Bryanboy.com - Fashion Blog

Cross Your Fingers, Your Legs and Your Toes

Cross Your Fingers, Your Legs and Your Toes

Hmmm. Five years ago (how fast time flies eh -- I missed my anniversary last month), I started this blog for a reason. I went to Moscow and St. Petersburg for a vacation and I wanted an online platform where I can update my family and friends with my whereabouts. Little did I know it's going to evolve into the website that it is right now. Because of this, I owe pretty much most of my blessings to Russia and that magical country will always be in my heart.

I guess only time will tell if I go full-circle or not. Remember my logo mania days? Haha! ;)

There are angels out there making some magic happen, I think. Fingers crossed.

Hold Up! Easy There, Tiger.

Hold Up! Easy There, Tiger.

First of all, thank you so much for visiting my humble website.

In light of recent events, especially with the overwhelming but amazing (not to mention, life-changing) press I've received over the past few weeks, I'd like to take this opportunity to let everyone know that I'm (still) a solo operation; a one-man internet circus. I do not have staff working for me and the sixteen hours I spend in front of the computer, yes, in my bedroom, each day are simply not enough to go through everything on my plate. I humbly request that you please understand... and bear with me over the next few days as I work even harder.

With that being said, do keep your messages coming. I may not reply to them individually but I assure you that if there's anything that requires a 'call to action' on my part, I'll get to it as soon as I'm able to.

I know we all have deadlines but please keep in mind that I have my own, too. Just hang in there, for me, please!

I do apologize, with much, mucho sincerity, for any delays from my part.

Once again, thank you SO much for understanding and thank you in advance for your support.

I love you all!

photo credit: nycrun fashion

International Herald Tribune

International Herald Tribune

Be sure to buy today's copy of the International Herald Tribune, just in time for the Techno Luxury Conference in Berlin. There's a great article written by Jessica Michault (who recently interviewed me) about fashion and social media. Domenico Dolce said something on point -- "the web, for luxury brands, is not the future but the present."

Thank GOD for Press Display where you can buy the latest digital versions of most newspapers worldwide. They don't sell the IHT and international newspapers (other than USA Today) at the newstands here in Manila and you can only get them, if you're lucky, at hotels.

Now I'm gonna ask a friend or two to send me the hard copy by post...

Thank you so much Jessica and the IHT for the mention.

Outsider Peeking In (Bloggers at Shows, Bloggers vs Print Media, Future of Bloggers)

Outsider Peeking In

I'm cleaning up my email inbox (shock horror! yes, I know) and I thought I'd share some of my answers to a recent interview I did. I thought they were interesting as in "wow, where did that come from" interesting. I could go on and on and on and on forever...

In any case, I doubt my nonsensical statements would hold up in a petri dish so I'll leave it up to you to make what you can out of em...

Bloggers at the Shows:

Fashion (in spite of it being conservative at times) is about pushing the envelope and making a statement.  In this harsh financial climate, designers are finally acknowledging and embracing the internet as part of their marketing strategies, hence the decision to invite bloggers to their shows. For designers to 'test the waters' so to speak is a VERY bold and risky move considering most luxury houses are extremely protective of their image. To put internet personalities and industry novices on the spotlight is something that shouldn't be taken for granted. The value from doing so comes in many forms: from bloggers communicating to their audience about the show to the press generated by the said houses for having bloggers there. Personally, I think it's a smart move and a win-win for everyone. I wouldn't be doing this interview had I not participated during the show season.

How does it feel to being there? I feel thankful and privileged. I have always considered myself as an outsider "peeking in" where I shouldn't; so to be placed in such prime spot alongside - and to personally interact with - industry veterans whose careers you've tracked since childhood is truly an honor. Although the view from the frontline is unbeatable, for a fashion enthusiast such as myself, there's an enormous difference on seeing a designer's creative vision up close in real life versus seeing them online or in print. I have zero qualms about hierarchy or what have you so seating assignment is irrelevant; I'm just happy to be at the shows to witness the magic!

Bloggers vs Print Media:

I don't understand the competition and fight for authority between print journalism and bloggers. They should (and these days, they DO) complement each other. I owe so much of my exposure to print media. Also, I cannot count the number of times I receive magazine cover & editorial "leaks" via email for me to blog about with hopes of stimulating the interest of my readers to buy the said publication. The way I see it is that we all have our own unique voice and perspective in delivering information and opinion to our respective audiences. The beauty of the internet is that it provides anyone and everyone with a platform to be heard. It really is a free for all. Case in point: fashion blogs. Some focus on reportage, some focus on streetstyle images and some even regurgitate what print journalists put out there! And then you have personal journals like mine with an emphasis on fashion whose main goal is to entertain and, hopefully, inspire its readers. I've always considered my site as a very, very light read and that's how my readers like it.

Future of Bloggers:

Cliche as it sounds, we're already seeing what the future is for bloggers: first-hand access to the shows, traditional media/print positions, collaborations with fashion houses. Some are turning into designer muses, some are working with retail stores as guest buyers while some have launched modeling careers. A few bloggers even have their own merchandise and/or clothing lines. It's interesting (at the same time, predictable) how it's all unfolding. Bloggers are, without question, the new celebrities. You've got a bunch of independent, passionate individuals who live and breathe fashion twenty four hours a day and they use the power of the internet to fuel their obsession or express themselves creatively to their audience. It's a great shift compared to the usual, run-of-the-mill manufactured Hollywood suspects, don't you think? In the end, I'm very curious and fascinated how long this 'trend' would last and where it would all go....

Enjoy!

photo credit: Marquis de Lannes

Only Yvan...

Only Yvan...

Only Yvan Rodic, the very handsome and very ooh la la guy behind the famous Facehunter blog can make me sit on top of a military truck on the streets of New York after the Marc by Marc Jacobs show for a photo op.

