A BLACK BOOK AFFAIR

You read it - it's called the BLACK BOOK launch. And because of that event and the gloomy weather outside, I am feeling pitch black all over now. Welcome to the dark side!

It was raining hard last Tuesday (May 24), and I was running late to attend an event at The Republiq. Without Geo wanting to tag along, and me feeling sluggish under the weather, I convinced myself, oo na nga, to go and personally see the collaboration photos we did with Doc Marlon Pecjo and two upcoming GMA-7 talents. Baka sampalin kasi ako ni Doc pag di ako nagpakita! :-)

As you can see, the BLACK BOOK event was an exbihit that showcased Kapuso actors and actresses in stylish moments caught by Doc Marlon's camera. Different celebrities (photos of them below), different stylists (we saw Mickey See doing the makeup & Buern Rodriguez for hair, fellow stylists Teej Nepomuceno, Sidney Yap, Patrick Galang, Carlos Concepcion, Matt Gozun, etc.). We're thankful to Doc for inviting us to put some fashionable touch on two of his subjects.

Since I mentioned I am feeling black nga, here are the photos I took (exhibit pictures, celebrity pictures and some people I caught during the event) that I rendered in black and white (sorry for the poor quality, unwanted reflections, and incorrect angles of the few). Take note though, that some of the photos shot by Doc were actually in colors.

HEY CUTIE! Doesn't he look like a younger, fresher John Lloyd Cruz? I styled this picture, with clothes coming from my closet (necklace was Geo's though), hehe!

LITTLE PRINCESS. Jillian Ward was sooo adorable! She requested if she could take the little crown that Geo placed on her head during the shoot. Well, she did!

SINNER VS. SAINT. Love these photos of Jackie Rice!

ROCCO LOCO. Rocco Nacino in sartorial style.

BOOTYLICIOUS. Rhian Ramos shows her curves as a pop diva kuno. Is that Tado with her?

URBAN MACHETE. Hunky Aljur Albrenica looking clean and stark while fully clothed.

SMIZE! Carla Avellana gets greasy and dirty.

BEAUTY QUEEN. Iza Calzado is a daring Athenian goddess.

AMERICAN FLAG. Dion Ignacio reveals his stars and stripes.

BIKER CHICK. Isabel Oli is sexy either front or back.

WATCHALOOKINAT! Look straight in Mark Herras' eyes.

TOUGH GROUND. Kris Bernal in bondage.

FOURPLAY. A multitude of prints in Hippie-boho vibe.

SOLITARY MOMENT. Solenn Heusaff gets catty.

OHHHH BOY! The who? I would buy jeans from this guy anytime!

GREAT WALL. A plethora of Kapuso stars!

KRIS KROSS. I chanced upon Kris Bernal and she was nice enough to pose side by side her picture.

STAND BY ME. Dion Ignacio towers over his alter-ego.

BLACKOUT. Fellow collaborator Mickey See with John Pagaduan - both in monochrome.

DANCING MOOD. Lovely model Valerie Weigmann is all smile.

REAL MEN. Nice to bump on FHM big boss Allan Madrilejos with a pinstriped-suited friend.

OFF SHOULDER. Towering model Ann Casas in a cute alphabet-printed top.

PEOPLE WATCH. They came and they partied.

CHIKA CHIKA. I believe he is a Kapuso guy (on the right) and his name tag says Gino.

MAN OF THE MOMENT. We heart Doc Marlon Pecjo!

WALK LIKE A PARISIAN

Have you ever experienced, while in a hurry, you suddenly stop in awe upon a gleaming sight of gorgeous heels? You stare closely at the merchandise, hold it in your hands like a trophy. The shoes are telling you something... taking over your mind... making you crazy. Until you realize you can no longer hold it off — you gotta have those shoes!

The details that make you look good — like that fab pair of goodies — really, don't have to cost a fortune. With PARISIAN's new collection, a plethora of fresh and lovely shoes (and some bags, too) will have every girl feeding her footwear addiction this spring. From safari prints to metallics to neutrals and sorbet brights, get well-heeled in pumps, strappies and wedges that will make you walk in character, or must I say, walk like a Parisian!

SAFARI HIGH. Unleash your feline appeal in chic pumps that come in leopard prints and sexy stiletto heels.

EVENING GLAM. Get ready to shine while you party in glittered metallic platform pumps and peeptoes.

