To Inspire

Been dry on the fashion front lately. I used to be so into it, that I had committed to memory so much things about fashion. Now, I feel like I've lost touch. Well maybe not completely, but to put it in better terms, I've placed more time and effort on other things than the pursuit of all things fashion.

I might've mentioned before, under much pretense, how fashion is my first love. Truth is, it's not. It's one among the many things I've conveniently bundled under the label "BEAUTY" or "ART", which I love dearly. But I can never deny that fashion plays such a crucial role in my life and how I view things.

I'm the kind of person who---honestly, believes it's a valid excuse to pass on an event when I'm not dressed accordingly. That's valid in my book. Like that successful Magnum ball last Wednesday. I was so out of it, I went to the launch looking like I tried to meet the event's dress code, instead of actually wearing it. This close I tell you, to calling it a day for that event, but all turned out well and happy and fun, even when I didn't dress the part.

I'm also the kind of person who notices style and how people dress. It's the story angle about it which I love and I find incredibly exciting about fashion and style. How a camel blazer looks different on different guys, or how those "mandatory" glittery, hanging tops look sexy on others and ultra feminine on some.

This all started when I came home last night, at around 3 in the morning I went on YouTube to see if my favorite, favorite model--Garrett Neff, had anything new on video. His latest one was an episode from Brad Goreski's series and it showed Brad styling for that DETAILS issue with Ashton on the cover (September 2011). Here's the case in point and you'll understand how things look incredibly different for different people. Even when both Garrett and Ryan are models (and they do look alike somehow), both of them lend their own touches to styled looks. It's that personal touch I look for, that feel of anything unique and for a lack of a better term, the personal in fashion, which I always find so interesting and inspiring.

And while I've decided to get back on updating myself in terms of style and fashion, I'm glad the internet is home to so much inspiration, you'll never have a reason again to say no to an event (like me) because you're not dressing the part.

I hope you enjoy these collection of inspirations, things, you've noticed, I really love to do for my blog, and I hope you'll find something enlightening in everything here as I have.

Doppelganger

Two of my favorite models in the world (Garrett being my number one and Ryan somewhere in my top ten) Garrett Neff & Ryan Kennedy are cast for DETAILS magazine's September 2011, both of them looking handsome and really rugged and cool in a Fall color story.

It helps that they look kinda alike. This made my day. So yeah I'm really happy.
Well, great job to Edward Kim who does all these great castings for DETAILS. I'd love to know him and have an interview with him cause most of the stories he does for DETAILS are with well-chosen models, models that I myself would book for jobs.

I'm excited to get this issue. Thank you DETAILS for always giving Garrett and Ryan space.

- Gerard

The Weekend!

VOGUE China's meteoric cover:
Du Juan, Liu Wen, Shu Pei, Ming Xi, Fei Fei Sun, Sui He

Here's the trademark Salt weekend post.
No more talk.
No more introductions.
Just one hell of a great looking weekend (this time, on magazine covers).

MORE!!!

A Calm Kind of Excitement

Got this off of Tumblr (from a follower/followee (?) Wild-West) and just cause I'm ultimately bored right this minute, it would be a great read (and write, if that's applicable at all) to do this. So, here I go!

If I were a month, I'd be October
If I were a day of the week, I'd be Sunday
If I were a time of day, I'd be 8 in the morning
If I were a planet, I'd be Saturn
If I were a sea animal, I'd be a Manta Ray
If I were a direction, I'd be East
If I were a piece of furniture, I'd be a coffee table

Ain't you handsome?

Big Up J

Read Jules' post. Just read it.
Yes.........

Slowly, but surely that Jules Schrater exclusive's making its way up my blog's most viewed posts and I have Jules to blame.

The funny thing is, after I sent him the link, thanked him for about a billion times for the story, he told me it turned out great and that the photos I chose to feature were also the photos he liked. That warmed my heart, really. To hear that a client/subject liked your work feels like somebody's telling you you're kid's a beauty. That's how I take it. So I was content, right...Just posting on Tumblr and going about my usual online activities when, after following Jules on Tumblr, this really, out-of-the-blue photo of my all-time favorite, my super duper male model idol, Garrett Neff---in black and white and in the process of biting at a huge piece of pizza (watch your diet Mr. Neff. I kid. Eat the hell out of all of us and you'll still be a model), shows up on my dashboard.

