Bryanboy: Making Fashion Fun - and a Little Outrageous
h1Bloggers are more than likely to post something if they have a personal experience with a person, product or service.
Bryanboy
Like Madonna and Cher, most people know him only by his first name. The super-famous Bryan has been a fashion staple with his eponymous site Bryanboy since 2004. Based in Manila and born Bryan Grey-Yambao, Bryan is a muse to Marc Jacobs and seems to have backstage access to every high-end show all over the world. He's worked closely with big brands in fashion including Hugo Boss, Coach, H&M and Prada. And he knows more than many insider's about the business of fashion. Over-the-top? Absolutely. And a whole lot of fun. If you care about fashion, you should know about Bryan.
Bryan is also one of Jane Pratt's favorite style bloggers and part of the SAY 100 Style channel. We caught up with him on email to find out what designers he's excited about now, his best advice for brands looking to work with fashion bloggers – and why he expects to follow in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie.
You write about other people's style all the time. How would you describe your own personal style in a nutshell? My style is quite eclectic and androgynous. Part of my uniform is prints, texture and strong accessories. I like to break traditional rules of dressing by combining things that are not meant to be worn together.
What up-and-coming designers are you loving right now and why? I’m a huge fan of London-based designer Mary Katrantzou for her wildly extreme prints and incredible craftmanship, JW Anderson for his unwavering creativity and of course, the very handsome Joseph Altuzarra for his sexy yet edgy aesthetic.
Marc Jacobs named a bag after you (amazing) and you've worked with lots of different labels. Do you ever see yourself collaborating with a designer on a fashion line? I don’t have a dream collaboration with a specific brand or designer; there’s always a way to merge my ideas with a brand’s aesthetic and ethos, whether it’s a luxury brand or a fast fashion retailer. It’s all about the right timing and the right opportunity. I like the idea of doing something very accessible to reach more people as opposed to targeting a smaller, more specific segment of the market.
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You've been outspoken about Asian fashion and luxury brands. What are you seeing in Asian fashion and luxury that's interesting now? I’m currently fascinated by Asian designers who are infiltrating the menswear scene. For instance, there’s a small contingent of Koreans showing their collections and making their mark in Paris - Wooyungmi, Songzio and Juun J. I’m also obsessed with Japanese menswear label John Lawrence Sullivan (designed by Arashi Yanagawa). He makes some of the slickest suits around.
What’s your advice for brands looking to work successfully with fashion bloggers? Brands should find ways to have a more individualized and personal approach with bloggers because everyone is different from one another. Sending a press release with hopes it will be published is a thing of the past. The formula that works for traditional media, with their use of stock photos, doesn't work for us. Bloggers are more than likely to post something if they have a personal experience with a person, product or service. Most of us strive hard to provide original content.
What other fashion bloggers are your style soulmates? I’m a fan of Jane Aldridge’s sense of style [Sea of Shoes]. Major props to a girl follows the beat of her own drum. Rumi Neely, though at times our styles are completely different, is pretty much my fraternal twin [Fashiontoast]. She's one of my real-life besties. I love her!
What's something your fans would be surprised to learn about you? Whenever I’m at home, I like to go through what I call caveman moments when I hibernate in my room. I don’t shave for days and wear nothing but a ratty t-shirt and boxer shorts as a way to recharge my batteries. People have this perception that I’m extremely high-maintenance and I think about fashion all the time which, in my opinion, is not true. I like to detach from it all every once in a while to keep my sanity intact.
You're clearly going places… where will we see you in 10 or 20 years? Hopefully away from the scene and focus on family life. I’ve always wanted to follow the footsteps of Angelina Jolie when it comes to kids.
Follow Bryan on Twitter @bryanboy.
