FROM starting as a contestant on “Pinoy Big Brother,” to starring in films like “Diary ng Panget,” to launching his record label, and now, to attending Paris Fashion Week 2024 for the second time, James Reid has long been showing everyone that taking risks is always worth it.

Born in Australia in 1993, James moved to the Philippines when he was around 15 years old and had been building his career from the ground up with multiple appearances in television, film, and then later on, music. 

He has worked tirelessly to get to where he is today. Now, James has his own record label, “Careless Music Manila,” and it is thriving, as is his career. 

This can be seen in the release of his most recent song, “Hurt Me Too,” and with his recent appearance at a number of shows at Paris Fashion Week, an event filled with passionate designers who have worked for months on end to showcase their ideas to the world.

James Reid in Milan, Paris

Paris Fashion Week recently happened last June, and James was one of the few Filipinos who were invited to attend. 

He’d already attended the Men’s Fashion Week this year for the Fall-Winter Season in both Milan and Paris, so the Men’s Collection Spring-Summer show was his second time attending.

James spoke to Republicasia Media to give his thoughts on his current success.

Republicasia: How did it feel being invited again, celebrating the feats of these fashion designers, and being able to look at all these beautiful designs from all over the world?

James: I’m very grateful. I’m very humbled to be invited as a guest to come to these shows and see some of the best in the industry at work, presenting their craft, and being one of the only representatives from the Philippines as someone in men’s fashion.

I’m very honored to be sent out there. Honestly, I was just having fun. It was a great experience overall.

How did it feel to be able to represent the Philippines at an event as prestigious like this? Especially since you mentioned you were repping Filipino fashion designers.

I’m honored. I really appreciate the recognition, and I hope this is something a lot more – not just men but Filipinos in general – can be recognized for and be invited to these sorts of events.

I think we have a lot of global appeal here in the Philippines. It’s just a matter of getting it out there.

Were you able to see any [other] Filipinos there attending the events with you?

Yeah, there were some others as well. I saw Bryanboy at the Louis Vuitton Fashion Show, also Mond Gutierrez was there. I even saw Doktora Vicki Belo. 

There were quite a few, I wasn’t the only one. But I do hope that more people – more Filipinos – will come out to Fashion Week. 

Could you tell us some of your looks for the event[s]? What were your favorites? Who were the designers you worked with? Was there any inspiration behind these looks? 

I was invited as a VIP to both the Gucci Fashion Show in Milan and Louis Vuitton. I was very lucky that each brand actually dressed me for each event. I [also] went to a pop-up event for ASICS.

While I was in Milan, I wore a lot of local Filipino brands. That’s something that I wanted to bring to Fashion Week – to showcase the Filipino designers I wore.

I have a team that I worked with; John Lozano, my fashion director and stylist. I’m also out there with Issa Pressman, who was there attending her own events, but [is] also my creative director when it comes to a lot of the things we’re shooting, also a huge fashion influence for me.

It was kind of a collaborative thing when we worked together to create a lot of these looks.

Can you tell us a bit more about the experience itself – some of the behind-the-scenes moments we didn’t get to see, or [the] highlights [of] your stay in Paris?

It’s always fun going to Milan and Paris, they’re such beautiful countries. It was really great being invited to these shows, especially the Gucci Show.

I got a chance to meet Sabato [De Sarno,] who’s the creative director for Gucci. I got to meet him after the show, he’s very kind. 

It was fun. He actually got to style me before, we had a photoshoot opportunity together, and it was great to have that kind of backstage access to these events and all the different people you meet during Fashion Week. 

Were there any other designers you were able to meet with? Or any designs that stood out to you in the events you attended?

There were only three events that I got to attend the whole Fashion Week, but I think what stood out to me – I’m not really a fashion critic – but the way Sabato turned his inspiration into the clothing line.

He actually drew inspiration from a surfer, like surf philosophy, where the city meets the beach, and then [seeing] how that translates into his fashion line and the storytelling, was definitely cool to see. 

