Have you ever doubted yourself for the accomplishments you have? Do you have the constant fear of being exposed that you’re not actually skilled at what you do? Despite the fact to prove otherwise, do you remain in the belief that you’re inadequate, far from enough, and nothing but a failure?

RELATED: Bad Filipino Habits That Today’s Generation Need To Let Go Of

If so, you might be feeling the effects of impostor syndrome. People who associate with this often feel like their achievements in life was due to pure luck and that they will eventually be exposed as a fraud. They fail to recognize that they played an active hand with all their accomplishments and instead remain in fear that people in their environment will eventually realize they were just faking it this whole time. Maybe you’ve felt this way for so long and you’ve only named that feeling just now. Finding difficulty in celebrating achievements and owning them is unfortunately very common as a psychological phenomenon that affects many people.

Perfectionists know this feeling far too well. These people feel uneasy when they fail to deliver more than what is expected, so even when they do a good job, they feel like it isn’t enough and it never will be. Success isn’t as satisfying because they believe something still could have been done better. Workaholics often fall under this trap of self-doubt too, feeling bad for the moments they don’t accomplish any tasks and beating themselves up for not being productive at every moment.

It doesn’t matter at what point of your life you might be—anyone can feel this. Impostor syndrome usually rears its ugly head after receiving an award, getting promoted, or just basically whenever you achieve something. The feeling that you haven’t earned your accomplishment will creep in slowly, amplifying your self-doubts even more, and making you lose faith in your own skills. There are many factors why you might have developed this standard you set for yourself. It may be traced back to the competitiveness back in high school and the need to always achieve higher grades.

It can also be due to familial relations or just generally the environment with which you work. Despite all this, the constant need to prove your worth and get validated by others does not remain forever. Dealing with the syndrome isn’t as easy as telling yourself you deserve all that you have. You can try slowly by reframing how you think of yourself. You don’t have to start with the big accomplishments immediately. Try with the relatively smaller things first.

Give yourself a pat on the back for achieving something difficult. Reward yourself for a job well done. Acknowledge that you worked hard on something and it was your capabilities and experience that led you to successfully finishing a task. You might also find it helpful to talk to a close colleague in the field or someone with a higher position whom you trust. They might be going feeling the impostor syndrome as well and it will
be a good opportunity for the two of you to relate and pull each other up. You can be afraid of doing something but do it anyway.

Self-doubt is normal and everybody experiences it, but the moment you let it control your actions is where you differ from everyone else. Stop beating yourself up when you don’t reach your own standards. Yes, it is easier said than done, but remember to congratulate yourself not just when you achieve your goal, but also with every step you take towards it. Aim for continuous progress and not just perfection. Rise above the doubts and see how far you’ve come. You do have what it takes—you just need to see it.

What happens when you put immensely talented Pinoys together in a group, trained by Korean entertainment companies that formed the biggest K-Pop groups in history? Legends, of course.

RELATED: How BTS Changed The Game In Live Online Concerts

You heard it here first. These steadily rising P-Pop groups will make waves in the industry, but just like any other group that stood before them, what they need is your support in order to reach more heights. So, let’s not beat around the bush. Let’s get right to it.

BINI

The rookie girl group, BINI, made headlines this week. The young octet—Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena—performed their pre-debut single, Da Coconut Nut on It’s Showtime last Saturday. Viewers were quick to praise the girl group for their evident Filipino roots when they picked an iconic song by Smokey Mountain. Under ABS-CBN’s Star Hunt Academy, BINI was trained by voice coaches Kitchy Molina and Anna Graham, choreographer Mickey Perz, and South Korea’s MU Doctor.

1ST.ONE

1ST.ONE is a six-member boy group under FirstOne Entertainment, a Seoul-based talent management company. The members, ACE, Alpha, Max, J, Joker, and Jason debuted last July 2020 with their song You Are The One (Ttak Maja Nuh). On their debut, audiences pointed out the similarities between their group to BTS. It’s no surprise though, 1ST.ONE worked with South Korean producers, songwriters, and choreographers that have previously worked with BTS, for their debut. And c’mon, that’s definitely more of a compliment.

