Notebooks out, 'cause you're about to get an education. John Magsaysay came to conquer on his first day of school—that is, his debut collection at the Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival 2018—with Sacred Geometry, a calculated yet colorful menswear line inspired by classic athletic apparel...and math. You read that right.
Here, Preview pauses for a chat with John on Latin etymology, Pythagoras, and Greek sportsmanship as design influences. Let the class commence.
How would you describe your design aesthetic and philosophy?
"My brand, MAGI, literally translates to 'wise men' from Latin. My brand and design philosophies take on inherent wisdoms of the great men of history and these become elements and overall themes in my streetwear clothing for the modern man."
Do you have a signature design or key element evident through your collections?
"I am very conscious in using paradox as a key design element in my collections. I like the play of different scales or sizes, textures, colors, or detailing in polar contrasts or opposites."
Where do you usually draw inspiration from? How about for this specific collection?
"For my debut collection, which I opted to call Sacred Geometry, I took on the Father of Mathematics, Pythagoras, who found geometry in all the spheres of life. For him, 'There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres,' and I tried my best to translate this into everyday clothes for men."
Can you walk us through your creative process as you designed your PMFF collection?
"The springboard in designing my 15-piece collection is athletic wear, as viewed in the geometric construct of lines, angles, and three dimensional shapes. There are also elements of Ancient Greek silhouettes, and academic fraternitism or brotherhood through the use of heraldic colors."
Where can we buy your pieces? Would it also be possible for you to release the price list of the pieces?
"Since my debut collection is meant to be a launch of my brand, I am still working on finding stockists for the ready-to-wear collection. However, as most of the start-up designers would, I am keen on selling them online."
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