OG influencer and this month’s MEGA cover star Bryanboy opens up about how his fashion identity and the world of luxury continue to evolve in brand new world. Read an excerpt below.
Related: Bryanboy Has Thoughts On Self Quarantine And Privilege—You Ought To Listen
Bryan’s foresight into trends and societal landscape has landed him as a sought-after insider for designers all over the world. And with the ongoing pandemic that has realigned the world’s priorities, what does Bryanboy see in our future? Fashion for the few is out and inclusivity is in.
“Gone are the days where fashion has to be exclusive. Elitism is no longer aspirational. Fashion has to be inclusive.”
BRYANBOY
“If I present fashion in a traditional and unachievable way, it’s very 20 years ago. Luxury is not based on how expensive an item is anymore.” It’s 2021 and fashion houses are already exploring new platforms and to play the game right, they must build an overall inclusive experience. He states, “It’s really unheard of because you go on TikTok, you can’t really be serious, you have to be entertaining and humorous. So, brands are putting their trust in working with celebrities and content creators to give them freedom to do whatever creative content that they want and it’s reinventing how luxury is communicated.”
With that said, luxury fashion is a complex and convoluted industry that can’t change its entire image in a snap of a finger. Brands and influencers also must constantly deal with the fear of cancel culture that comes from not tackling social issues or not using their platforms to raise awareness. For Bryan, who constantly speaks about up about the violence against Asian-Americans since the onset of pandemic, forcing others to do the same will defeat its purpose. “In reality, it’s a personal choice. I have a platform; I want to use my voice to make an impact to culture and society at large. But I don’t think that we should pressure influencers, celebrities, or anyone to speak up. Otherwise, it’s just performative,” he says. “I think fashion still has a lot to go when it comes to various issues, but real change doesn’t happen overnight.”
Coming to fore is also the Asian influence which the pandemic has accelerated even further. Bryan was part of the rare few who broke through the industry but as one of the biggest markets for luxury brands above Westerners and Europeans, brands are now focusing on bringing the spotlight to the East. “All the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, and Filipino tourists are not in Europe. So how do you retain the Asian spending? That’s why you’re seeing a lot of Asian influence in fashion, and I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
A creative who thrives in change and embraces it, Bryanboy is clearly not giving up his seat anytime soon in both the frontrow of fashion shows and in our screens. His art of influencing that’s a combination of his unhinged charm, silver tongue, and style expertise will remain to bridge the gap between industry experts, the digital market, and simply all fashion lovers alike in this new age we live in. “I’m just proud that fashion has changed, and it continuously does. It’s something to look forward to and bright times are ahead.”
Bryanboy looks back on his career from blogger to fashion insider in MEGA’s December 2021 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography DOOKIE DUCAY
Creative direction NICOLE ALMERO
Fashion direction JEB FRONDA
Beauty Direction TRINA EPILEPSIA BOUTAIN
Makeup PONG NIU
Hair THANIE LEGASPI
Styling BANG PINEDA
Shoot coordination MJ ALMERO and KZ FRANCISCO
Special thanks to DRA. VICKI BELO, DR. HAYDEN KHO and DORIS JIEMENEZ
Testing by JUAN MEDICAL