With regard to how you collaborate with your team, like the designs or outfits you wear, how were you able to put your own style into [them]?

I think it’s because they know me very well, and I’m also very hands-on with the style. I’m always injecting my inspirations and personal style into everything, but it definitely helps when you’re working with people that know you very well, and you’re aligned on the look.

It helps when you’re very aligned also when you know exactly what you want.

Repping local

As James wanted Paris to see the excellence of Filipino fashion designers, all his looks for Paris Fashion Week were made by local talent. In particular, he wore outfits designed by Russell Villafuerte of Strongvillage, Iñigo Villegas, Peter Gagula of Peach.Garde, and Keith Sacasas of SACASAS.

Russell, whose journey as a fashion designer started when he joined Project Runway Philippines Season 2 in 2009, happens to find inspiration in practically anything, whether that be in nature, music, films, or TV. 

Where did you draw inspiration from for his looks? What was the process of coming up with these looks, and then putting them together?

Russell: My brand, Strongvillage, advocates for ethical fashion and sustainability. The one I made for James –  the top – was actually made from an upcycled dress, and the pants from an upcycled coat.

The top was made from an upcycled organza dress and lace from a different upcycled dress. The pants had a linen texture and [used] material[s] from an upcycled coat.

What were some ways that you incorporated James’s style within the looks that you were making? How did you collaborate with him and his team during this process?

James can wear anything with ease, and he’s been sporting a lot of street elements, so it was easy for us just to pull out an archive silhouette that he can easily pull off any time because Strongvillage as a brand is mainly streetwear.

Meanwhile, Iñigo Villegas has been designing costumes ever since he was in high school. He first started by creating streetwear pieces for his dance team, which they would use in their competitions.

Later on, he would start working for local designer Bonita Penaranda, and would then go on to to work full-time as a designer. 

“I often draw inspiration for my pieces from modern trends, exploring the use of unconventional materials, and incorporating my own style which is very pop fashion, elevated streetwear with different ways of detailing,” he shared.

He first met James while working at Careless Music Manila as an intern, and was later on tapped by James’s stylist, John Lozano, to create a look for him for Paris Fashion Week.

“John and I conceptualized his look and we came up with a look that was modern, classy, and stylish – very James actually,” Iñigo shared.

“I then incorporated my style and the use of different materials because, after all, it is Fashion Week, so we wanted to command attention through the look.”

For James’s look, Iñigo used a light blue denim fabric for the base and then incorporated a cropped silhouette for his jacket and semi-flare pants for his bottoms. 

He deconstructed the outfit with the addition of belt loops at the hem of his pants and then detailed everything with eyelets and beadwork to add more character to the look.

He added: “James is a very classy, modern, and chic guy so it is very easy to come up with a look for him that would compliment his style and taste.”

Even though this was Iñigo’s first time creating a look for Paris Fashion Week, he definitely understood the assignment and hopes that it’ll be the first of many.

Peter Gagula’s fashion designer journey, on the other hand, started in a department store in Iloilo.

“I was working [at] SM Iloilo for five years when my superiors pitched me a higher position if ever I finished my degree because I quit my studies in Nursing due to financial problems,” he’d shared with republicasia. 

“With their advice, I decided to back [to] college. Even though I wasn’t sure about the course I was going to take, I managed to do both: work and studies.” 

In his time back in college, Peter would champion in his university’s version of Project Runway, and would also become the first runner-up in the Iloilo New Breed Fashion Design Challenge in 2018.

He would go on to get a degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising at Iloilo Science and Technology University in 2018 before finally starting his own brand, Peach.Garde. 

At present, Peter describes himself as an artisanal fashion designer focused on tailoring and showcasing his items in numerous fashion shows in Iloilo. He’s known for his minimalist, tailored style, and his brand advocates for sustainability and timelessness.

It was through John Lozano that Peter would get the opportunity to dress James. Though he did get invites to dress other celebrities for Paris Fashion Week, he chose James in particular. 

