On our third release ever, we did something different. We decided that it would be nice if the readers became more active in the making of the magazine. The turnout and the response was great and we love you all for supporting our decision. I think it’s safe to say that there are a lot of talented individuals that you haven’t heard of yet, so April’s release was definitely a breath of fresh air. Speaking of things out of the norms, we went out of the usual path and did a back-to-OLD-school issue. You read that right, back-to-old-school. There are no ‘what to wear in my first day of class’ or ‘how to deal with college life’ here (if you’re looking for that then I think you’re reading the wrong e-magazine). As mentioned in our teaser, we will be getting in touch with our roots. We have features from motown, fashion trends from the 50s-90s (which are being reincarnated, as one of the articles said) and iconic teenage movies from way back when our parents are still head-over-heels for their first loves. We also have Katrian Teh of Pugly Pixel, Nikki Sunga of Ruckus and photographer Lamahkun. With the making of this month’s issue, a lot of people’s dreams came true. Let’s start with our meeting with Your Evil Twin, Tracianne and Trasienne Estrada (hello dream models). During the conceptualizing of this magazine late last year, one of our goals were to feature the twins but we thought it was quite unachievable because we were, well, nobodies. But then, due to some kind of miracle (and lifestyle editor Mare’s convincing powers) we were given the opportunity to meet, feature and have a shoot with them. This issue also contain the first articles and photos of the new additions to the Stache family. We are so proud of what they have done in a short amount of time.
So without further ado, we give you our June issue, aka our best one yet.
Editor-in-Chief: Maine Manalansan Art Editor: Elisa Aquino Lifestyle Editor: Mare Collantes Music Editor: Maan Bermudez Fashion Editor: Ecks Abitona Web Designer: Mary Silvestre Senior Photographer: Pat Nabong Photographers: Jelito De Leon, Jennifer Aquino, Kaye Clarete, Rae Cabradilla, Grace De Luna Writers: Micah Lima, Kat Eusebio, Kristel Silang, Mikee Lim, Chelsea Olaya, Marella Ricketts, Ellie Centeno, Therese Reyes, Angel Castillo, Nessa Santos, Regina Reyes
ART CONTRIBUTOR Jason Espiritu, our only contributor for this month, is another budding artist we all should watch out for. At his young age (he’s only 14), he’s already doing really great with his vectors and vexels. He balances this with his schooling which he is also rocking (he’s an honor student, hello). Aside from designing, he can also play the piano. Pretty cool huh. He made two new artworks for this month’s issue. If only art can blow typhoons away. his works will definitely rid us of Falcon. Random irrelevant fact: he’s underweight.
PUGLYPIXEL:
A sweet treat for bloggers and graphic lovers by Micah Lima Cuteness is an underrated word usually limited to describing puppies, kittens, and all things tiny. What most people fail to recognize is that cuteness is oftentimes hard to achieve—either in the context of actually looking cute or being able to make something cute. For the former, we can all easily blame genetics for that. For the latter, well, I’ve got good news: there is PuglyPixel.com to rescue us from our cuteness-woes in this day and age. For blog and design fanatics who love things nothing short of adorable, PuglyPixel is the perfect website. It offers web graphics tutorials and also digital freebies that will make any blog an instant eye candy. Katrina Tan, the talent behind Pugly Pixel, shares with Stache her thoughts on design, blogging, the creative life, and, of course, all things kawaii.
For the benefit of Stache readers, please tell us more about yourself. Hey guys, my name is Katrina Tan and I hail from the great land of Fogtown in Northern California. I am a web and photography enthusiast with a huge love for kawaii. I share my 2 cents about web graphics and blog technology at PuglyPixel.com. Your blog, PuglyPixel.com, is bursting with all things kawaii. Can you tell us what it’s about? Oh, are you talking about my unhealthy fixation with all things cute and utterly adorable? Oh dear. I am a tad bit embarrassed about that. I am close to forty and yet, my attraction to miniature creatures with enlarged heads and eyes is still pretty relentless. I honestly don’t know what the deal is about my fascination with cute. All I know is that I LOVE it. :D
enthusiasts. I provide many free web graphics and tutorials and you can upgrade to Premium Access for as little as $5 -- more goodies with premium ;). Why did you choose graphic design and how long have you been creating digital art? My choice was simple -- I just followed the fun and it’s fun to show others how to do the simplest things in Photoshop. I’m just a newbie teaching other newbies. I’ve been making digital downloads for the last 14 months. Everything you do is absolutely pretty. Who are your influences? Where do you get your inspirations for Pugly Pixel? Many of my inspirations come from old school, traditional media. A lot of my inspirations come from magazines like Frankie and Fudge.
How did you come up with the concept of your blog?
What do you think makes Pugly Pixel stand out?
Pugly Pixel started out simply enough, as a personal/style blog and over time it evolved into what it is now, which is a web graphics and tutorial site for blog beginners and
I wouldn’t really say that Pugly Pixel stands out much. But, I really do focus on the things that I’m interested in and I feel lucky that other people happen to be interested in the same things, too.
What do you love most about your bloglife as the brainchild of Pugly Pixel? I enjoy the fact that I can pursue any project I want. Everything I blog about is conceived from genuine interest and in that regard, my blog-life is a labor of love. You’re living such a creative life and it shows in each of your blog entries. For you, what’s the formula for living creatively? I don’t think there’s a formula per se, but a principle, or in my case, 2: (1) Expression, not entertainment and (2) Follow your enthusiasms. Any advice for young graphic artists and bloggers out there? Do what you love, honor your intuitions and most importantly: experiment and dabble with new things and new ideas.
Katrina’s babies, Taco and Chico!
DINE IN NEVER TASTED THIS GOOD!