MNL48

MNL48 is a world-class, all-girl Filipino idol group. It’s the Philippine chapter of the Japanese pop group phenomenon, AKB48. Contrary to first impressions, they are heavily influenced by J-Pop culture rather than K-Pop. Starting with 48 members, MNL48 was originally an all-girl song-and-dance group, with 48 members and 13 trainees. They have sister groups all over Asia. And on their third generation of artists, they will continue with 36 members under HalloHallo Entertainment (HHE).

SB19

We’d like to think that the Filipino quintet—Josh, Sejun, Stell, Ken, and Justin – paved the way for Korean-inspired P-Pop groups to flourish. After all, SB19 were the first Filipino act trained by a Korean entertainment company (ShowBT) to debut in the Philippines. The group debuted in October 2018, with their first single, Tilaluha. But they have come far, and even internationally, since then. SB19 became the first Filipino act to appear on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart and they also became the first Filipino act to enter the Billboard Social 50. They recently released their album, Get In The Zone, and are signed under Sony Music Philippines.

PHP

PHP makes a comeback as an all-boy Filipino group with seven final members. The soon-to-debut P-Pop group includes former PHP members Charles, JO, and JP, plus the new-gen additions, ZiO and Rhadz. And to complete all seven, Yuuki and Yukito who were from different K-Pop cover groups. According to their official page, Power House Philippines aims to share their story through music, as a complex yet striving group to prove that anything is possible despite the changes, failures, and hardships. Sejun was one of the former members of the PHP before he debuted on SB19.

For as long as we can remember, Christmas has always been known as the season of giving. When we do our Christmas shopping, we make sure that we get the right gift for the right person. However, there are still some moments where people overthink the gifts they buy, which would eventually lead to getting something that doesn’t exactly speak to the person they are giving it to. Since this is usually the struggle when we go through the holiday rush, having a gift guide is perfect, especially for each person whose love language is giving gifts. Giving your friends and family better gifts from Levi’s® Head-to-Toe Holiday Gift items will make you feel like you got it right from the get-go.

Because a lot of people haven’t seen each other for the majority of the year, the role of gifting is even more amplified this Christmas, but has also become just as difficult to do so. This is why this holiday season, Levi’s® is on a mission to prevent all the stress and panic that Christmas shopping can bring. Its uncomplicated yet meaningful ambition is plain and simple–to give better by giving more sustainably. With the Head-to-Toe Holiday Gifts, choosing what to get for everyone that you love is even better and easier than you thought it would be.

A Style that Matches

The Head-to-Toe Holiday Gifts are perfect for each person in your circle. The Down-to-Earth buddy is a champion of sustainable methods as they’re not afraid to stand up for what’s right. Gift them with skirts, jeans, or chinos that are made from responsibly sourced fabrics, as well as positive-message graphic tees, or even shirts that are covered with nature-inspired motifs.

The Classically Cool pal sets the trend instead of conforming to it. Their go-to staples are timeless without it ever getting boring. A classic graphic varsity tee, trusty trucker jacket, and vintage-style denim jeans fit right into their closet.

For the Creative Spirit friend with a bright and sunny personality, playful prints and hues perfectly match their mood. Whether it’s basic yet colorful tops, vibrant hoodies, comfortable boyfriend jeans, or bootcut pants, you’re bound to spark a lot more joy the minute they unwrap their presents.

Start your Levi’s® holiday shopping as early as now to make use of their ongoing promos available on their website and in-store. You can avail of their Holiday Promo from December 4 to 25 where you can get 20% when you purchase two regular priced items, or even 25% off when you purchase 3 or more regular priced items. Aside from that, you can also consider personalized gifts through their Tailor Shop at SM Makati, Ayala Manila Bay, Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Place Iloilo, and Print Shop at SM Makati. This is available from December 4 to 6, 11 to 13, 18 to 20, and 25 to 27. When you purchase Php 3,500 worth of Levi’s® items, you can even get free three Tailor Shop services. DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB -109865 Series of 2020.

With the news of his sudden passing sending tremors to the industry, we look back at the lasting legacy of Jeffrey Rogador in Philippine Fashion.

