Thought you’ve seen it all? While you enjoyed the reveal of our first roster of cover stars, there’s a bigger inspiration that played a pivotal role in the direction of the shoots—actual cultural symbols of the Philippines.
The whole ethos of NYLON is to tell our stories—to be seen, felt, heard, and understood and another key player in this particular narrative was the fashion. But who are we? Who is NYLON Manila, and what do they look like? In the pursuit of our identity, we needed to dive deep into the voyage of our culture.
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BLYTHE AS THE SAMPAGUITA: OUR SYMBOL OF PURITY AND LOVE
Being in the spotlight at a young age, Blythe bloomed in front of our eyes. No wonder she was the perfect muse for a flower so pure. A national icon of natural beauty, romantic frocks in sheer and tulle best mirror its spellbinding aroma. She was swathed in pastel hues, but edged out in hints of leather—finally unafraid to show the world her thorns if needed.
KAKIE AS THE STO.NINO: OUR SYMBOL OF HEALING AND FAITH
Our country boasts to be the only Christian country in Asia and religion is an important factor to most Filipino families. As one of the voices of today’s youth, Kakie is no saint even after the beginning of the #HijaAko movement, but she makes it clear that she’s also just a sinner full of faith like any of us. Emulating the iconography that you see in cathedrals, she was dressed mostly in embroidered pieces, corsets, and modern Victorian silhouettes.
YANYAN AS THE IBONG ADARNA: OUR SYMBOL OF REBIRTH & POWER
The Ibong Adarna is a tale of a mythical bird that’s parallel to Yanyan’s rise to superstardom. In our high school textbooks, it was a magical creature that could enchant anyone to sleep, turn into stone, or heal from the brink of death. As graceful as the Adarna, Yanyan went beyond his dancing skills and proved to everyone that he possessed the same transformative qualities too—almost like a chameleon. He wore vibrant Filipino ethnic prints, patchwork, tie-dye, woven elements and fringe to reference the bird’s colorful wings. And who could ever forget how he rocked that salakot?
KOKOY AS THE PERLAS: OUR SYMBOL OF WISDOM AND THE SEAS
The Philippines is known for its many beaches, so it’s no surprise that we have quite a few pearls tucked beneath the ocean. We’re not called Pearl of the Orient Seas for nothing. But there’s another gem that rose above the shore. The world is his oyster as the pearls hold the same power as Kokoy’s emergence as one the best actors of his generation. He keeps it clean in shades of white, wearing a mix of delicate lace and daring sheer, all while accessorized in strings of pearls—an ode to ancient royalty of our pre-colonial years.
(All photos courtesy of Pinterest, Google images and Instagram)