For James’s look, Peter used pieces from his collection, “Revivo.”

How did it feel having your designs featured at Paris Fashion Week? 

Peter: It gave me validation about my craft because sometimes I doubt my style. This event is proof that my work can go global. It was surreal. I was extremely happy and excited for more.

Taken from the concept of brutalism and viewed through the lens of tailoring, I came up with modest, sharp, and tailored-finished piece[s]. The collection tells a story of my imagination about how people will dress up in their second life. Origami butterflies which represent hope and rebirth were added as embellishment[s.]

The main fabric was poly-twill, interlined with a suiting canvas, and full-lined with acetate. 

Peach.Garde is known for a style that is clean and pure, which I think is our meeting point about how James dress[es] up: just clean and dapper.

Another designer that James worked with for Paris Fashion Week was Keith Sacasas, the creator of SACASAS. This wasn’t the designer’s first rodeo in sending looks for Paris Fashion Week, and he was able to create a look for James that was both classy and unique.

“I’ll forever feel honored and grateful for every opportunity that comes my way,” he said, given that for Paris Fashion Week, he’s been able to style James, Catriona Grey, and many other beloved Filipino personalities.

How did you first meet James? How did you get the opportunity to style them for Paris? 

Keith: I met James way back around 2017 when I was interning as a fashion stylist. I was able to have the opportunity to dress James because of his stylist, John Lozano. 

James’ stylist already had an idea for the silhouette and cut of the blazer and pants. From there, I sketch[ed] something that strongly shows Sacasas. 

What were the materials that you used for his outfits?

We used my personal favorite fabric for a black suit, which is stretch wool and a contrast silk lining. The most important detail was the buttons because it completed the look. 

It all goes down to the silhouette and length, which John is perfectly aware of. 

It takes a village

At 17, James won “Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Clash 2010,” and would later on venture into a career in music, where he would find his calling. 

He would go on to release a number of songs, such as ones he did for the “Diary ng Panget” soundtrack like “No Erase” and “Natataranta.” 

He would then release his first album under his own record label, “Palm Dreams,” which signified his rebirth as an artist working to establish his own brand. 

Careless Music Manila, James and fellow artist Bret Jackson’s record label, then came to life in 2017. 

“People knew me for something that wasn’t really me,” he’d said in an interview in the past.

“I did a lot of acting, I did a lot of everything, but at the time, I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted to do. And then I started writing and producing my own songs.”

[From] starting with singing and acting, and now you have your own record label and you’re attending Paris Fashion Week for the second time, how are you feeling with everything you’ve been doing?

How are you able to balance it? Is it overwhelming?

Not really. It’s the community that I’m in, it’s the team that I work with. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this, so they make it possible, and they make it worth it.

Doing anything alone is never as fun, so I do this because of the community I’m in. 

With music, the reason I push so hard or take these types of risks is really because I have a lot of friends who are musicians. You wanna see growth as well in the community, even if that sometimes means you have to start alone.

Is there a specific type of motivation, idea, or mantra that you follow? What inspires you to take these risks, and find any way possible to grow within your career?

It’s really growth as a community. 

Personal growth is great, but I think it’s a lot more fulfilling, and gives you a lot more purpose when you’re growing as a community.

I’ve definitely found satisfaction in that when it comes to what I’ve been doing with music, what I’ve been doing with Careless. I think that’s the main driving force: to be able to grow as a community. 

Do you have any projects where you plan to go global? Kasi it’s not just limited to the Philippines anymore. “James Reid” is a name that’s known all over the world.

By all over the world, you’d be surprised. Any country I go to, for sure, there’s Filipinos there, I think because of everything I’ve done in TV and movies, I’ve become kind of like a household name.

But I wouldn’t say it’s about going global; everything’s global now. The Internet made the world accessible to anyone, it doesn’t matter where you’re from.

I wouldn’t say I’m going global [because] I’m a local artist, first and foremost. What’s been happening recently is that there’s been a lot of global appeal, and I think that’s really what it’s about. 

