn how they would to market their brands. It is in this same experience that I’ve come to appreciate the unique identity and potential of Filipino design and saw the opportunity to grow Filipino talents through establishing a specialized design college. This would eliminate the need to go abroad to pursue studies in design, empowering Filipino designers to grow their brands in the same standard as those abroad.
What can you say about the current landscape of the Philippine fashion industry? The industry has defnitely become more open to new talents—the consumers as well. Before, only established names can get published and worn by personalities. The dynamic has indeed changed now with a lot of emerging fashion talents getting recognized alongside established names. For aspiring designers, this is definitely a good time to penetrate the industry. •