Photos and words by Katrina Eusebio
Tired of the old plated meals and white-light fast food establishments? Many restaurants are poofing out of everywhere for past few years but not everyone survives this line of business. Take a look at these food stores and find out how their crazy ideas caught the attention of our teenage food fanatics. 1. Give in to your dark side WICKED KITCHEN Price Range: P150- P340 Open: Mon-Sat 11:00 am 12:00 mn Location: 2/F Petron Square, Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights Quezon City Contact: 426-4525
Unlike its name, Wicked Kitchen serves only the nicest and sweetest treats just for you. Located at the second floor of the Petron Square in Katipunan, university foodies would surely love to get their mouths full of their delectable meals. The restaurant houses around ten tables, exuding a fastpaced atmosphere perfect for people who are on-
the-go but still want to have good food. They offer chicken wings, burgers, pastas and rice meals but what to really watch out for are their desserts, which are named after the seven deadly sins. Their kind of evil is filling customers with mouth-watering creations that would make you crave for more.
Mongolian Rice
Beef and beer pie
Gluttony
2. When craving turns to lust GAYUMA NI MARIA Price range: P175-250 Operating Hours: Mon Sat:10:00-00:00 Sun:10:00-22:00 Location: 123 V. Luna Extension (Maginhawa st.) Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines Contact: +6324414872 | 4414872 For those hopeless romantics, falling in love with Gayuma ni Maria is a safe bet. When you first step into this place, you might think of it as another typical restaurant with floral, feminine wallpaper and romantic dim lighting. As an “aphrodisiac” restaurant, Gayuma ni Maria presents a new way to satisfy a human’s certain urges. Even the names of their meals will make you smile or twitch. The store’s interior was very well thought of. An enormous wishing tree sits on one corner of the store where you can write your wishes on red/pink ribbons and then tie them on the tree.
Their crowning glory takes form in the ever-famous Gluttony dessert. Priced at P145 for single and P295 for sharing, this instantly became a big hit and once the believers got a taste of it, the news spread out like wildfire. This incredibly tasteful cookie dough base (freshly baked every time!) topped with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup is not your everyday next door ala mode. They even came up with a supershare version that can feed 10-12 people, although sold at a hefty price of 680.
If you get bored at reading all the trivia on the walls, or looking at their awesome array of interesting stuff, you might want to rent board games which they lend out if you spend a certain amount.
H.H.W.W.P.S.S.P (Holding Hands While Walking Pa-Sway Sway Pa)
I Love You, Cross My Heart
3. Can’t open enough happiness THE REAL THING DINER Price Range: P200 - P499 Open: Sun-Thurs 11AM2:30PM and 5:30-10PM Fri-Sat 11AM-2:30PM and 5:30-10PM Location: 2/F IL Terrazzo, 305 Tomas Morato cor. Sct. Madrinan. Quezon City Contact: 352-4320
Their food still has room for improvement especially if they want to level it to the uniqueness of their store. You’ll look forward to their desserts though as they all look and taste sweet and tempting. Whether it’s fooling around on a Friday night with your friends or getting cozy with your special someone, this place, with its relaxing feel and wide selection of food, is still worth the visit.
Sarsi Fish and Chips If you think you could’ve engulfed the most Coke in one sitting then think again. Wouldn’t it be cool if coke could be eaten too? The Real Thing Diner found its home on the second floor of the Il Terazzo mall in Tomas Morato. The place is filled with Coke graphics and memorabilia. Collectors are sure in for a treat because they can sign up for “Swap Night” where these Coke fans can trade their collectibles and get to meet other avid Coke lovers as well. A flat screen TV rests on the upper panel of the restaurant playing loops of old Coke commercials. Who knew that adding this hyped ever-present drink would taste so good
Sarsi Fish and Chips in food? The menu presented a wide array of interesting meals that incorporated Coke products (including Sprite, Royal Tru-Orange, etc). Their meals had large servings and tasteful – really worth your money. They also serve desserts, light drinks and made available group meals. The store offers a comfy, relaxing feel. Playing with the signature brand’s colors of red and white, the restaurant definitely hosted a cheery and refreshing atmosphere. The staff is nice and service is prompt when it comes to our orders. Perfect for night-outs with your friends and even family. You know you can’t go wrong with Coke.
Learning about history has alternative ways aside from reading books, attending history classes, and going to museums. Who would ever think that a trip to one of the art shops in the metro would give you a lowdown of the country’s memoirs and delight your eyes at the same time? Heritage Arts Center does just that. It is a nook of decades’ worth of historical memorabilia, with thousands of artworks to add it with splashes of color. Fellow art enthusiasts and couple Mario and Odeth Alcantara made the established the shop on during the 1970s with driven by their vision of the potential of the art business in the country. The shop consists of 3 floors. The pieces are not arranged in a particular order, so everywhere you turn your eyes gives an element of surprise. Aside from paintings, there are many sculptures varying from ornamental, religious or utilitary with the common theme of antiquity. Walls and walls of bookshelves hold decades of information and stories.
FLASHBACK TO THE YESTERYEARS by Kristel Silang
Although most of them are coffee table books about art and architecture, there are also old journals, academic books and vintage magazines such as Time and The Free Press. A wide array of postcards, vinyl records, old coins and jewelry can definitely win the hearts of Filipino vintage items enthusiasts. They also showcase a wide range of paintings from the legends Francisco and Amorsolo and also young, emerging contemporary artists. The Heritage Arts Center also shelters some of the paintings from the students of the University of the Philippines and the University of Sto. Tomas. For more information, visit their main branch at 33 4th Avenue cor. Main Avenue, Quezon City or SM Megamall or check out their website, http://heritageartcenter.com
MOTOWN? I GOT ONE WORD FOR YOU: SWAG by Mikee Lim
Back in the early sixites, when racism was inevitable, and wars were being fought, a man from the streets of Detroit decided it would be best to bring soul and flavor to everything in between. His name was Berry Gordy, Jr. Mr. Gordy started out as a songwriter for local acts such as The Miracles and Jackie Wilson (aka Mr. Excitement). Little by little, he became more renowned in the music industry. This led to him founding a recording company he named Motown Records, which eventually paved way to Racial Integration by producing hit songs then and again strictly by African Americans. What started out as a small company quickly became a household name. Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross And The Supremes; you name it, they produced it. Motown never failed to deliver soul, rhythm, and jazz with a distinct pop influence. Their music reigned supreme, possibly even changing lives. It became so famous and legitimate that they even had their own trademark beat, which was called The Motown Sound.
