For a guy, a backpack is the handbag of mens fashion. People who are always on the move like me, rely on backpacks to carry everything from point A to point B. Whether it be my camera, laptop, charger, hats, clothes, shoes, food, you name it - I'll always rely on a quality backpack that never lets me down... Especially when I come off my longboard. 

When I recently got in contact with newly opened BREE Philippines, they were kind enough to invite me to the latest store opening located by the new East Wing of Edsa Shangri La. At first, I honestly thought I was walking into a boutique store, a somewhat similar feeling like I got the first time I entered Louis Vuitton as a kid. It was cool and I was happily welcomed by the kind staff followed by a quick introduction about the products available. Believe it or not, their products weren't expensive like I had imaged them to be! Very affordable. 

For me when I acquire a backpack, I want my bag to last me for a very long time and I'm sure that's what everyone wants also. There's definitely no going wrong when I say that the quality of these bags are immaculate and especially when they're optional water resistant. So I'll now no longer have to worry about my laptop when it rains, unless I get pushed into a pool. Check them out and see for yourself!

http://bree.com/Bree-World/The-bag/

Shirt from Ben Sherman, Cheap Monday skinny pants, Bree backpack, Topman fedora

Signature Ben Sherman yellow tee, Topman skinny carrot jeans, white high-top Converse Allstars and Quicksilver sports illustrated underwater watch.

Harrison Ford

Haha this is soo good. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan, you'll definitely get a laugh out of this

Long Live B.A.P.E

AAPE by A Bathing Ape 2013 Spring/Summer Lookbook

#WouldWear

望角 RoofHop

As exciting as it is to slowly start blogging again, nothing could be more inspiring to post than my weekend vacation in Hong Kong. Originally my trip was only from Brisbane to Manila, but with a spontaneous decision at the last minute I booked a flight to Hong Kong to visit my long-time high school pal Khai Van Kampen. By far notably the best weekend ever!

It was a great experience to be able to see the majority of Hong Kong with Khai, as he'd already been living there for 6 months. With such little time (the weekend only), there was so much to be done. The majority of the days were spent stumbling around,exploring fresh and uncharted spots in Hong Kong. Amongst the hustle of the gritty Mong Kok, private rooftops were used as a form of getaway from the intense crowds, generating a euphoric feeling from the mid level perspective of Hong Kong's majestic high-rises and grungy feel.

Redwing Boots, a necessity for trekking the streets of Hong Kong.

Lee Clothing Swagger-fitted jeans, H&M Vest and grey tee, Redwing boots, floral cap from Topman and Timex NATO watch.


Photos by Khai Van Kampen

Unstoppable

When you have photos like these, no matter what you are wearing the content is straight-up legit! Location and lighting is definitely the key. Even a standard camera can take photos like these when held in the proper hands. Haha it makes me cringe when I see someone who goes out of their way to spend so much money on an awesome camera and yet produce poor photos. No matter what camera you have, trust me you can do it!

I really enjoy shooting with my mate Khai because we have an awesome bond when it comes to photography aside from being good mates as it is. Enthusiasts we are!! If we are not learning from each other then we are always learning something new by taking things to the next level.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

Robbie Becroft

Rooftop access is not permitted for all people, so at one stage we had to keep a low-down from the security guards to avoid getting caught.

The face of Cheap Monday. I have previewed this shirt a few times and by looking how gnarly they logo is, it's well aware I can't get enough of it.

I miss these shoes so much. They're always hiding at the back of my wardrobe so I never see them when I pick out shoes to wear. It's cool that I brought and wore them out because this pic Khai took pretty much looks like billboard material.

H&M Pants, Boxfresh shoes, Topman hat + socks, Cheap Monday tee and KOMONO sunglasses

Replicate that Bow-Tie

Rather than seeing something you like and paying a ridiculous price for what it's actually worth, have you ever tried doing it yourself? Actually the way I see it, this is barely a 'do it yourself' project. When hearing the word 'tailoring', majority of people's first impressions are usually just clothing alterations. Nowadays there are many skillful tailors that can just about put anything together using a simple image to replicate. So instead of paying 3000 pesos ($60+) for a designer bow-tie, why not try and getting it done yourself. All you need is the materials and a general description for the tailor of what you're endeavoring.

The bow-tie found in image below is a Lanvin velvet bow-tie which I'm unsure of the retail price, but going by the brand, I can only assume it's worth beyond what you could imagine. I casually came across this image via the web, which then lead me pursue looking for something similar in different department stores.

Having no luck, I made my way to the local thrift-store to source for a similar material of that specific color and opt for a custom bow-tie. I came across a used Ralph Lauren button up, made out of a very similar material to the velvet I was looking for. The shirt had cost me 100pesos ($2.50) and tailoring 300pesos ($7.50), so if the experiment didn't go as planned, it wouldn't be much of a loss.

It was within 4 days it took the tailor to form the bow-tie, which is actually a while - as it can be done in merely 2 hours. But due to a busy schedule for the tailor and myself, I happily waited to come the end result. I was very pleased with the outcome aside from seeing the two bow tie pleats as seen in the picture below. Not to worry though, I wasn't expecting the tailor to get everything right the first time, and their was enough left-over material from the shirt to make five more.

I'd love to hear your feed back regarding the following post and feel free to ask me any questions. Thanks.

Prada Menswear Autumn/Winter 2012 Campaign

Wow this  is a nice concept... Prada have orchestrated a unique blend or A-list Hollywood actors Gary Oldman, Jamie Bell, Garrett Hedlund and Willem Dafoe for the Menswear Autumn/Winter 2012 Campaign. Whats interesting aside from the casts' personality, is how these guys flawlessly portray a new-age 'Belle Epoque' representation. Their sleek looks coupled with the Moulin Rouge red backdrop - effortlessly creates a powerful look for Prada's 2012 Campaign. 

Personally I like Gary Oldman in this Photo because he really pulls off this look so well. It reminds me  when I saw him play Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series - this is probably how Sirius would dress for an intimate date.  I really like the double-breasted jacket on Willem Dafoe due to the fact that double-breasted jackets look best on tall people. Willem is only 5'10 so he's done a great job... If only we could wear these clothes on a regular basis in the Philippines...

Shot by David Sims.