I’m a local artist, but then I think, there’s a lot of what we do in the Philippines that has global appeal. It’s a matter of taking those risks to get it out there, to put yourself on the map, go to these events, or create something the world can see.

A lot of people have talked about how you’re a major force in men’s fashion, whether that be in the Philippines or on a global scale. Do you agree with them?

I think only time will tell.

As for now, it’s just something I’m enjoying; I’m enjoying going to these shows, expressing myself through fashion, and having another avenue to explore my identity and another avenue to be creative.

Fashion is mostly about self-expression, and I don’t think I express myself the best out of anyone in the Philippines. It’s really my own personal journey with fashion that I’m focusing on.

Like I said, only time will tell, and what I’m guessing is going to happen is that the Philippines, in and of itself, will be a major force in fashion. 

Advocating for representation

Throughout his talk with RepublicAsia, James advocated for the Philippine representation in all avenues. Whether it be in the world of fashion, music, film, or television, he hopes to see more Filipinos making their country proud. 

More than this, despite his global appeal and being recognized by numerous brands, media outlets, and celebrities from all over the world, for example, he continues to stay close to his roots, highlighting Filipino greatness, all the way from the clothes he wears to the music he produces.

You’ve talked about how you want to see more Filipinos at events like [Paris Fashion Week.] Can you tell us about any other events you’d like to be invited to in the future, or that you want more Filipinos to be invited to?

The GRAMMYs. That would be nice. That’s one event I would like to be invited to. Even if I’m not there as a nominee, just as a guest, that would be cool – but of course, being there as a nominee would be even cooler.

I think in general, it would be great to see Filipinos on the international scene. They definitely have the potential, especially [since] the world is so accessible now, and people are starting to look into all these different cultures and subcultures, and finding something new and unique.

And the Philippines is very fashion-forward, I’d say, out of a lot of the countries in Asia. 

Not even just seeing Filipinos show up in international events like that, but seeing other people show up to local events, our own fashion week, I’d like to see that even more.

I also wanted to ask about your thoughts on the state of representation of Filipinos globally, since we’re seeing a lot more in media, television, and film. What are your thoughts on the fact that, over time, we’ve gotten more representation in all these industries?

It’s very encouraging, and it’s also very exciting, especially for entertainment, music, arts, fashion, for Filipinos.

We have been known to be so talented. I think as the world is getting smarter and wiser, and is evolving, a lot of the stereotypes that might have been holding Filipinos back are gone, and the world is more open now, and more accepting, understanding, and more willing to learn other cultures.

Now, and also in the future, more and more Filipinos will be showing up on the global stage.

Do you think there’s anything people may underestimate about Filipinos?

I’m not sure if this is something they underestimate, but I definitely think it’s something they overlook: the Filipino sense of community.

I was born in Australia, and coming to the Philippines, seeing how closely-knit communities are here, it almost feels like everyone’s one big family, which you just don’t feel in a lot of other cultures [because] everyone’s very private, isolated.

I think that’s what one of the strengths of Filipinos is, not just in the Philippines. If you look overseas, everyone builds their community, and everyone’s very closely knit.

Wherever I go, I can always find the Filipino community like that, and I think we should take advantage of that instead of bringing each other down here. We could take advantage of that to support each other and push our way into the global arena.

The next move

With regard to future plans, James makes mention of his latest venture into music: a new EP, with the first single, “Hurt Me Too,” available for streaming now. The rest of the EP will be rolling out throughout 2024.

“I’ve collaborated with so many different artists and producers, all local, for this project, [and] I’m very excited for that,” he shared.

The next single is scheduled to release next month: a song called “Sandal,” co-written with artist and producer Luke April. This will be James’s first Tagalog song after 10 years.

“The song was [something] I wrote for someone who was very, very, very dear to me,” he stated.

“Even if the world is turning its back on you, even if you’re having a hard day and you just don’t want to talk about it, I’m always here, and you can lean on me. That’s why it’s called Sandal.”