They followed the KISS Principle (keep it simple, stupid!), and landed the number one spots on the billboard charts, song after song after song. At this point, no one was in much shock at how rapidly the company was progressing. It became so influential that even modern pop culture picked up some of its rhythm. In fact, it is almost hard to look for music today that doesn’t have a distinct mix with the sound Motown originally crafted. People from all over the world had the soul and beat of the Motown Sound, as if it were a contagious bug. Maybe it actually was, but who’d complain? They harvested their skill and
turned it into something that can make people forget all their worries and differences and just move to groove, even just for a little while. Motown Records wasn’t blessed with music, music was blessed with the Motown Sound... and still is.
KEEPING IT REEL by Ellie Centeno
PRETTY IN PINK (1986) Starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy Pretty in Pink is like an issue of the 80’s Sassy Magazine on steroids. It’s not the typical teen movie you might expect it to be. Set in high school, Andie (Ringwald) is a girl who works in a record store who falls in love with Blane (McCarthy), who, shall we say, is from the other side of the tracks. Two worlds come together as they fall in love, but problems arise when Blane’s bestfriend starts rejecting Andie for not be-
ing ‘one of them’ and Duckie (Cryer), Andie’s childhood friend, declares his feelings for her. Written by the late and great John Hughes (who also wrote The Breakfast Club, Some Kind of Wonderful and all the Home Alone films, among others), Pretty in Pink is perfect for those who want to feel butterflies in their stomach and fall in love, all accompanied by an amazing soundtrack... And it won’t hurt to take a few cues from Andie’s wicked fashion sense.
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) Starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo We all are pretty familiar with James Dean and his infamous machismo that encompasses generations, right? Well, Rebel Without A Cause is the movie that immortalized his place in Hollywood. (Ironically enough, Dean died in a car crash before this movie was even released.) Set in the Californian suburbs, Jim Stark (Dean) and his family just moved to town in hopes that Jim gets away from his troublemaking past. Here he meets Plato (Mineo), who develops some sort of obses-
sion for him, and Judy (Wood), who he likes. Jim, clad in his signature red jacket, finds himself getting involved with tough guys from school who engage him in switchblade knife fights and ‘chickie runs’, which entails driving a car towards the edge of a seaside cliff. This movie lives up to the saying: Live fast, die young. If you’re in the mood for a testosteroneinduced film that was made way ahead of its time, with a bit of romance on the side, I suggest you check out Rebel Without A Cause. I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t love bad boys?
THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)
Starring Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson A bunch of misfits all from different parts of life must spend a Saturday together, as they service detention under the tyrannical watch of Principal Vernon. Each from a different social group, or clique, these students start to find out they’re not so different after all. Each hav-
ing their own hardships, and alienated feelings, they begin to let down their barriers as they survive the morning, eventually becoming friends, if not more before their term is due. Starring some of the hottest actors of the decade (Estavez, Ringwald, Nelson), writer/director John Hughes once again delivers a satisfying high school drama, filled with laughter and heart warming moments all at once.
10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999) Starring Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt If you haven’t seen 10 Things I Hate About You, I have three words for you: Watch. It. Now. You have not lived if you haven’t seen Heath Ledger’s rendition of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You or the pubescent Joseph Gordon-Levitt before he turned into the hottie that he is now. With the plot being adapted from William Shakespeare’s play, The Taming of the Shrew, this movie follows Cameron (Gordon-Levitt) as he enters a new school and sees Bianca, a sophomore, who immediately gets his attention. Bianca and her indie-rockloving, non-conformist senior sister
Kat (Stiles) aren’t allowed to date, but when their dad finally gives in, he sets one rule: if Bianca gets to date, so does Kat. So in order for Cameron to date Bianca, he has to find someone to date her sister. Finding Kat a date is similar to finding a pin in a haystack: chances are close to nil. Cameron sets a plan with his best friend, Michael, to get school jock Joey Donner convince tough guy Patrick (Ledger) to take Kat out. In this amazing teen film, with all its witty lines and crazy characters, a couple of heartstrings will definitely be pulled; and when you watch this, make sure you see it with someone you’d want to share a laugh with.
DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993) Starring Adam Goldberg, Wiley Wiggins, tries to get in as the “cool” freshman while avoiding the bloodthirsty Ben Affleck O’Bannion (Affleck) and his endless hazing. With brilliant wit, early fac America was celebrating its bies of rising actors, and spot-on porcentennial, and for a seemingly random group of high school students, the trayals of rebellious American teenagers of the 70s, Dazed and Confused last day of school couldn’t have come proves to be one of the greatest movin a better year. This movie follows ies to show average, boring, high the different experiences of blossoming adults and an incoming freshman on school life. Depictions of American teenagers, often of a bygone generaa night where everyone is looking to party. Each tries to enjoy himself but tion, are common base in films of every era. Want a movie that’ll take you on face different, vital obstacles along a trippy time warp? Dazed and Confused the way. Star quarterback, “Pink” deis the way to go. cides his future as an athlete. Mike (Goldberg) just wants to stand up for himself. And poor Mitch (Wiggins)
SUMMER’S OVER: WE’RE BACK TO OLD-SCHOOL They say fashion repeats itself- however, I think the more appropriate term is they reincarnate. Fashion trends don’t necessarily come up and hit the waves in the same manner as they did before; rather, they make a comeback with bolder and braver strides and almost always unrecognizable from their original state. Many trends from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and the 90’s have made a huge reappearance as relatively new statements. It’s like one minute, your mom’s vintage sweater is the ugliest thing ever and in the next you’re wearing it to school because it’s now suddenly fash-
Words and photography by Chelsea Olaya
ionable- trends and fads change too fast, way too fast that it’s impractical to change your wardrobe every time a new trend comes along. Especially clothes for school, just because some pieces are out of style doesn’t mean you can’t wear them to school or if your mom does a major spring cleaning and hands you down her clothes from the 80’s doesn’t mean you have to donate them- all it takes is a little mixing and a little imagination and a completely different wardrobe can emerge.
