WALK THAT WALK: DW Shoes

Things have been pretty quiet around these parts for some months now, partly because of burnout and partly because I haven't come across something that is really worth coming out of my blogging batcave for. Well, that ended last Thursday when I went to Singapore to attend DW’s event. This amazing bespoke shoe shop is located in the heart of the CBD.

Originally from Seoul, South Korea, they have now set-up shop in Singapore, bringing with them the quality craftsmanship and unmatched customization that has made them a household name in K-Pop's capital. Be it brogues, double monks, penny loafers, oxfords, or (my-current-top-of-the-want-list) slippers, they got you covered with all the tasty options you can think of! You want crepe soles? Check. You prefer blue suede uppers? Damn right. You demand a contrast toecap on your oxfords? You bet. It's totally that kid-in-a-candy-store feeling.

After your fitting's done and design finalized, it would take 4-6 weeks for the skilled cobblers to do their thing. Trust me, for shoes that are truly one-of-a-kind (you did design them yourself) and of this caliber, they're definitely worth the wait and investment. I actually already have a shoe in mind for the next time I drop by. And by all intents and purposes, that's only the first of many.

Diamond Walker folk discussing the craft of the bespoke shoe.

Great display. You can just hear the cobbler crafting your classic kicks.

Duck Boots for all those rainy Singapore and Manille days.

Now for some samples of their work: The Wingtip Boot.

Oh yes. The blue suede slippers I wanted to take home as is!

White bucks. A great casual alternative to my worn-in lab shoes! Haha!

Diamond Walker Shoes

China Square Central #01-06

18 Cross Street, Singapore

E: boss@diamond-walker.com

STYLES I LOVE: Lanvin For Ordinary People

The creative director of fashion house brings together a group of people each with a distinct individuality. People of all ages and with different physical characteristics...

Women and men whatever. Normal people, aged between 18 and 80 years, accumulated by not being professional models, not being accustomed to posing for fashion photographers. The creative director of Lanvin , Alber Elbaz reversed course and for the next campaign chooses to tell the anonymous faces new winter collection.

A publicity stunt or a strategy to contain costs as the period, not just pink of fashion in general? No matter, the message is positive or perhaps for once utopian and stresses as well as mere mortals can get close to luxury brands, see Lanvin . And then with the case of Jacquie"Tajah" Murdock gives a dream: to 82 years has at last his dream of becoming a model.

Watch the whole collection here :)

WALK THAT WALK: The Asylum at AS Hill

The most common question I get asked is where to go when in Singapore. Well, the one place I recommend is Ann Siang Hill. Far from the chaos on Orchard Road, the area has a very laid back vibe to it, with quaint boutique hotels, cafes and alternative shops surrounding the area.  One particular store you shouldn't miss is Asylum.

So, last Monday I went to SG to cover their event and man seeing a store you love move is never easy. No matter the number of purchases, the nostalgia of first discovering the spot and going back will always be there. That said, the store is making a transition as joyous it can be. 

I love the storefronts like this. So minimal like they're hiding a secret!

Once a full-fledged design store, it has turned its discerning eye to fashion, carrying pieces from Mark McNairy loafers to Rick Owens sneaks to Surface to Air shirts. 

The first thing that caught my eye - those sweet Mark McNairy tasseled shoes!

A classic, more sophisticated tote from Commune de Paris

They just slashed 50% of ALL ITEMS in store and some even going as high as 70% off. It's the perfect time to get your fix of Mark McNairs, Surface to Air, Commune de Paris, and Want Les Essentials De La Vie for a fraction of the price! A fitting going away present from one of the most well curated shops Singapore has to offer. Ann Siang Hill's loss will be the gain of some lucky location soon. 

Bargains aplenty inside. 

Surface to Air x Kid Cudi Leather Jackets. If only the weather permitted!

Those brown Mark McNairy loafers will be the death of me! 

The Asylum

22 Ann Siang Road, Singapore

T: +65 6325 3019

TRASH BIN #1

Another added section to my blog. YES! HAHA. And just as the name implies, in here are all the "trash" for me. Either about fashion or music.

Okay, here's the deal, I never fail to visit Lookbook everyday to get some inspiration on what to wear. I admire probably 75% of photos there, but some of it are just trash for me. Everything that I'll post here are my personal opinions. We are all entitled to our own point of view. :) 

So as I was doing my regular routine, I just can't help but wonder why some would take pictures such as this:

Well of course I did something to his face so people (who know him) wouldn't recognize who he is. I'm doing this purely because I don't think this photo does justice for Lookbook at all. What so fashionable about this? I mean besides the lack of a shirt inside and footwear? Not to mention, the guy is practically transparent! Making the couch the picture's focal point. I respect other's artistic point of view, but come on! We visit the site to get some inspiration on what to wear! Then you give us this? We might as well be transparent like you if we go out in public looking like this. 

So while we are all still recovering from that picture, I'll leave you all with this picture from Lookbook as well. I won't say anything about the picture because I feel like the picture says it all. HAHA. Plus, I tweaked the picture so I really don't have to say anything. It's almost like it didn't come out of my mouth. LOL. But it surely did.

GOT MILK?

