Manila-based BryanBoy came to notoriety for his enthusiastic approach to all things fashion on bryanboy.com and, consistent with the theory that bloggers are the new celebrities, he is now an international fashion commentator visiting festivals and fashion shows around the world.
His cyber-musings led for him to be praised as “a cult read in fashion circles” (Style.com), and billed as an “internationally-loved fashion super-blogger” (New York Times). Marc Jacobs himself was so impressed that he commented, “I give you a 10 for effort… love your passion for fashion, after all, where would designers be without enthusiasm like yours?”
BryanBoy’s link with Marc Jacobs went beyond the bloggosphere in February 2008 when Jacobs created the BB bag in BryanBoy’s honor and featured it in his Fall 2008-09 collection.
BryanBoy’s own style is a no-holds-barred, androgynous look that has made a splash via his blog and at fashion and social events the world over. Recently, Holt Renfrew stores in Canada paid homage to BryanBoy’s unique lookwith an ‘I ♥ BryanBoy’ window dressing.
He will introduce ACMI’s Marc Jacobs on Film program for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, celebrating 25 years in the industry for Marc Jacobs.
Sandi Tighello caught up with BryanBoy on the cusp of his Australian visit.
What is your blog BryanBoy all about?
My blog is basically a mish mash of everything on my radar: fashion, pop culture, celebrities and of course, me!
When did you start blogging?
I originally started my Bryanboy.com website in October 2004 as an online travel journal. I went to Moscow, Russia for the first time and I wanted a platform where I could easily update my family and friends about my whereabouts. The idea of sending 200 emails while you’re on vacation is not feasible so having a website that anyone can check at any time of the day was the best option.
How did you become one of the biggest bloggers in the world?
It’s a combination of factors really, but for the most part, my blog became huge because of my online persona. People have various perceptions and ideas of me and that fueled the whole thing. When I first started my site, I used to be absolutely carefree. I blogged about anything and everything under the sun, including all my drunken escapades! People loved it so my readers forwarded my link to their family, friends, coworkers and more. At the end of the day, it’s all about entertainment. My readers find some of my pictures hilarious and my entries funny or interesting. I try to offer variety on my blog, talking about other issues and not just about myself or fashion. I also love interacting with my readers. It touches my heart whenever people from different parts of the world reach out to me, especially in far places. By doing so, it gave my site a ‘universal’ appeal. Recently, however, I’ve been a little more conscious and responsible on what I put out there because of the wide demographic that I reach.
You party in some fine and fun circles. Who are your most favourite celebrities?
Tilda Swinton for her work and personal style, Lady Gaga for constantly pushing the envelope, and Jennifer Connelly who always looks good on the red carpet.
What is it about fashion that you love? Why is fashion so important?
Fashion provides anyone and everyone the ability to express themselves creatively in a million different ways. I love fashion because it enables me to express my personality, my mood and my emotions through the choices I make.
Who are your favourite designers?
Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga, Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy and of course, Marc Jacobs.
How did it feel having Marc Jacobs design a bag for you? How did such an honour come about? And, most importantly, what does it look like?
I feel honored! Marc emailed me, out of nowhere, a day after his Fall 2008 show, saying that they named the bag after me. It definitely came as a surprise. I thought it was a very generous and kind gesture.
The BB bag is a small, rectangular satchel with messenger straps and comes in different colours. He sent me the original prototype that was used in the show — ostrich leather dyed pistachio green.
You live in the Philippines. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living there, in terms of keeping up with world fashion?
We live in a digital age where pretty much everything is available online. Thanks to the Internet, images and videos from the international collections are available within minutes after the show… some designers even broadcast their shows in real-time. Location is totally irrelevant when it comes to being updated with trends, news, etc.
I do live in the Philippines, yes. One of my pet peeves is that everything and everyone I talk to on a daily basis seem to be so far away, because they’re mostly based overseas. Although it’s nice to get information online, nothing beats the magic of seeing the whole fashion she-bang in real life: watching the shows, going backstage, meetings models and designers, touching the clothes and accessories in showrooms, etc.
You seem to jet-set around the world a lot – any favourite countries/cities?
Every place I’ve been to is vastly different from the other. For example, the vibe in New York is different to that of Tokyo. Both are great major cities that I love but then there’s mysterious Moscow and wonderful Paris, which I always find magical. How can I play favourites? Also, I haven’t been to that many places — I’m extremely lucky to have the opportunity to travel and I definitely want to explore the world more. Perhaps India in the future? Fingers crossed…
Marc Jacobs on Film will screen from Saturday 29 August – Sunday 6 September. See www.acmi.net.au for session times.
This man amazes me. How did he get to do all of that without living in “the” fashion capital of the world. And not have industry-contacts to start with.
It’s really fascinating.
definitely. i adore it.