Urban Royalty
Men’s fashion is serious. In recent years, there was a global move towards the MAN-ner of dressing up as global designers have crossed over different platforms of style conventions into a variety of up-to-date inventions in search of the future. Thanks to Hedi Slimane (formerly from the House of Dior), the fashioning and building of menswear in the 21st century have turned a new leaf from classic stereotypes. Though much inspiration is evidently taken from history, the successful styling of men today is a mixture of traditional and contemporary design aesthetics producing modern translations.
In the local menswear scene, a growing number of style groundbreakers are creating much scene-stealing attention. The move is pushing forward Manila’s fashion for men into higher ground and is slowly catching up on the distance with its foreign counterparts. Rising to the occasion is a chic label that is currently the favorite and talk among fashion insiders, editors, followers and style movers. Gracing the pages of top glossies and broadsheets is the newest concept in men’s ready to wear, Kaizer.
Kaizer (a German word which means Emperor) is the freshest generation of innovative fashion concepts on a label that brings local retailing to the forefront of fashion. Since its inception, the almost classic-like style has always been about reinvention. At first glance, it is a visual tapestry of insights from design masters such as Comme de Garcons, Junya Watanabe, Dior, Rykiel, Gaultier and even Jil Sander. Stripped of its first impressions, the label is a modern take on the “new taste” (the refashioning of fantasy into the practical and contemporary) in men’s fashion. Inspired by regal formality marred by Medieval savagery, there is a conceptual contradiction that is fused to create a homogenous idea in modern everyday wear. Kaizer’s cut and mix-up reference are reconfigured and translated into big statements in a more casual point of view. There is coherence in vision and workable design theories taken from formal wear with timely style interjections producing pieces of wardrobe relevance. The subtlety and depth that reflect the identity of the label capture the mod aesthetic prevalent in leading global menswear lines today.
Capturing updated tailoring in reinvented casuals is the spirit of Kaizer. Its technical proficiency complements the degree of context and intensity of creativity in forming everyday wear. The private label is dynamic and practical due to the attention to fabrication and design based on function. Breaking the borders of conventional style, its fashion-forward sense remains practical, making its pieces affordable to a greater market. The conceptual reality of Kaizer being at the forefront in local menswear trending is to promote a sense of awareness in the local retail landscape and encourage the development of alternative men’s fashion.
Kaizer is the brainchild of one of the country’s premier stylists, Noel Manapat. Known for his exemplary works in print and television advertising, this visionary has greatly contributed in molding and shaping the future of local fashion. From print advertising campaigns, music videos, fashion shows, image styling of celebrities and various consultancies, the creative genius is breaking into the retail scene to further extend his creativity into the different platforms of style.
The birth of Kaizer as a design laboratory is an avenue that values the reality of individual designs as opposed to the colossal industries of mass production. With limited edition quantities, it braves and explores the vastness of adventurous and non-commercial designs with lower risk margins. The exclusive label redefines a perspective in local retailing and reintroduces modern sensibility. It is a point of view that will hopefully encourage others to support and expand the consciousness in men’s fashion.