Immediately I liked it cause it was of Garrett Neff and a photo taken by Jules (I love how I'm just calling him by his nickname, instead of the whole heroic sounding name he has...Well, he calls me G, so it's all great) so it was cool.

...

That was until I read the caption. Check the mother f-ing photo above. 

[This moment here, is exactly how it felt when I first saw it. Pure silence. And my heart just went crumping inside my rib cage...It was like a mini heart attack.]

And then I went crazy.

I e-mailed him, asked him a question on tumblr and did in fact realized that the dedication "Big up G" was really for me. It was triumph, I tell you. Like how a resurrection might've felt...I'm assuming that much. But anyway, it was awesome. I told myself that in our times, wishing on a star still works. In hindsight, it was a really simple, friendly gesture...

But in hindsight hindsight it was more than that. I, a model obsessed tiny little thing, was actually granted an interview by a rising model/photographer/blogger, granted by him half a wish (which is to relay to Mr. Neff that I am a big fan) and really, he took the time to dedicate that post for me.

It's bezerk. I've never had drugs, but I think that could've been how it felt. It still sends shivers down my scolio-ed spine and it's amazing.

So to Jules, J... Thank you for that. That day, I remember, was one of my stormy Mondays and scrolling down to see that dedication turned everything a thousand degrees. My only wish now is to be greeted by Neff himself.

You know how models backstage show you those pieces of papers with those "I love" whatever and whoever it is they love, scribbled on it? THAT's what I pray for and wish on a star for and ask Jules for. hahaha... One of him, holding that piece of paper and it reads "I'm all Salt-y. Amen. Big Up G!" hahaha...And then the other's Garrett Neff's, saying the same thing: "I'm Garrett Neff and I'm all Salt-y. Amen. Hey G!" 

I may be sleep blogging and therefore, tomorrow, when I read this I'll blush and feel ashamed, but hey, I'm a huge fan. So there...

Thank you Jules Schratter, congratulations on the A|X campaign. You look like a million bucks and more. 

P.S. To you Garrett Neff...You're name is a derivation of mine and that's one of the coolest things in the world. Stay awesome for life AND please, go take up all those ads and campaigns and walk them shows again...You ought to be on top, cause you damn well are.

Soon... 

- Gerard

Sean & Garrett

Garrett: Mmmmmm.... Sean: I still hate balloons
Photo by Jules Schratter

It's supposed to be Great-Looking Friday today, but instead I opted to post a black and white photo of two of the most brilliant faces in the male modeling world by Jules Schratter. To your left---that is if you haven't been to this blog before, is Garrett Neff and to your right is Sean O'pry.

I'd want to know what they're talking about. Why Garrett's worried or bothered by something and why Sean's teeth are so white. Ever wondered what models talk about? Back in the days I believed models were seen as good-looking airheads, but thanks to technology (YouTube and those other platforms) it seems that models of today are not only well-traveled, but are also quite witty and having wit takes a certain sense of timing and know how and brains. Airheads can't do that. 

One day, really, I'd sit down with these two and shower them with questions, but looking at their ways on video, I just might end up talking with them instead of interviewing them about all these unimaginable things. Jules, I'm waiting for that one last question and then it's a GO for our Salt exclusive. The man's extra kind, you should know that, and his photos are always such a pleasure to look at.

To Garrett, Sean and Jules, God bless your souls sterling men.

And to myself, well, I'm off to do one of my last few requirements for school. Just a short update, I've been given a new assignment by someone... So I've got three projects in store for me in the very, very near future: One I'm going to on Monday, two is promised to happen next week and the third one, I'm not so sure yet of its date, but I got the e-mail.
So...Wish me luck you guys and have a great weekend ahead of you. Japan, I'm still praying...



- Gerard