SWINGIN’ SIXTIES
The Sixties was all about the Beatles, Twiggy, and Jackie O- they are some of the most influential fashion icons back. Fashion then was more regal and many perceived it as a style that would suit older people. It was after awhile did skirts become shorter and colors and patterns began popping out. As for the make-up, long and thick eyelashes were so in because of Twiggy’s iconic eyelashes. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to fashionreally, it depends on people themselves. Sixties was all about patterns, colors and getting fixated on ‘fashion rules’ won’t get you anywhere. To put a modern twist, the regal look can be turned into a more hip one by making it more nautical and less corporate-looking. Wild colors can be tamed with the help of color blocking- pieces of an outfit don’t have to be color coordinated rather, you can experiment with colors by making each piece a different but solid color. Also, the floral pattern which came into view in the late 60’s exudes an almost virginal feel to it. If you want to look girly but not a tad too flirty, floral dresses are the way to go. Lace which is also making a huge comeback can also give a hint of regality to its wearer.
HIP SEVENTIES
In contrast with the sixties’ regality, the seventies was all about crazy color, crazy patterns, and of course, hippies. Also, the casual denim or jeans came to fashion- which paired with tie dyes and patterns, don’t look so casual anymore. Hot pants also became a hot, hot trend. Hot pants are successors to miniskirts which flared in the sixties- they are extremely short, high-waisted shorts. Makeup in the 70’s was all about vibrantly colored eyes from blue to green to purple and to whatever color possible. Also, getting a tan was very in rather than having a pasty pale skin. Making 70’s work in the present fashion isn’t such a hard task. Floral and patterned dresses are making a huge and successful comeback- all lengths mini, midi and maxi dresses are totally in. Paired with whimsical accessories such as feather earrings and bandanas- simple dresses can look ultra hip. Also, makeup can be simple and nude rather than going extreme- so it won’t look costumey. But the occasional bright lips wouldn’t hurt.
ROCKIN’ EIGHTIES
MADONNA. I think this single word can sum up what the 80’s was all about. There was something about leather and bright colors that make 80’s grunge with a dash of myriads of colors. Floral patterns were so out- replaced with leather and spandex, the eighties was a complete turnaround from the previous decade. Fashion for women and men weren’t so far away from each other. Wearing lingerie and underwear as outwear was normal and fashionable. Heavily made up face was in and big wild hair was the way to go. Metals were normal accessories. It was like everything went extreme. Putting in the context of the present, pulling of different trends from the 80’s can be challenging but quite interesting. For instance, the interplay of colors in a grunge look is rather astonishing and bright make up can sure catch peoples’ attention but if not done a tad carefully, it can end up in a mess. Overdoing the color for instance can make you look like a Christmas décor. Or too much leather will get you branded as an emo. And too much makeup will simply make you look like a hooker and imagine the blow your skin will get! Of course, the trick is to do everything in moderation, for instance if you want to play up your eyes then try to use low key make up on your cheeks and lips. And don’t be afraid to explore unchartered colors such as Mac’s Morange or Nars’s Schiap. If you want to wear bright color, make sure to partner it with duller or darker neutral colors such as black. Also, leather is not such a bad statement, a piece made of leather say a jacket or jeans is enough- rather than an entire ensemble made out of leather.
ANYTHING GOES NINETIES
The 90’s was a wide array of fashion feast- there are so many trends that came up you really can’t put a finger on a general word to describe the fashion then. But one of the most memorable fashion trend setters was the movie ‘Clueless’ starring Alicia Silverstone. Plaids, denims, midriffs, she basically wore almost everything given her wide wardrobe choices. Also, the 90’s experienced a hangover from the grunge of the 80’s- denim shorts over colorful legging, Chuck Taylors and Keds until it died down when flannels, jeans, and casual clothing came into view. To pull off a 90’s look, you should zero in on jeans, plaids, and flannels. Cut- off jeans paired with flannel shirts or a pair of ripped shorts with a cropped top is the way to go. Also knee-length socks paired with Keds or Chuck Taylors or even a pair of heels will look good and even fashion forward. Lip liners were big back in the 90s- also most of the texture they used were mostly matte. Most of the colors were drawn to plums and browns. MAKEUP-ARTIST: Danae Dipon STYLIST: Jeegle Olano , Chelsea Olaya, Danae Dipon MODELS: Jeegle Olano, Claire Marcelo, Penny Wong, Dans Alcantara
Making a fashion statement isn’t hard as it sounds; it can be risky, yes but with the right amount of confidence and swag- it isn’t much of a trouble.
