Mark Aguilar
MARK AGUILAR, 29
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Location: New York, New York
UD: What is your style vibe?
MA: Understated and rough around the edges.
UD: Name a few places you can rely on for inspiration…
MA:I like browsing though online blogs, tumblrs and social media like Instagram / youtube. They don’t necessarily have to be style sites and pages, as long as they have stimulating content. It feeds my mood, which then trickles down to my style choices and clothing. Aside from that, nothing beats the New York city streets-- this city is simply full of inspiration.
UD: Re: style, what sets you apart from the rest?
MA:I try to be aware of what works for my body type. I think that’s one of the staples of good style.
UD: Do you put conceptual or visual thought into your outfits daily? How?
MA: I have a casual lifestyle, which allows me to dress up (or down) depending on my mood. In the workplace, I always try maintain a clean and presentable ensemble. For the most part, I like a more loose, effortless mood to the way I wear my clothes.
UD: What are some of your go to brands?
MA: Thrift stores and flea markets – always great fashion treasure troves! Also ASOS, River Island, Zara, H&M, Topman and Club Monaco.
UD: Do you tailor clothes often?
MA: Only to hem my pants. Short people problem!
UD: How do you feel about the current mens style landscape?
MA: I think it is both an exciting and challenging time for men’s style... I think the platform for men’s fashion has been more broad than it ever has been, especially now that we have Men’s Fashion Week. I think it continues to challenge menswear designers in this changing landscape.
UD: Does your cultural background play into your style choices at all? If not, how do you differ from that?
MA: I take pride in being Filipino and I really believe my country has a very vibrant and diverse plethora of fashion, historically and currently. I think the country has a very open and adaptive attitude towards influences and trends. I’d like to believe that’s an attitude I bring to my style choices and can attribute to my cultural roots, but in terms of aesthetics, it’s really more variables of my personal mood, environment and other influences other than my cultural background.
UD: What is the most obnoxious struggle when you're shopping for clothes?
MA: I don’t easily fit in standard proportions because of my height and size, but that’s what also makes the hunt fun and challenging. I have my good days and my bad days, which I've come to terms with.
UD: What are some exciting aspects of fashion to you right now?
MA: Working in the industry, one would be the movement to better ways to produce and manufacture our clothes. It's a pressing issue that the industry has only now become conscious of...
UD: If you could say anything to men's clothing designers and manufacturers, what would you say?
MA: Flourish, strive and diversify.
UD: What gets you excited about your personal style?
MA: That it’s a never ending process and growth. It’s beautiful to discover yourself through your own sense of style... but also daunting and challenging. It’s great-- exciting!
Photography by Lewis Meyer-Peddireddy