PRINTED BRIGHTS. Go for bold patterns to enliven your a little black dress.

PLAIN BRIGHTS. These sorbet-colored shoes are perfect for spring with just the right amount of color blocking.

MUTED NEUTRALS. Be caught or stay safe by donning neutrals.

Check out PARISIAN available at SM Department Stores nationwide. Styles may vary per store. Also like Parisian Shoes and Bags at Facebook.


Photography: Xander Angeles (Edge of Light)
Styling: George Palmiano (MGP) & Luis Espiritu
Associate Styling (for Luis): Reg Rodriguez, Donna Gonzales-Lim, Rudolph Leonor, Mikka Velasquez & Noelle Llave
Makeup: Bobby Carlos (Max Factor)
Hair: Eddie Mar Go Cabiltes
Model: Petra (Mercator)
Ad Agency: Adfolio

COLOR DECODED

Just as when you thought that you've gotten enough of my blog entries about SM MENSWEAR's latest offering, there's still more! What does SM stand for if it does'nt have it all for you, right?

Sorry, I just can't help but feature the most recent style manual we did (with some of our Philippine Fashion Week styling encore), which will come out next month exclusively at PEOPLE ASIA Magazine. This is something that we must show the world, and I must publish it even if I may seem repetitive. With nicely done layout, great copy lines, stark photography, awesome styling (ehemmm!), delicioso Hideo on the cover, and some other handsome hunks inside the pages - boy, what am I to lose?!

With the trendiest, most flambouyant boys' and men's fashion interpreted side by side for this manual, choose your style and be color decoded!

All clothes available at SM Department Store, Boys Teens Wear Section and Men's Wear Department (styles may vary per store). Please check out SM Men's Fashion and SM Boys Teens Wear at Facebook for more PFW details, and please like their pages.

Photography: Frank Hoefsmit
Styling: Luis Espiritu (associate styling by Reg Rodriguez, Donna Gonzales-Lim, Rudolph Leonor, Mikka Velasquez) for Menswear;
Mike de Guzman & George Palmiano (MGP) for Boys Teens
Grooming: Bobby Carlos (Max Factor)
Hair: Jaime Sy
Models: Hideo Muraoka (Mercator) & Abs (Ideal People) for Menswear;
Duane Stagoll (Reco) for Boys Teens
Text: Paolo dela Cruz
Layout: Tatum Ancheta & Ramon Ruiz
Coordinator: Ryan Ros Calmante

TRAILBLAZER

PENSHOPPE is seeing black and white in its new ad campaign series. Call it frock and roll, celebrity stylista, tough hangar chic - this is the birth of the new cool. I like!

Recently, the giant retail brand captivates with its trailblazing pictorials with an almost editorial, chic-y feel. We're seeing a lifestyle pattern here, with obvious visual reference from foreign labels. Overall, PENSHOPPE is conveying a strong fashion statement in a year that it is celebrating its 20-something aniiversary, and the brand is sooo blowing me away.

STARSTRUCK. Rockin' Solenn Heusaff channels Paris Hilton with a cute chihuahua and gorgeous male bodyguards.

CENTER OF ATTENTION. Statuesque model Bea Soriano in paparazzi mode.

AERODYNAMIC. Yummy model Akihiro Sato channels aviator cool.

IN FULL FLIGHT. Model-turned-actor Mikael Daez has arrived.

FANTASTIC FOUR. The young, the tough, the stellar and the rich.

 NOTE: Photographed by Pilar Tuazon. All photos from Penshoppe FB account.

FROM RUNWAY AND BEYOND

Gay Pride is no longer the most-attended homosexual event in the country. The just-concluded PHILIPPINE FASHION WEEK provided a 7-day fiesta for all the gays, discreet or loud, short or tall, pretty or handsome, sexy or macho, or whatever in between.

But PFW is not just that. It's for everybody, girl or boy or something, who loves fashion, and for those who support our local design industry. For others, there's joy in getting all dressed up, see a runway show, and simply marvel at the creativity brought to us by different designers, as well as local brands. Others just go there tour de force with their best outfits or outrageous hair & makeup, in the hope that their pictures were taken just because of their you know, latest garbs.

Whatever these people's motives are, it's the diversity of style that makes the series of events one of the most celebrated in local fashion. I am glad that I was able to become a part of it, attend some shows of dear designer friends, and experience all the stylish things that went on.