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FASHION TIMELINE
}
Photography by
Jelito De Leon Makeup/Styling/ Modelling by Pai Arroyo Hair by Aica Leynes & Myiene Arroyo
Photography by Jennifer Aquino Modelling by Jane Ducon and Jhaycee Ali-Poon Make-up by Jennifer Aquino Hair by Jean Sicam
Photography by: Rae Cabradilla and Kaye Clarete Stylist: Yves Camingue and Kaye Clarete Models: Isan de Jesus, Carlo Jesalva Fran Abellanosa, and Amethyst Fabillarr Make-up by: Amethyst Fabillar and Rae Cabradilla
Photography by Pat Nabong Modelling by Rosh Rulloda Styling and Make-up by Ecks Abitona
Photography by Grace de Luna Styling by Karl Apolinario Modeling by Grace Bitong
CARDIGANS! Illustration and words by Marella Ricketts
Noun. A knitted sweater fastening down the front, typically with long sleeves. But as most of us already know, a cardigan means so much more than that. First of all, they’re immensely comfortable. Worn in cardigans are usually the best, and can serve as lifesavers when you’re having a nosebleed over what to wear on a regular school day. A cardigan instantly gives you an effortless, laid-back look (think Alexa Chung or Kate Bosworth). One must be very careful in purchasing a cardigan, because there are a lot of deceiving ones out there as well. Be sure to always try on the cardigan before buying it, because a lot of times it may actually look different on you. We must all be constantly
on the the lookout for the perfect cardigan. Of course the criteria changes, depending on each girl, but usually, the most flattering ones are made of cotton and are slightly loose. Don’t limit yourself to the woman’s section, and feel free to either buy from a guy’s clothing store or raid your boyfriend’s/best guy friend’s/dad’s closet. Always remember: cardigans grow to be your best friends, so choose wisely.
NIKKI SUNGA
by Therese Reyes
Photos by Elisa Aquino Make-up by Therese Reyes
It was nearly impossible to get a hold of Nikki Sunga, what with her many appointments and busy schedule that one could consider this not merely as an interview or a feature but a supernova, about to explode her unique dynamism. Not just a designer or a blogger, she is on her way to becoming a phenomenon, succeeding in everything she decided to venture on. Thousands of people struggle to get into the industry and although it isn’t an easy feat for her either, Nikki does it with such great ease that it almost looks effortless, magical even. But unlike magic, she’s as real as can be, no tricks played, no illusions. She simply creates fabulous things and does things fabulously. One could argue that style isn’t a familial thing but with her as an example, you’d surely be on the losing end. “I have a very fashionable family you see. I was surrounded with people who knew how to dress up. One thing I learned was to keep updated with trends and how to make it your own.” But most importantly she shares that what has really moulded her into what she is now is the fact that her mother never told her what to wear. “I really don’t remember much exactly
but what I do know for sure is that when I was younger, my mom would never interfere with my fashion choices. She always let me pick my own clothes whenever we go shopping.” More than having her genes take the responsibility, in the case of Nikki’s style, it’s more like the environment she grew up in that influenced her the most. Just like people who were born into veganism or certain values for that matter, Nikki was born into living a fashionable lifestyle and if for some people it is unnatural to dress to the nines, well for her it is unnatural not to. When asked to describe her style she quickly replies, “My style aesthetic, I’m really bipolar when it comes to this. But generally, my style really reflects and edgy rocker look. I love black. I used to say that my outfit wouldn’t be complete without any black item on me. I guess that changed. Just like how my visual design principles matured, my style aesthetic matured too! Now I don less bling. I used to not be able to go out without any chain around my neck! HAHA. I learned to explore other styles too. She continued on talking about her life and her style with such passion and certainty that it seemed like it was impossible to tell them apart.
The most surprising thing about Nikki would probably be that she doesn’t take herself too seriously. When entering her blog, you right away see numerous features on different magazines and websites that show just how impeccably dressed she always is. It surely looks like creating outfits takes most of her time, only stopping until perfection is reached. Some might think that fashion is this complicated cerebral act but to her, it is all about taking risks. “Take a risk. Don’t mind what others will say, wear what you feel. if that’s what you really are, people will learn to love it.” There really is no fool proof formula to it and she suggests every girl’s closet should be filleed with the essential classics. “A classic V-neck, a pair of harem pants, comfortable black wedges, a black bag and a chain necklace, a white long sleeves polo shirt and khaki trousers. Oh and a CAMEL belt goes a long way!” When you take a look at the pieces from +Ruckus, you kind of get the feeling that you’re holding a work of art, wonderfully detailed, beautiful in every way, and above all conceptual. That’s what you get when the designer is first and foremost an artist. Nikki shares that she’s always been crafty and would love to paint and draw as a child so it is to no surprise that she uses those skills in designing. Her lessons in her course Visual Communications also play a huge part. After all, when reduced to the simplest form, the goal of almost everything is to effectively send a message or communicate something be it a photograph, album art, or in this case accessories. And now that she has sent her message some might dare ask, “Did she do so effectively?” With the countless customers and made to orders lined up as evidence, all we can say is, definitely.
THE PRETTY THINGS Photography: Jelito De Leon Makeup: Kirsten Rice Styling: Crash Clothing Models: Tara Alberto and Kiana Valenciano
CRASH CLOTHING by Regina Reyes Brought about by modernization, openness and love for art of the people, fashion is finally taking its toll in the hearts of the Filipinos. Young and old fashion bloggers, gurus and students are seen everywhere. Try roaming around the mall during one lazy day and you would encounter a significant number of classy ladies and young fashionistas all dolled up. Since everyone loves the art of fashion, we’re all looking for reasonable yet good purchases because unfortunately, it’s not always practical to buy branded clothes if you’re a student working on a budget, or if you want to save up. As a result, online shops were put up to cater the needs of the people. We were able to work with one of those online shops who sell great items with unbelievable costs, Crash Clothing.
Crash Clothing is owned by three college students from De La Salle University namely Anj Meily, Kirsten Rice, and Wency Ang. All of them have been friends since high school and they share a certain love for fashion. Like any other student, all of them needed every day-yet-fashionable-wear, and that’s what drove them to think of different ways on how to find affordable yet classy clothing.In search of this, they had their fair share of going through thrift stores and rummaging their parents’ closets in order to find unique pieces. That’s when the idea of putting up an online shop came into their mind. Aside from sharing their style, their earnings from this would surely go a long way.
Since these girls are from DLSU, LaSallians and Benildeans are their usual customers. It’s not surprising that they’re able to sell their clothes almost a day after they release a collection since their items are really good. High-waisted denim shorts and pants are the pieces most people would buy. They’re also planning on bringing in new kinds of clothes per collection so that their buyers would have a wide range of variety to choose from. Still keeping into heart their vintage vibe, they will try to improve their next collections to satisfy their customers’ wants and expectations. They’re looking forward to joining bazaars and having their name established in the fashion industry in the long run.