HAHAHAHA

xo,

Jack

STYLES I LOVE: My Wrist Accessory Lineup

While I preach minimalism when it comes to clothes, I go for the exact opposite when it comes to my accessories. This applies mostly to the ones I put on my wrist, which looks more and more crowded as the days go by. I guess it all started when I was in my hip-hop phase. Hah! I remember I used to wear a lot of tribal-ish wristbands in different colors way back when and this eventual buildup - I suppose - is my grown-up interpretation of that. I love that I got different materials in there too: leather, steel, rope, and even wood. What can I say? Wooden beads are back.

Watch (Tag Heuer), Leather + Rope Bracelet (Topman), Buddha Beads (Divisoria)

  

xo,

Jack

YVANISM: Birthday Gift Gone Early (Sperry Top-Sider x Jeffrey NY Boaties)

Cho is the best. No going around it, cho’s simply the sweetest, especially with surprises. If you recall, I raved about these Jeffrey NY boaties weeks ago. We came across the very same pair while going around and I pointed it out. Next day, when I left for an early event, guess what I came home to? Go ahead, guess! Yup, it was an advanced birthday gift that's proof yet again of cho’s best-ever status. Truth be told, if it weren't for Face Time with cho everyday, I'd go home in a heartbeat! 

After a hard day's work, going home to this capped the day off well. 

Love the fact that such a preppy item can also carry 

a lot of street swag

About a year ago, Pharrell Williams declared that boat shoes were over. To his point, it was the exact same time when everyone and their mama started sporting 'em, shooting up demand and forcing most every brand to make their own uninspired versions. The mass acceptance actually hit me so hard that I stopped wearing my beloved white shoes altogether.

I'm usually wary of suede shoes, but this was a no-brainer!

Well, during our recent business trip to Hong Kong, I also spotted ‘tis Sperry’s at Lane Crawford. It was the lone item on the rack. Hah! Green all over, tasty suede on the upper, barrel-tied laces making for slip-on wearing - these were absolutely perfect! If Pharrell thought that boat shoes were dead, then this, my friends, is a damn resurrection!

Here they are in action at Power Plant Mall, Makati. :)

xo,

Jack

YVANISM: The Life Cycle of A Shoot (Mercator Shoot)

Since blogs are all about life-sharing and making yourself the center of the universe, I'm giving you guys a peek into what is the center of my universe (for now) five out of the seven days of a week—(Mercator campaign shoot)

The work week usually begins with a lot of texting and BBMing (not on my part since I’m not a crackberry anymore). Our head puts together the shoot-- booking the talent, the make-up artist, hairstylist, studio, me for the wardrobe and photographer.

We text back and forth--with Mercator founder Jonas Gaffud, of course--and decide on a concept. And, especially because he gave me 8 hours to search pegs. I worked on a very tight schedule (hello? overnight? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!) I used a lot of pegs to help communicate with our collaborators better.

For the Lovi Poe shoot, the main peg was Megan Fox's Wonderland shoot:

 

Using a peg, of course, doesn't mean we copy the photo exactly. It just serves as a sort of point of inspiration, a jump-off point, creatively, for the shoot. I was hit with the idea to portray Lovi as an Aztec goddess. I pulled-out (industry lingo for borrowing clothes from a store for shoots) from Charina Sarte, Glasnost, and SM accessories :

 

Now, the thing with shoots is there is a lot of waiting...

That's make-up artist Jake Galvez and hairstylist Buern Rodriguez working on Lovi.

From there, we shoot. For the Lovi Poe shoot, we worked with New York-based photog Lope Navo.

Most of the time, we shoot with Xander Angeles so we shoot at his studio in Makati. When we're not working with him though, we usually shoot at Pioneer studio. It's a nice studio, with interesting interiors and a cafe.

The page usually goes through a lot of changes-- Lope make edits and our head will change the layout etc etc etc.

 

The Mercator campaign mag will be launched next month (I guess)

I really look forward to work every week, which is, I guess, the point of it all. When you love what you're doing, nothing feels like work anyway.

xo,

Jack 

STYLES I LOVE: Trend Report! Spring/Summer 2012

The Spring/Summer campaigns are out! It's time to get some style inspirations!

Listen up ladies and gents, class is now in session. Our first subject is math...

 

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton = Layers of organza + English Embroidery + Lightness

Louis Vuitton Man = Sophisticated preppiness + Blazers, shirts and ties + Anything in red, white and blue

 

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana = Net and Mesh + Sheer Shorts + Intrepid Travel-ish

Balenciaga

  

Balenciaga = Suede dresses + High-waisted trousers + Boxier jacket

Yves Saint Laurent

 

Yves Saint Laurent = Cropped jackets + Funnel-necked shirts + Snakeskin bombers + Anything in sand, navy and khaki palette.

Mulberry = Messenger bags + Anything camel

Bottega Veneta

 

Bottega Veneta = sophisticated luxury + Bursts of bold sage and chestnut and blue +  Form-fitting suits

Versace

Versace = Bloomer-shaped shorts with matching bra tops and bomber jackets + Mini dresses in studded black + Full length gown with hip-high slit in summer colors (yellow, then grey, then turquoise) + Huge Perspex platforms