Visit http://yvanrodic.blogspot.com.

photo via yvanrodic.blogspot.com

Marc Jacobs Advertising + Juergen Teller Book Signing

Marc Jacobs Advertising + Juergen Teller Book Signing

I'm a big fan of Juergen Teller's work. When I was younger, I bought his spectacular model casting book "Go Sees". So when the lovely folks at Marc Jacobs invited me to his book signing event at the Palais Royal Paris store, this time, it's for the enormous coffee table Marc Jacobs Advertising book, I had to come visit and see him in flesh.

Click click click!

Daily Telegraph UK's 20 Best Fashion Blogs

Daily Telegraph UK's 20 Best Fashion Blogs

Thank you so much to the massive Daily Telegraph up there in Britain for including me in their "20 Best Fashion Blogs" list. It's an honor to be part of your favourite online fashion clicks. A few friends made the list as well. Congrats to everyone!

Just to clarify a thing or two (I know, I know): although there are several occasions where I've been fortunate enough to be flown in several cities as a "guest", nobody has flown me to the Spring 2010 shows in New York, Milan and Paris and all expenses were paid for by my humble pocket. While some of my traditional media counterparts flew first or business class, billeted at ultra fabu hotels indulging with 100-euro breakfasts (recession what recession), I for one had to rely on short-let apartments on craigslist and whatnot. I even flew coach from New York to Milan with model Kasia Struss! In Paris, I paid something like 800 euros for 10 nights at a modest but lovely apartment! LOL Let me tell you one thing though -- I'm glad I went for broke and joined the fashion circus this season. I think my investment paid off, otherwise I wouldn't have that gorgeous new banner graphic (which silenced and stunned too many to mention) on top of my website. Hah!

Perhaps next season I'll have a lovely benefactor.... please pretty please?

Now as for me being Christopher Bailey's so-called BFF...... where did that come from?

DO ME DAILY CHRISTOPHER BAILEY? CALL/SMS ME! +63.927.350.7453

Thanks again Daily Telegraph!

photo credit: styleclicker

Royal Oak, Michigan Streetwalker

Streetwalker

Here I am roaming the streets of Royal Oak, Michigan trying to find a place to buy cigarettes at 1AM.

Someone has got to pump up the volume cause it's all hoodies and baggy stonewashed jeans in the midwest.

Romulus, Michigan

Romulus, Michigan

[warning: post may not be safe for work]

After Paris, I immediately went to Michigan to visit my aunt who has stage 4 colon cancer. I arrived in Detroit airport very late at night. Instead of taking a cab to go straight to my aunt's house (which is quite a long drive), I checked-in at a modest airport hotel smack right in the middle of nowhere. I was tired, knackered to the bone and all I want was a nice warm bath, a glass of cheap vodka and a few cigarettes.

Click click click!

New York High Line at Night

New York High Line at Night

Blue is the colour of the night.

There is only one man in the world who can make me walk for miles and miles and miles (without me whining) and it's my friend P. I remember on my last day in NYC back in February, we walked the city for 10 hours non-stop. We first met earlier this year and it's nice seeing him again last month and this time around.

From the runways of New York, Milan and Paris...

From the runways of New York, Milan and Paris...

I'm here in the heartlands of America....

As one of my online readers said, "is Bryanboy on a 'Queers Across America' campaign?"

LOL

Geography is no boundary to Bryanboy's faggotry.... can we just please go to WERQ?

Sorry for the lack of updates but my laptop gave up on me. I'll update more when I get myself sorted out.

I apologize....

Cour Carrée Musée du Louvre Paris

Cour Carrée Musée du Louvre Paris

The lovely Fred of Easy Fashion, one of my favourite French streetstyle blogs, took this wonderful photo of me at the Cour Carrée Musée du Louvre where the Louis Vuitton show took place yesterday.

Jacket, leather pants and shoes from Rad Hourani, Chanel bag, Marc Jacobs sunglasses, Topshop t-shirt.

Between you and me, I'm shocked that I look nice (ok, presentable, but I could've WERQED the LOOQUE harder) in this photo. I was all sweaty, coughing, huffing and puffing when I got to the show venue because I sprinted (in five inch heels) from the wrong metro station. Not good.

But the result, well, voila, pas mal...

Thank you Fred!

After the Fendi Party en Route to Maxim's

After the Fendi Party en Route to Maxim's

It's interesting how I have thousands of photos of other people (and things) here in Paris but I barely have pictures of myself. I went to the Fendi Party with Hugo, Karen, Michelle and Dean who took these blurry yet absolutely hilarious photos of me prancing the streets to go back to Maxim's where Club Sandwich is held.

Thanks Dean!

Monsieur Bryan Boy

Monsieur Bryan Boy

Every fashion-obsessed child's dream is to own a Louis Vuitton bag. Well, after all these years of loving Louis Vuitton, the time has arrived. It's an honor to be invited to the delightfully colourful Louis Vuitton womenswear show earlier this afternoon. My first ever LV show, can you believe it? Yes, here in Paris in the center of it all (not in Hong Kong, Singapore or worse, Manila), at the Louvre!!!!!

Thank you so much for having me there and hope to see the show next season!

Pictures and videos to follow. The hair, the bags, the fox fur tails, the shoes, my god, I don't even know where to begin!

self service + giovanna battaglia

self service

Yesterday afternoon before the extraordinary Alexander McQueen show and the super fun Fendi party, I popped by the self service magazine offices for an impromptu shoot. They shot me and the ultra chic and ultra beautiful Giovanna Battaglia. If you're a streetstyle blog fan (ie thesartorialist, jak and jil and many, many others) I'm sure you'll know who she is.

Me waiting for my turn to get my make-up done..

Click click click!