BryanBoy Takes The World!

The ultra-chic Filipino is taking the fashion world by storm and has come a long way since posting pictures online in the Philippines. Now he is getting the inside scoop on everything direct from the runway and is invited to all the hottest fashion parties around the globe.

BryanBoy made an unforeseen visit to Malaysia in October to perform his duties as a judge on the multi-platform reality series, ‘Supermodel Me’, in which 12 aspiring models of Asian heritage compete for a chance to launch their career in the fashion industry. With his experience has a judge on the hit reality series, ‘America’s Next Top Model’, BryanBoy was unquestionably suited for the job.

BryanBoy (nee Bryan Grey Yambao) has done his fair share of jet-setting since starting his Manila-based style blog back in 2006, the blogosphere megastar has accomplished quite a bit in the fashion industry – he has a Marc Jacobs bag named after him, was featured in Vogue, collaborated with noteworthy designers and is a front row fixture at most, if not all runway shows worldwide. He has half a million Instagram followers and flies around the world attending major fashion events and shows. Seems like a charmed life doesn’t it?

We managed to get an interview with BryanBoy at his Ritz Carlton room in Kuala Lumpur, amidst his tremendously busy schedule. He welcomed us into his hotel digs wearing a fashionable monochrome outfit – a Neil Barrett Lightning Print Sweater in Black, Givenchy gladiator sandals and even carried the sought-after Louis Vuitton 'Petite Malle' clutch for Style’s Instagram #ootd post. He did mention that he was dressing comfortably with a sensible ensemble, nothing too showy (as most of his followers are accustomed to). "I'm going through a minimalist phase!" he giggles, by way of clarification.

The superstar blogger has showed no signs of resting on his laurels, he relies on hard work, being frank with his musings on fashion, trends and life, his over-the-top personality and evolving fashion sense. He's buddies with Marc Jacobs, gets personal handwritten notes from Anna Wintour and tweets with Gabbana, but what's his story? We find out for ourselves.

What are you working on in Kuala Lumpur at the moment? It’s my second time here in KL, and this time I’m here as a guest judge for the show ‘Supermodel Me’. It’s a modelling contest so I’m judging them based on the challenge they did and the concept for that particular challenge was that the girls were supposed to style, art direct and pose themselves. They had to act as a stylist and director and they had to instruct the photographer to execute different looks. I thought it was very interesting and I’m excited to be in Malaysia!

How would you compare that experience to America’s Next Top Model? The production is much smaller and easier, it’s casual. With Top Model there are 500 cameras in front of you and everything is rehearsed. It’s completely different but it’s fun to do nonetheless.

How was working with Tyra Banks? I really respect her as a person and admire her business ethics, especially in the showbiz industry. She has a sense of running a business, she is just incredible!

What have you done in Malaysia so far? I’ve not done any sightseeing because I did that on my last trip but I’ve decided that since I came from Europe, after Fashion week I went to Stockholm for two days and I went to Monte Carlo for a job, I said to myself, “You know what? I’m going to be in Asia and I’m going to eat a lot of good food.” I had Nasi Lemak every day and it’s my favourite for breakfast. Yesterday was a day of pampering so I had a two hour massage in Bangsar and a one hour foot massage.

Are there any similarities between Malaysian and Filipino food? It’s really different actually. Filipino food is similar with Spanish food. Spain conquered us for 300 years, and there is a huge American and Spanish influence. With Malaysian food it’s really diverse and spicy! I love spicy food.

How old were you when you were first bitten by the fashion bug, so to speak? It started when I was really young, about 7 or 8 years old and I would read my mom’s magazines at school as an escape during lunchtime or I’ll read it in a school service car or the bus. Magazines gave me a sense of escape from my reality and inspired me to eventually have ‘this beautiful thing’ or go to ‘this beautiful place’. It really fuelled my desire at an early age.

I read that you owned a Prada backpack when you were 15! Well, I had to really beg my parents for a Prada backpack! It was like begging to meet the Pope. Of course once you start to have one luxury item it just snowballs and you want more. My parents being from a middle class family said that after I graduate from college perhaps I’ll get something else and that didn’t happen, so now I’m in my early thirties, I can afford to buy whatever I want! It’s a great feeling.

You started blogging 10 years or so ago right? Actually it’s my 10 year anniversary in October! Right now!

Wow! So it has been 10 years, the digital media landscape has evolved since you launched your blog. Now everybody has a social media presence of some kind. How have bloggers like yourself change their methods of coverage to adapt now that online space is so saturated? The biggest challenge is how to remain relevant and how to challenge yourself creatively. I constantly come up with ways to have the same voice but deliver it in a different method. For example, last night I worked with Teen Vogue for a new show called ‘BryanBoy Goes to College’ which Condé Nast and Teen Vogue developed for me. It’s something I debuted online last night and you have to constantly put your voice out there that is different. There are so many bloggers out there that do the same exact thing over and over. Some people follow a certain formula - they’ll post pictures of themselves standing on the street and then what? You always have to reinvent yourself and find ways to put yourself out there and give something fresh to the audience.

I noticed that you offer personality and insert humour into your posts, not just flat out fashion and reviews. Humour is a huge part of my online identity. With my first blog post I was complaining about my excess baggage, I was complaining that I had to pay a lot of money! So humour is really important and a sense of travel and irreverence. Although you are in a serious luxury setting, you don’t have to be serious all the time. Humour, fun, travel and fashion, just combine all of that together.

So Marc Jacobs named the BB Ostrich bag after you, how did you feel about that and was it a major turning point in your blogging career? Of course it was a major turning point in my career, because at that time blogs were so new and putting the bag aside, the idea of Marc doing this for you really boosted the whole blogging phenomenon and really put it in the spotlight.

CHECK OUT OUR STYLE TV QUICKFIRE VIDEO WITH BRYANBOY HERE

Part 2 of the interiew coming soon...Keep an eye out.