WA ND ER LU ST Words by Mare Collantes Photography by Elisa Aquino and Pat Nabong Styling by Ecks Abitona
Travel, vintage clothing, analogue and rose-colored photographs – all these things hold a very special place in the hearts of An and En Estrada. Growing up in an environment that gave them much exposure to vintage culture, it stuck with them and never quite wore off. This is where their love for film photography stems from. “Naa-attract lang talaga kami sa film, yung richness ng grain at yung feel niya,” [We just really get attracted to film, the richness of the grain and everything about it] An quips. The twins said that they did try to get into digital photography, but it just did not sit well with them. In their words, “Parang wala sa heart namin” [It just doesn’t feel right in our hearts]. At the end of the day they would look at their pictures and say, “Ganda siguro nito kung film.” [This would probably look great in film] After graduating with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and European Studies (An and En respectively), the two began to work for their dad in real estate. It was an 8am-5pm corporate job, and although they enjoyed it, they also realized that it was quite draining. “Lumaki kami na artists talaga,” [we really grew up as artists] they said, and both of them realized that they need to have a creative outlet, even if it is just a small project. So they did. They started small; they contacted people and looked for willing models and scheduled shoots just for experimentation. They brought their trusty film cameras and polaroids, armed with nothing else but their taste for the vintage and artistic. Much to their surprise, their photos got quite a bit of attention from their friends on Facebook, and some even went as far as asking the twins to shoot for them. Caught by surprise, An and En were encouraged to make their photo project into something bigger. They built a
portfolio and a few months later, Your Evil Twin was born. Last month, Your Evil Twin celebrated its first year anniversary with an awesome party in Fiamma. Your Evil Twin has reached heights that the twins did not foresee or expect. Being travelers at heart, the An and En booked a flight for a vacation in Africa mid-year in 2010– the first time they ever went on a trip with the objective to shoot photos. They brought loads of film and polaroids and were ready to shoot until they dropped. The results were wonderful and were featured as the cover photo in Lifestyle Asia Travel magazine in August 2010. Early this year, they flew to Europe and came home with beautiful photos and also a unique (not to mention alluring) video, Your Evil Twin style. The video was liked by many, receiving numerous likes on Facebook and Tumblr. A few months back, their famous shot of Ornussa Cadness landed on a Topman shirt. On top of these, they have also been featured in newspaper articles and other magazines. Obviously, there is not anything small about this project anymore. But An and En remain very down-to-earth and humble about all these accomplishments. When asked about how they feel about how Your Evil Twin is turning out to be, they said that they are still surprised by all the opportunities that have been coming their way. Their Gmail account is like a little surprise box – they never know what’s coming next. It is very exciting, and their faithful followers are very expectant of what is to come for Your Evil Twin. An and En, with their great talent and intense love for art, will definitely go a long way.
1. What do you think are the advantages of having a twin? Aside from having more clothes, shoes and friends, you’re never alone. We think Your Evil Twin (YET) wouldn’t be the same or as successful if we weren’t twins in the first place. YET is alive because we always have each other to check and balance. The best part is there is someone with the same vision to take your photo all the time. We seldom have creative differences and we work as a team, so what we produce is a reflection of our bond. We’re very lucky that we get along so well and share the same ideas but still manage to balance these things out with our differences 2. We’ve heard that you share a closet. How does that work? We share almost all our clothes and shoes. It’s fun because we get to have twice as many clothes and a second opinion on what we’re wearing before we go out the front door. When we attend a party or get featured in a magazine together, we make sure our outfits complement each other despite our different styles. There are times when we don’t agree on buying a certain item. The one who actually buys it gets 90% ownership over it. The other can still borrow it in the future, but the buyer’s use is first priority (that explains the 10%). It’s a long standing mutual agreement. We never fight about our clothes. 3. How do you balance your day job and Your Evil Twin? We usually set our meetings and shoots on days when it’s not too busy in the office. Quite tiring but fulfilling in the end. We often feel like
we’re living two different lives. There are days when we spend all of our work hours in a construction site and the rest of the day in a photo shoot. 4. Did you ever take lessons, like on how to develop film? Did it take a while to get used to? We took a short course on black and white photography with dark room experience. We’ve always wanted our own darkroom so last year we converted our small backyard bathroom into one. It’s been really fun experimenting on film. You can do so much with printing that you can’t do in Photoshop. It’s always trial and error when it comes to film but once you get used to it, you decrease mistakes and increase possibilities. 5. What are each of your favorite film cameras? An: FM2, it’s a classic! En: Obsessed about Contax cameras 6. What do you see for Your Evil Twin’s future? We really don’t know what’s in store for us, our Gmail just surprises us with new gigs. We didn’t expect to grow this much when we started. But we’re cooking up something before the year ends with Everywhere We Shoot and Charles Buenconsejo. 7. What are your other hobbies and likes, aside from photography? Longboarding, rollerblading, watching zombie movies, dressing up, getting lost.