Related: IN ITS SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS, IS FASHION REALLY CHANGING THE ALARMINGLY WASTEFUL WAYS OF THE PAST?

To a certain extent, every participant of fashion claims to be of and for the people, but no one holds this principle to a higher regard than that of Filipino designer Jeffrey Rogador. With a reverence and respect for the everyman, he has long adhered to the principle of community from the very beginning as a Fine Arts student at the University of Santo Tomas and a member of the Salinggawi Dance Troupe, he would not only perform but design dance costumes as well. This genesis would then trace itself to a trajectory of opportunities to enrich himself as a creative, pursuing a formal education at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, joining the 6^th edition of the prestigious MEGA Young Designer’s Competition, and eventually finding a foothold at the longstanding Philippine Fashion Week.

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Keeping his focus on the consideration of the greater good and not just a select few, Jeffrey Rogador fully realized his design proposition in distinct urban streetwear, which straddled a fine line of functionalism, form, and flair. The further refinement of this aesthetic earned him international nods such as Best Jeans Award for Jeansation 2 in Monte Carlo, Monaco, as well as of collaborations with Levi’s for its global Go Forth campaign and for Jag Jeans Origins, which was presented to the exacting editorial expectations of Project Runway judge and Editor-in-Chief of Elle, Nina Garcia.

Ever the creative spirit with roots firm in the art of dance and theater, Jeffrey Rogador always made time for this first love of his, striking meaningful partnerships of passion that resulted in boundary-crossing and barrier-breaking milestones such as Costume Designer for Martin Lawrence’s Rebel, Amid Shadows, Aria, and The Winding Road for Ballet Manila, and most prodigiously, for the Richard Alston Dancer Company London for Red Run and Martin Lawrence’s Tangent, Cut & Run, Detour, and A Far Cry. On the local front, Jeffrey Rogador worked on even more commissioned collaborations with Binibining Pilipinas, Girbaud Philippines, Converse, Folded & Hung, Electricianz Watches, Ideal Vision Center, McJim Leather, Missdi Models, and B143 Apparel.

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His design ethos isn’t a mere transference of an unshaken creative and diluting it for the commercial movement. From the point of ideation, the intention is earnest in a desire to exist as a function rather than a flourish. This is why from the very beginning, Jeffrey Rogador espoused the casting of real people for his campaigns and runway shows, an initiative that has brought to life a pervading Real People Wear Jeffrey Rogador effort that underscored all of his endeavors such as Manila Streetwear and his diffusion lines that included JRXX (a patriotic offshoot of ready-to-wear must-haves, JR (unapologetic streetwear style staples), and Jeffrey Rogador (the premium, bespoke line). Whatever the creative output is, you remained the most important consideration.

By no means a lip service, Jeffrey Rogador worked tirelessly on this thrust over the course of his design career. Anchored on his constant pursuit for the celebration of Philippine creativity on all fronts, he has mounted Manila Streetwear, a gathering of a diverse spectrum of people that smashed stereotypes across age, gender, color, size, and religion. The brainchild of the designer, inclusion was truly at the core, which amassed a strong following and even a Silver Stevie Award for Asia Pacific in 2019. In fact, prior to his untimely passing, Jeffrey Rogador has been quietly crafting the third cycle of his unique event, which was centered on interdependence. With the pandemic grinding the production to staggered increments of production, the idea was to transpose the show online, where modern documentary-style videos and special collaboration showcases would highlight even more real people wearing Jeffrey Rogador, reworks of resourced brand inventories, and special numbers from emerging and up-and-coming artists he had been working closely with such as Zaku, Zack Tabudlo, and One Click Straight.

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Already a legacy on its own, Jeffrey Rogador was a major proponent of the sustainability movement in local fashion. With many personal hour-long conversations that ran the gamut of climate crisis and the overproduction of fashion, he certainly walked the talk by committing to the eco-conscious lifestyle by working on a no-waste policy. Here, he would make sure every bit of scrap fabric found a life as part of something else, whether it be a detail elevated or patchwork that would become a storied garment eventually. Not just one to bandwagon on a marketing buzzword, he would really read up and find own ways to extend the life of style far from the reaches of fast fashion, which he eventually passed on to the participants of Manila Streetwear where they worked on the Jeffrey Rogador pieces and added more of themselves to the hero sustainability and identity.

