A message from Daniel Saynt, “Attention idiotic bloggers of the world. Taking a photo of a beat up man is not a style of photography invented by Steven Klein so get off your high horses, attempt some real journalism, and piss off.” Navo take it away…

THE MISUNDERSTOOD MR. COLTON

The widely misunderstood and misinterpreted Mr. Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832) is well-known for his eccentricities. An English writer held up by scholars as an example of someone often quoted, yet rarely understood. Colton’s forgotten work includes books and collections of epigrammatic aphorisms and short essays on conduct, like Lacon, or Many Things in Few Words, addressed to those who think., Lacon, Vol. II, The Conflagration of Moscow, An Ode on the Death of Lord Byron, and an unpublished poem of 600 lines called Modern Antiquity,  all of which has phenomenal popularity in Colton’s time. In the present-day Colton is one of the most quoted author since the twentieth century, and on the book Lacon, volume I, no. 183 is one of my most favorite quotes of all “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

Like the Englishman, Mr. Colton I feel I am widely misunderstood and misinterpreted sometimes, and I seek refuge on books, books give me a high that no opium in the world can ever give, no critic in the world can ever sabotage, books don’t judge, it’s just there to nurture you, and to heal you, now I sound like a hippie, but being a “photographer” who shoots men with six packs or eight packs (its fun) like the rest of the fashion industry, I can’t help but feel “shallow”, especially when most of the people around you quotes “Madonna” and “Ana Wintour” like their “Jesus Christ” or “Buddha”, excuse the pun.

ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES, TOMORROW’S ANOTHER DAY

I’m working now on a novel that channels my creative energy, my juicy life experiences, my fantasies, my hopes, and my secrets into a book, I’m working with a published fiction author/ghostwriter and an editor to help me polish what I wrote and just hope it pays off. I remember writing about my mother for a short story contest back in highschool, if it’s any sign at all, I bagged the first prize, and I remember the judges actually thought it was written by a senior when I was a sophomore at that time, it was the same ART WEEK, I also got the first prize for a painting competition. And now I am a photographer who is trying another chance into that route I never took back in highschool. Filipino’s are known for being over-achievers, and thats how I grew up, to always give my 100% in everything, to be the best version of me, and I assure you it is a bittersweet struggle, the story of my life. Another thing Filipinos are known for, “they are all  fighters”, they thrive on adversity, “Roll with the punches, tomorrow’s another day” like in the movie Jerry Maguire. The greatest and the most literal symbol of those punches is the island nation’s great 21st century hero, he is a fighter who always roll with the punches of life, known to boxing fans and aficionados of the world as “Pac-Man” and the cover boy of the latest Time Magazine Asia Edition, the unstoppable force in the boxing world, Manny Pacquiao. One of the inspiration for the latest cover of MATE MAGAZINE that I took in L.A. and out this month as their year ender for 2009, with the actor/model Marco Dapper.

NAVO: COPYCAT OR PAYING HOMAGE

I love the sadomasochistic film “Fight Club” (1999) based on the Chuck Palahniuk novel that starred Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Edward Norton as The Narrator, this film adaptation will always be on my top ten list of best movies in the last decades, I also love the David Cronenberg car-crash fetish film “Crash” (1996) based on the J.G. Ballard novel starring James Spader as James Ballard. Fire is also an important element in the novel that I’m working on, obviously I’m in the mood of burning things, creatively I’m on my “arsonist mode”. The Steven Klein Cover of Justin Timberlake for Arena Homme Plus that never got published to respect the 9/11 attack, they published an alternate cover without the US flag icon, and noted that along with the first cover choice on the inside page with this explanation. Now the million dollar question is, am I a copycat or paying homage? Let the years where my true inspirations talk, Fight Club was released 1999, Crash was 1996 and the Steven Klein’s “Alternate” Arena Homme Plus Cover was on 2001 (a pivotal year for most of us), whether Mr. Klein have seen Brad Pitt’s Fight Club and David Cronenberg’s Crash, one thing is for sure, Mr. Klein worked with Brad Pitt several times and I’m 100% sure he has seen it. Does Film, Magazines, Books and People inspire me?, YES. Do I love Steven Klein’s work?, YES. Is there a lot of “COSMOPOLITAN Magazine educated, PEREZ HILTON wannabee bloggers” out there? YES. Did I pay homage or I ripped off a Steven Klein? You’ll be the judge of that, along with the people who judged, misunderstood, and misinterpreted the man who coined “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html

http://www.mate-magazine.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Pacquiao

With PAC MAN as inspiration, Solve using real life models to recreate the iconic game.

LINKAGE: 2photo.ru

I’ve read conflicting things, that this Lanvin ad campaign is either S/S 2008 or S/S 2009. I’ve certainly never seen it before, so it’s new to me either way. If anyone can straighten me out?

Shot by Hartland Villa, these ads are a different kind of colorful for spring. Legos keep managing to make their way into fashion shoots and spreads.

Does anyone know how to say “Pac-Man” in French?

GALLERY: Lanvin and Legos.

It’s Monday, and you know what that means, another week of the best bashes we can dream up. Monday usually seems to be the best day to get this stuff off my chest, especially after a weekend spent in the presence of trashy club people and dive bar wonders.

I spent most of this weekend finishing up Christmas shopping and dodging the tourists who are headed to town for the holidays. While on my 5 hour voyage all over Manhattan, I couldn’t help but notice more and more people over the age of 12 who were still rocking the Jansport backpack. I’m pretty sure it was a staple that as soon as you were out of junior high you had to ditch the Jansport. For all you steady Jansport users out there, how does it feel that the 35 year old video game designer, who still lives in his mom’s basement, with the ponytail knows better than to wear one of those? Oh and for all you anti-conformist douche bags out there who don’t want to get a messenger bag, there are plenty of other options that will suffice more than a Jansport bag. If this hasn’t been reason enough to get a new bag, maybe the high five you share with the kid in the picture above, after he sets the new high score on Pac-Man at the arcade will.

Blinky, Inky, Pinky and Clyde made their runway debuts in Giles London showing yesterday. Giles took us back to the good old days of Pac-man for Atari with his bright, solid color, jersey dresses and avant garde bubble helmets. Interspersed with camouflage, shiny patent leather, quilted metallics and exterior trimmings, It looks as if Giles extracted the video game characters and slapped them on the catwalk. And if innovation wasn’t enough, Giles even impressed with his workmanship in the shape and volume department. Congratulations Giles, you just earned a bonus life! 

Thanks STYLE!

Looking stylish would probably be the least of your worries during a terrorist attack, but then again you’re not Paris Hilton. Trendsetters like her might trade in your duct tape and Cipro for the Urban Security Suit. Designed by Tim Smit, the USS is made of neoprene, though it’s also lined with body-molded Kevlar to ensure you can stop bullets while turning heads. There is also a gas mask, in case of deadly chemical release into the air.

And if the USS isn’t your cub of fashion, there are always the rifles, chainsaws, machine guns, and artillery shells. But, these aren’t your normal army weapons, these are branded with big designer names: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, not exactly what you would imagine for a rocket launcher or an electric chair, but way more stylish than the AK-47. There is also a Pac-Man grenade!

Louis Vuitton for Guantamano Bay