8. Do you have any plans of expanding into making vintage-feel videos in the future? Honestly, most of our videos were made simply for fun. We haven’t had any formal training FOR any of our videos so it surprises us that people like them. Followers write to us about how the videos inspire them and some of our clients inquire about us shooting for them. We really try our best to give new meaning to home videos. We’ve received good feedback and hey, if our clients want us to make one for them, why not? As long as they like our raw style and unprofessional editing, we’re up for it. Haha.] 9. Shooting with film isn’t as easy as shooting digital because you can’t immediately see what you take (polaroid aside). Do you ever feel pressured or tense before a shoot? How do you cope? Of course we do. Especially during the long wait while developing your own film. You’re never sure with it. We’ve had a couple of hits and misses but we don’t allow them to
cause panic during a shoot because that just might be our downfall. The most important thing for us is to focus and know what we’re doing. Film isn’t that complicated and once you get the hang of it, the rewards are priceless. We’re very pressured, well on most shoots, but we really enjoy viewing a good roll of film after a successful one. 10. Are there any people in the industry that you dream of working with? We love collaborating with indie designers, they always have the freshest ideas and they give us the creative freedom to experiment with new things. 11. Do you have any advice for budding film photographers? Just keep shooting, believe in your style…sooner or later people will discover and recognize your work :)
“Naa-attract lang talaga kami sa film, yung richness ng grain at yung feel niya,”
LOMOGRAPHY 101 by Angel Castillo
In a world where digital photography and photo editing software’s like Photoshop are quite common, rewinding back to film is the way to go. Nothing beats the feeling of hearing the old school sound of a camera’s shutter and the calming feeling of advancing the film wheel to shoot your next frame. From the lovely light leaks to the happy mistakes, film really does have its way of capturing the moment in a unique fashion – minus the countless hours of editing – and preserving it for life. So, if you’re willing to dabble into the colorful world of analog photography, then this article is for you! I will assist you in finding the perfect film camera that will suit your persona and lifestyle to a T. You may take this
as a beginner’s guide to lomography, if you will. If this is the case, then what are you waiting for, read away! Do you crave for spontaneity in your life? Do you long for the feeling of excitement? Are you the type of person who’s always on the go? If you answered yes to all these questions, then an action sampler would be ideal for you! Action sampler cameras are those that capture every move that you make in a span of 1-2 seconds in 2, 4 or even 8 shots in one take. These cameras are ideal for you if you’re outgoing and an inhibited type of person because it immortalizes every detail of what you saw through the viewfinder the moment you took that shot. There are
several breeds of action sampler cameras; there are those that take 4 pictures in one frame like the Lomography Actionsampler camera or their Supersampler and some can even take up to 8 shots like the Oktomat camera. But for a beginner, I’d highly recommend the unconventional Disderi 3 Lens Action Sampler Robo Camera. What’s different about this baby is that it takes 3 shots – 2 regular square pictures and 1 wide-angle shot – but still manages to capture everything beautifully. Not to mention its very cheap and the film it uses is a regular 35 mm film, which you can buy at any Kodak or Fujifilm branch near you.
If you are more laid back, relaxed and happy-go-lucky, then the ideal camera for you would be the Holga 120 GCFN. It comes in such lively colors so picking one that would suit you perfectly would be a breeze! What’s nice about this camera is that the pictures you take will come out in a medium or square format, which is unlike the photos taken by other analog cameras. Another great characteristic of this camera is that it already has a built in colorsplash flash, which is perfect for indoor shots plus, it adds a different pop to your picture because of the 4 colored filters that you can choose from. Another asset of the Holga 120 GCFN is the subtle yet still amazing vignette in each picture when shooting under the heat of the sun. A vignette is the faint black fading at the edge of the picture. The camera also has a multiple exposure feature, which enables you to take as many shots as you want in one frame.
It is able to to take long exposures because of the Bulb setting that you can find at the bottom of the unit as well. As for the shots, you can take 12/16 photos depending on the mask that you use, in one roll of film. Oh and just a quick note, films for 120 mm cameras are usually purchased through trusted online sellers. Don’t worry, most (if not all) of them are friendly and would gladly entertain all your inquiries and orders. Lastly, if you describe yourself as kooky or unique with an eye for things that are out of the ordinary, then I would highly recommend a Fisheye camera for you! This beauty offers a different prospect to your photos that you wouldn’t normally see in other Lomo cameras! It slightly distorts your shots – in a good way – and delivers an amazing 180-degree wide-angle perspective. The Fisheye camera comes in two versions: the Fisheye camera and the Fisheye No. 2. I highly recommend for newbies to purchase the latter because all of its added features would definitely come in handy in the future. Compared to its predecessor, the Fisheye No.2 already has a built in flash unit that is ideal for shooting in low light situations. Another added feature to the camera is the Bulb setting for long exposure and a switch for multiply exposures on the same frame. The most convenient facet of this new and improved Fisheye is its true fisheye viewfinder, which would give you a feel of what your shots would look like. It uses the regular 35 mm film, which, again, is easy to find anywhere. The Fisheye No. 2 camera comes in 3 colors to for you to choose from: white, black and pink.
Three unique but equally competent Lomo cameras for you to choose from! For a newbie, the only tips that I could give you is 1) take time to get to know your camera, 2) I know it’s an expensive hobby but trust me, the end results are so worth it and 3) don’t think, just shoot! Nothing feels better than receiving your first roll of film. With that, I wish all beginners good luck and don’t forget to enjoy shooting
A-MUSE
Lamah Tautaiolefue by Nessa Santos What they say is true: Not everyone who owns a dSLR is a photographer. However, sometime, somewhere, the young and the talented emerges from the vast ingenuity market - this time in Lamah Tautaiolefue’s splendid, awe-inspiring photos. Let us see how expressing oneself through portraiture and film photography can be a way to make your mark in this world. 1. It’s really a pleasure to know someone who has an amazing gift in photography, but would you care to let us know more about who Shalamah Tautaiolefue is? The basics; I’m currently 20 years of age, born and raised in Sydney, Australia. There are many miscon-
ceptions that I am a rather ‘snobby’ person but I guarantee you that I’m very friendly! My personality type is INFP – I feel that my personality type is a better and easier way of explaining myself to others. (According to http://www.personalitypage.com: INFPs are natural artists. Highly creative, artistic and spiritual, they can produce wonderful works of art, music and literature. They will find great satisfaction if they encourage and develop their artistic abilities. That doesn’t mean that an INFP has to be a famous writer or painter in order to be content. Simply the act of “creating” will be a fulfilling source of renewal and refreshment to the INFP. An INFP should allow himself or herself some artistic outlet, because it will add enrichment and positive energy to their life. 2. When and how did your love for the craft began? At such a young age you could influence a lot of people to express themselves through photography.