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Guided by the greater purpose of the people in mind, Jeffrey Rogador truly believed that you make the fashion, and not the other way around. By shifting the focus back to the point of origin, the medium of expression became far more important and meaningful than just another typical trope in fashion. Fittingly, it was always more than just the clothes on your back for Jeffrey Rogador, because for him, it was an extension of your identity and story that you will be most proud of to wear. One of the most gracious, giving, and genuine souls, he never asked for anything in return other than kindness and a good time. While he persisted towards passion and pride in everything he did, it is with the same pride we will be telling the rest of the world of the man they called the people’s designer from the Philippines.

(Parts of this essay was a working draft on the designer profile the author personally worked on for the designer’s website.)

How do you measure a year in music? In this Spotify mix, DJ Joey Santos attempts to define it and make us dance in the process.

Related: NO LONGER YOUR LITTLE SECRET, WHY DON’T WE IS HERE FOR THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD ONES

If you have been to a set or a party soundtracked by DJ Joey Santos, you know it’s going to be one hell of a good time. Scratch that, great. Whether it’s been the momentary thing of the past like massive clubs or dive bars, and most recently, highly engaged and well attended Zoom parties, the general feeling throughout is euphoria that leads to exhaustion—and we mean that as a compliment of the highest order. Whether it be a rip and roar of nostalgic tracks, the freshest drops, and the requisite appearance of Carly Rae Jepsen, one is not just expected, but compelled to bust out their neck-breaking dance moves and sing out loud as if their lives depended on it. It is this high-octane energy that is what makes DJ Joey Santos a crowd pleaser and major draw. Plus, if you happen to elbow your way near the booth, he will most likely ask you what you want to hear next.

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With sweat-drenched bodies dancing it out under the glimmer of the disco ball, it is always a musical journey with DJ Joey Santos, in the sense that his sets are a mind-blowing and well-thought-of mix of what’s current, what’s classic, and what’s charming. It is to no surprise to hear a Sarah Geronimo song or Donnalyn Bartolome insert at a moment’s notice. In his own words, he plays expressive pop music. “It can be anything from rock, hip-hop, dance, R&B, house, electro…anything that has an effect on one’s mood and is catchy.”

Whatever the intent of your expression may be, the goal of DJ Joey Santos, who also functions as a producer, remixer, and composer, is simple: to make you feel. This is perhaps why he was the perfect orchestrator of music to turn to for the introduction playlist we had wanted for our NYLON Manila Spotify account. With music coursing through the veins of the brand, it was necessary to incorporate this much music, especially from someone who not only gets you, but makes you want to just dance and let all those inhibition go—even if it is just for our virtual parties.

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But this is all just a warm-up, because one day, we are certain that we will get to dance again—as in scream your lungs out, whip your hair, and throw your bodies around—just like we used to.

NYLON MANILA (NM): Do you feel like there’s a different or shift in the music the kids like to listen to or dance to compared to other generations?

DJ JOEY SANTOS (JS): Yes. Art is a reaction to the world. The world is always changing. If music today sounded like the music I grew up with, I’d be very worried.

NM: In your quarantine parties online, what is that you make sure everyone gets out? What are the songs that is sure to get people to stand up and dance?

JS: It depends on who I am playing for. If it’s for the creative / Today x Future crowd, it’s a mix of TxF classics and newer stuff that was released during quarantine (e.g. Chromatica, Róisín Murphy). If it’s for a more general audience with more varied tastes, it’s a blend of K-Pop, hip-hop and some 2010s anthems. It really depends, but I always make a point to play Carly Rae Jepsen, hahaha!

NM: With the mix you made, how do you see NYLON Manila? What’s the energy that you wanted to capture?

What I’ve been thinking about lately is if there’s still such a thing as a definite “youth music culture” when you’ve got all the world’s music available on demand. New music used to be the purview of teenagers—now you can tap into that regardless of age, identity, or politics, wherever you are in the world. What I wanted to present in the mixtape is a collection of songs that best captures the 2020 zeitgeist.