With memories still intact, let me share my personal PFW accounts (backstage, sidelines, front, etc. at SM show) caught in pictures, from runway and beyond. Call it memoirs of a gay-sha!

THE WORLD IS A STAGE. The runway being prepped for SM Department Store's fashion show.

HANGMAN. Kuya, please be careful!

MEN'S CORNER. A look at SM Menswear's PFW statement.

THE COLLECTIVE. Clothes were lined-up and prepared for each model.

LET'S ACCESSORIZE. Shoes, socks caps and others laid on the floor.

FRONT ROW. VIP Treatment for the media.

MAKE ME UP! Maybelline's and L'Oreal's beauty station.

ENUMERATE. Final Listing of Models

TASK FORCE MGP. Each of us got a specific model assignment.

WORK! WORK! WORK! The kiddies of Mader Luis Espiritu in busy mode.

WAITING TO EXHALE. Sheila and Maan in busy-busyhan mode.

CHAOS AT THE MAKEUP ROOM. The L'Oreal team backstage.

HERE THEY COME. The male models have arrived.

QUEEN BEE. The boys must love Ayen Florendo of SM Menswear. Sorry Geo, you're just too heavy! :-)

BOY NEXT DOOR. We heart menswear model Nathaniel Kiefer!

SIGHT SEEING. These girls (Jesh, Mikka and Joanne) are sooo loving their work.

HAIR APPARENT. Me feeling hairstylist to Boys teens model Kyle Junior.

IKAW NA! Associate stylist Rudolph Leonor with menswear model Lance.

GAME BOY. Boys Teens model Don Luis must be ready for action.

KODAK MOMENT. Cutie model Duanne with the dependable Ate Rossie.

THE LIVING DEAD. Model Kyle Junior tries to goof around while wrinkling his clothes - not funny!

LA GRETA MIA! Mama Gretch and Ate dresser.

HIDDEN AGENDA. Our styling assistant Sheila fixing Boys teens model Marc Seifert's pants.

FIDELISSIMA. Associate stylist Reg Rodriguez (in hot pink) showing loyalty to the department store with a plastic bag by SM, while young designer Noelle Llave (in red) looks on.

ALL DRESSED UP. Our models lineup for the ultimate show.

P-POP. Model Brian Wilson looking cutie while wearing one of the colorful looks we created.

CHECK! Model Charlie S. is on our checklist.

THE VARSITARIAN. This particular look is one of my faves, in the same manner as model Robbie.

RED-HOT. Our Boys teens models walk the curtain call.

LIGHTS CAMERA! Photographers and press people in full swing.

BACKSTAGE SUPPORT. Thanks Wil O. of Boys Teens Wear!

SHOEHOLICS. Rina Lacia-Bugayong of SM-LTBG, Mau de Leon of Mercator & Lora Gabuna-Antenor of Adfolio pose beside a display of beautiful Parisian shoes.

GRAYS & STRIPES. Geo with our friends from Shapes, as well as cutiesome twosome bloggers/stylists Shai Lagarde & Seph Cham.

THE GENTLEMEN. Photographers Arnel Murillo and dashing Frank Hoefsmit.

I-M WHAT I-M. Sexy Clyde Rivera and sexier May Flores of IM Models.

MANA PO. Gorgeous foreign model Fatima Rabago with her pretty model-in-the-making, Dan-da.

CUTIE ALERT! Model Sameer of IM Models looks hot!

WE R FAMILY. Team Menswear during post-fashion show (L-R: Kyle, Mama Yeng, Geo, Renan, Hideo, Mader Ayen, Reg, Alex, Mikka, Rudolph, Donna, Noelle and moi).

FRESH TALENTS. Associate stylists Mikka Velasquez, Noelle llave, Rudoplh Leonor and Donna Gonzales-Lim for menswear segment with Emmanuel Natola of Boys Teens marketing in the background. Where's Reg?

THE BEST TEAM EVER. MGP thanks our dependable girls: Sheila Danipog, Abbie Bulaong, Joanne Rinos, Maan, Grace Tan-Boyles, Ate Rossie and Jesh.

MGP STYLE. Thanks for the partnership - from runway and beyond!

NOTE: Some photos from Reg Rodriguez, Grace Tan-Boyles, Joshua Mark and iamrhandzome.