I’ve always been intrigued by photography but my love for it probably didn’t start ‘till I was in the 10th grade. I would always bring my camera/video camera to school documenting pretty much everything! This love of mine grew more when I entered my last year of high school, my parents bought me the Canon EOS 400D/XTi as a birthday present and it’s still the camera I use today! Photography actually helped me a lot. I live in the Western suburbs of Sydney which society tends to look down upon, and because of this, photography gave me the confidence to prove to society that the place you come from does not define your limitations at all.
XTi since early 2008. It was a birthday present from my lovely parents who have been so supportive of all my ventures. I really only use the ‘manual’ function as it gives me more freedom and control. I recommend for people, if they haven’t yet, to familiarize their selves with the ‘manual’ settings. I also manually create my own Picture Styles and change the colouring and tones using the WB SHIFT/BKRT (Accessible in the camera’s settings). These all help bring out nice colouring which makes it easier to post-process.
3. Your work consists mostly of portraits, are there any reason behind this? Also, would you mind to suggest camera models or settings that could produce great portraits? I love capturing emotion and doing portraiture photography allows me to express that. Of course any type of photography is able to provoke emotion but personally, there’s more of a connection for me when I’m taking photographs of people. Capturing those little candid moments is what I find special and you can’t fake something that’s so real and so raw. I’m not knowledgeable about cameras actually, when I hear other photographers talk about all these camera models and whatnot I sink down beneath the earth – but for some tips which I’ve find helpful when browsing around for a camera is; doing some research to find out what camera/s your favourite photographers use and going for something similar. I’m a Canon boy and have currently been using the Canon EOS 400D/
4. Given that there are so many other talented artists out there, some are afraid to join the creative bandwagon. Can you share your motivations in pursuing photography? Don’t be afraid to express yourself. Each and every person has his or her own individuality resulting to our own unique perspectives, use this to your advantage and let people see through YOUR eyes. Life itself is a motivation for me, I know, cheesy, tacky and cliché but it’s true! I find that the simple things in life, the things we take for granted, are the most inspiring things. Beauty is everywhere! It’s just secretly hiding.
5. In the digital age, what encouraged you to use old school films? The authenticity of using film is what I found most compelling. I have a few friends who solely use film, and they have inspired me a lot to pursue film photography. 6. Have you ever experienced somebody else claiming the credit for your photos? How did you deal with it? It has happened quite often, but sometimes I feel as though I can’t do much. The Internet is such a vast place, and it’s impossible to continuously track the activity of where your photographs are going once they’re online. Thankfully I get messages via Tumblr and emails from people who link me to sites where they’ve seen my photographs being used without credit, modified without permission or even people claiming them as their own. I’ve dealt with these matters by directly contacting them, and fortunately most of these people are nice enough to remove OR credit the content along with an email apologizing. 7. We could only assume that you are not solely preoccupied by photography, but what other things pique your interest? I love to read, gawk at eyegasmic photography, listen to some good music, watch movies/series/Korean and Japanese dramas and eat. I love to eat! 8. At age 20, what would you consider your greatest achievement? In regards to photography, it would definitely have to be those moments when people feel ‘moved’, or when they feel a certain emo-
yion looking at my works. I’m always grateful to those who take time out of their lives to express their feelings and thoughts about my work. And in regards to life itself, HAVING A FULL TIME JOB! 9. Any plans that you want to accomplish in the future? Living in a studio apartment! But I doubt Sydney has any of them, well the ones I adore anyway. 10. Shoutout to other aspiring photographers:
Stamp your mark on the world!
SOME OF HIS FAVORITE WORKS:
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ART CONTRIBUTOR: JASON ESPIRITU
http://imdb.com UP Diliman for the cover shoot, even though you were trying to shun us. We still love you. Special thanks to Lorra (http://lorraelena.tumblr.com) for assisting us in the cover shoot! STACHE Magazine Online does not claim ownership on any photos included in the magazine. They belong to their respective owners, which is quite obvious by now. If you see anything left uncredited, please don’t hesitate on dropping us an email at getcreative@stachemagazineonline.com
Maine Manalansan- http://mainemanalansan.tumblr.com Elisa Aquino- http://thunderpopcola.tumblr.com Mare Collantes- http://aninstantoutoftime.tumblr.com Maan Bermudez- http://missmcsmitty.tumblr.com Ecks Abitona- http://ecksssy.tumblr.com Mary Silvestre- http://dearmary.info Pat Nabong- http://dorkoinvasion.tumblr.com Jelito De Leon- http://jelitodeleon.tumblr.com Jennifer Aquino- http://flickr.com/photos/tudorqueeny Kare Clarete- http://simplykaye.com Rae Cabradilla- http://www.flickr.com/photos/rraaeee/ Grace De Luna- http://supercheerio.tumblr.com Kat Eusebio- http://walkwitheu.tumblr.com Micah Lima- http://micahrolls.tumblr.com Kristel Silang- http://quintessentialserendipity.tumblr.com/ Mikee Lim- http://mentallychallenged.tumblr.com/ Chealsea Olaya- http://steadyandready.tumblr.com/ Marella Ricketts- http://marellaricketts.tumblr.com Ellie Centeno- http://ellie-the-stormstripper.blogspot.com Therese Reyes- http://therese-reyes.tumblr.com Angel Castillo- http://plethoricnonsense.blogspot.com Nessa Santos- http://nessaaaa.tumblr.com Regina Reyes- http://reginarreyes.tumblr.com Katrina Teh- http://puglypixel.com Nikki Sunga- http://nikkisunga.tumblr.com Crash Clothing- http://facebook.com/crashclothing Lamah Tautaiolefue- http://lamahkun.blogspot.com/ Jason Espiritu- http://j-joe.tumblr.com
STACHE Magazine Online June 2011