NM: What’s your favorite new musical release? And what do you feel is the music that people like to listen and look for in the pandemic chapter of our lives? 

JS: My favorite new release is beabadoobee’s Fake It Flowers.

People look for something familiar when faced with the unknown, so I’d say that people are yearning for music that they can relate with more than ever. But this doesn’t mean that music is going to go backwards—the biggest misconoception about music is that it’s linear.

Does fashion have a place in the gaming world? We spend a lot of time building every character so it makes perfect sense that luxury fashion houses are starting to take notice. Welp, better get your consoles ready.

The earliest dress-up video game I can recall was The Sims. Not quite a real style game, but I spent hours and hours customizing my character that I would only feed once a day, burn its house, and engage in a friendly chat with the Grim Reaper. Choosing the eye color, nose shape, and hair was fairly easy, but picking an outfit took me ages. It was a way for me to mask my insecurities as a young’un back then, because in that dimension, you could be whoever you wanted.

Far from the kawaii flash player e-paper dolls on the infamous free gaming site Y8.com back in the 2000s, e-sports is slowly becoming fashion’s next big thing with the absence of physical shows. With the news of Balenciaga unveiling their first ever video game, After World, featuring their Fall 2021 collection, here are some of the best interactive games in fashion that you can play all day.

MOSCHINO X THE SIMS 4

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Pop culture is in the DNA of Italian fashion house Moschino. Definitely no stranger to kitschy and tongue-in-cheek looks, creative director Jeremy Scott designed a series of wearable bodysuits, bomber jackets, and even a dress covered with Moschino bears for you and your Sim. You can play The Sims on Xbox, PC, and Playstation4.

TRAVIS SCOTT X FORTNITE

While the Houston rapper isn’t necessarily designing collections per season, Travis made cultural impact when he held a CGI concert on Fortnite. Spitting bars on his tracks, Goosebumps, Highest in the Room, and debuting The Scotts with Kid Cudi, Travis kept his performance fit true to life by wearing nothing but chains, cargo pants, and his Travis Scott x NIKE Air Jordan 1. Of course he made some merch, too. Who else is envious of his collab with Playstation? Play the game on Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

BURBERRY’S B BOUNCE GAME

Just in time for the unveiling of their new monogram puffer jackets, Burberry launched its first video game, B Bounce, on their website last year. Pick a puffer jacket of your liking and you can automatically race to the moon by bouncing on platforms with your supercharged deer and gain extra speed by collecting gold TB logos and drones. Creative director Riccardo Tisci knew it was the best way to innovate and engage customers to use the website other than shopping—and he was right. We were unknowingly on the game for a whole 30 minutes. You can play B Bounce here.

COLLINA STRADA’S VIDEO GAME AT GUCCI FEST

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If anything, the pandemic has forced fashion houses to adapt to change. A few days ago, Gucci launched Guccifest, their first digital film festival featuring emerging designers. One of the standouts from their roster was Collina Strada—opting for a playable game instead of the usual fashion film. Collina Land’s premise is about climate change, saving the earth, and looking cute while doing it. You can play Collina Land here.

ALL OF LOUIS VUITTON’S GAMING COLLABORATIONS

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Virgil Abloh may have created a 16-bit video game for Louis Vuitton’s F/W 2019 show, but it’s not the first time that the luxury giant tapped the e-sports world. Back in 2016, LV revealed the face of their Spring/Summer collection—Lightning, the rosy-haired protagonist of the Final Fantasy world. It’s something any fashion house has never done before. Three years later, they collaborated with battle arena video game League of Legends for some premium skins for the platform, then released a capsule collection featuring the prints on tees, bomber jackets and pants. They even made a custom-trunk for their trophy.

The movie is a subtle yet emotional tale of a transgender Filipino immigrant trying to get by in New York City. It also serves as a reminder of why movies and the media, in general, should be more open towards welcoming marginalized and diverse voices.

