It is a myth that men grab anything on top of their junkyard of T-shirts and lazily put it on. In truth, there are probably guys who do that, but for others, they try to have some style in their guise.
Lately, with the surge of males taking into account what they wear, fashion brands have taken the liberty of putting out fashion-forward lines geared towards men, think Band of Outsiders.
Following suit, the everyday Juan in the metro is starting to wear a dressy blazer to an early English meeting with matching thick-rimmed glasses just to complete the look.
To attest to this, we collected a group of fashion-savvy individuals who certify that it takes an eye for style and quality to dress for a man, to design for a man, and open a clothing store for a man.
The savvy student
If you see a fair-complexioned guy walking around campus, sporting a slim pair of jeans and a plain or vintage tee, he could literally be anyone. However, if you see him walking around with a pair of Futsal shoes while still appearing as fashionably composed as anyone else wearing loafers, you just know it’s Richard Hahn.
This being said, it’s quite obvious that this Communication Technology Management senior values comfort over style when it comes down to fashion. Although he might strike you as your average preppy student, he’s not afraid to mix and match while keeping his signature look intact, saying, “I think that every person should have a signature look that sets him apart from everyone else.”
Having designed a couple of T-shirt prints for his visual design class, he’s no stranger to the smart use of typology and the personalization of tees, recognizing the fact that “flashy isn’t always better.”
What’s even more interesting about Richard is that he already knows what he’s going to wind up purchasing upon entering a clothing store.
The Artisan
Enrico “Kix” Suarez found himself in a position where he didn’t have anything to wear, and since he was into the street culture movement for a long time, as well as having managed his own online sneaker store, the next step was to create his own clothes.
For starters, he’s been longing to start his own clothing line since he was a sophomore in Ateneo. It wasn’t until he met his business partners, Christian San Jose and EJ Reyes, that he started The Artisan.
In the company’s sleek website, an “artisan” is described as “a skilled manual worker; craftsperson.” Just like its name, the clothes itself are impeccably crafted by their own personal tailor.
Kix stresses that the quality of the shirts and its limited supply are why it’s different from the brands that mass-produce. “Everything is hand-made,” he says.
Emphasizing that his style evolved from graphic tees to tailored-fit clothing, he showed his pair of leather boots. “I went through that phase too. If I saw this back in first year college, I wouldn’t dare wear it,” he exclaimed.
Unlike most young designers, he doesn’t look to trends but stays true to his personal style. “It’s more of ‘oh, I’d wear that’, until it comes to the point that people will actually like it,” he enthused.
In his opinion, one needs balls and the love of the art to incept their own fashion line. “If you want to start your own thing, make sure it’s something that you like, and eventually, everything will fall into place.”
The Boutique + Canteen
Having owned Grey One Social in Greenbelt, Rosario Herrera opened a store that would complement Grey One’s hard edge; she conceptualized Trilogy, a lifestyle boutique.
Wanting to provide a different store-culture, Trilogy carries everything that a yuppie would need and more.
Catering to the “fashion-forward tastemaker,” Trilogy sells merchandise that fit into a certain niche. They carry classic streetwear brands like Obey, comfortable basics like Alternative Apparel, and funky accessories like their Andy Warhol Watches.
Opening clothing stores seemed like an expected transition for Rosario since she worked as a stylist and even designed her own line, True Youth, when she was in America. For her boutique, she takes on more roles, constantly checking inventory, filling up order slips and running through financial statements.
Rosario looks to the trends going on all over the globe for her store’s investory. “That’s how fashion is—it changes constantly like how people’s tastes change.”
Although she said almost anything creative in opening a boutique is instinctive, one needs to know how the business of running a store is like, or at least have a partner who does. “Honestly, you got to learn the business, but when rent is due and you got to pay your people, you need to know how to handle it,” she shared.
With stores and designers now catering to the guy with his own sense of personal style, it doesn’t surprise us that from the stereotype of the strong gruff man, men are embracing style and fashion like it’s nobody’s business.