RELATED: This Pioneering Transwoman Is Speaking Up Against Transphobia And The Delay Of SOGIE Bill

Over the past few years, much has been said about increasing diversity in movies and the media in general. Events such as #OscarsSoWhite and the BLM movement have highlighted the lack of diverse talents and voices in various entertainment fields. There has been this push to elevate creators of various backgrounds and identities to be able to let them tell their own stories. Lingua Franca, which recently became available to stream in the Philippines through TBA Studios’ streaming site, is definitely one of those movies that should be highlighted, not only for its quality but for steps it takes to elevate local transgender stories in cinema even further.

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Lingua Franca is a strong yet understated story of someone who wants to be loved and accepted in a time of hate and division. The movie follows Olivia (Isabel Sandoval), a transgender Filipino woman from Cebu working as a caregiver for an elderly woman in New York City. By the first scene, it is made clear that Olivia isn’t living a life of her own. One of the first dialogue spoken is her mother reminding her to send money back home. Her work revolves around the care of an old lady. She lives in constant fear of being deported by ICE. Her staying in the US depends on her getting married to an American citizen. She is trying to live her own life in the US, but is constantly reminded that her life is based and dependent on other people; her mom, the old woman, and a man who doesn’t know that she is transgender.

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The movie was directed, written, produced, and starred in by Isabel Sandoval, which is no small feat considering that this is just her third feature film. In the movie, her gender is a topic of discussion in the plot but not in the way that it’s the central theme. The film portrays her gender as something that is part of her, not something that makes her stand out. She is transgender, but the movie does not make it so much of an in-your-face deal and instead, portrays her as a human being going through struggles unique to her situation.

Films sometimes have a tendency to overstate the uniqueness of a certain character, which can make them feel too preachy, but in Lingua Franca, it’s just part of everyday life. Olivia is just as human as any person walking on the street. She just wants to be loved and accepted—both literally and figuratively. As stated in an interview by Lingua Franca’s producer, Jhett Tolentino, “I hope that when Pinoys watch it in the Philippines, that they could somehow put on a blindfold on gender, because we are trying to highlight a different kind of love. Love is love however you put it. But here it’s portrayed by a transwoman and a very homophobic Russian immigrant.”

With that being said though, the movie does highlight certain issues facing the transgender community in the Philippines as the country does not legally recognize trans people and can only have their birth names on their passports. The film shows that these issues have real repercussions for transgender Filipinos living in the US who want a life of their own.

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One of the main issues that the movie does tackle is immigration and the unique experiences a transgender Filipino would have living in America under the Trump administration. Multiple times throughout the movie are scenes where the characters hear stories of illegal immigrants being detained by ICE. Olivia is fearful of being deported and talks about how she wants to get married so as to receive a green card and avoid deportation. The love story of Olivia is intertwined with her background as an immigrant and is an integral part of the story.

Movies like Lingua Franca are special because it tells a story of a minority through the lens of a minority. One of the best ways to tell stories of the marginalized in cinema is through creators who come from those marginalized communities. Spaces that were once dominated by a handful of narratives are now slowly opening up to different viewpoints. Media and the arts shine best when it’s open to creators and voices from all walks of life and movies are a big example. Diversity is not a distraction, but a benefit. Movies have long been accused (and rightly so) of portraying certain people and backgrounds in a racist or insensitive manner so it’s important to have different voices be amplified and recognized. We get
more movies that more people can relate to or get educated by.

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Isabel Sandoval is the first openly trans woman of color to compete at the 2019 Venice International Film Festival Venice Days program and Lingua Franca has received positive reviews, which shows that there is an appetite for these truths. The movie’s success shows that there is so much potential for marginalized storytellers and creators. That level of understanding is what guides the film’s emotional core, that Olivia wants to be loved and accepted. You don’t have to look far if you want to experience narratives about marginalized communities from people with diverse backgrounds. Philippine cinema has its fair share of movies that highlight
underrepresented voices. From the groundbreaking Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005) which is about a young gay boy falling in love with a policeman, to the more recent Mamu: And a Mother Too (2018), which is about a transgender sex worker who has to take care of her niece.

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In the end, Lingua Franca is not here to scream and shout that its star is transgender but to tell a story of a woman who wants to live a good life. It’s great to see movies like Lingua Franca that offer a different viewpoint on an often overlooked or misrepresented part of society. The movie is just the latest example of why diversity matters, especially in the field of media and entertainment.