Effortless cool
“I’m very shy. Do you feel it translating now?” Brent Manalo chuckles during our interview, flashing a smile that’s as charming as it is sheepish. Sitting cool amid a bustling studio busy with preparations for his shoot, the 26-year old actor, model, and content creator came to set decked in a rich brown leather jacket, a white tank, washed tawny jeans, leather boots, and a black cap. Brent’s demeanor seems laid-back and effortless—think James Dean a la Rebel Without A Cause—but he insists that it’s just his shyness. “But, I have a switch. Anytime, as long as I’m in front of the camera, I can be anyone you want [me to be].”
That switch has worked overtime for Brent; he’s been a lot of things over the past few years. In 2018, straight out of college, he landed a campaign for a global fashion brand. That led to a call from a talent agency, jumpstarting Brent’s acting career. He also became a lifestyle and fashion content creator in 2019, which he focused more on when he took a break from acting and modeling at the height of the global pandemic (right now, he commands a 2.5 million-strong following across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube). In 2022, Brent landed a role for a top-rated Philippine TV drama series, working alongside veteran actors. And just recently, he starred in a campaign that he styled himself for one of the world’s top luxury fashion houses. Not bad for somebody who admits to growing up painfully shy, right?
Eye for fashion
At a young age, Brent had the makings of a man who was willing to be daring and expressive through fashion. When he was fourteen, he showed up to his youngest sibling’s birthday party wearing a white polo that he re-styled with silver studs. It’s a wholesome memory, except for the part where Brent hid and took apart his mother’s belt, just to achieve the look. As he grew older, Brent went through a spectrum of fits, from schoolboy preppy, old money, to streetwear. “I used fashion as my armor,” he explains. “I wore different outfits every day. I never repeated my clothes—or, at least, I styled them in a way that won’t make it obvious.”
If Brent’s outfits are his armor, then he must always be the most fashionable knight in battle, so to speak. True enough, he’s been clad more expressively: oversized fits, sequined suits, racer jackets, unconventional tailoring, daring cutouts, and even lengthy skirts. It didn’t take long before Louis Vuitton took notice of his style, and when the fashion house worked with Brent, they let him choose his own outfits and set the creative direction for the shoot. Definitely a major upgrade from styling a shirt with stolen silver studs.
So where does our shy boy go from here? Yes, there are acting projects, creative collaborations, and more endorsements coming Brent’s way. But certainly, all eyes will be on what battle gear he’ll don next.
This story appears in the pages of VMAN SEA 01: now available for purchase!
Photography Shaira Luna
Art direction Mike Miguel
Fashion Eldzs Mejia
Grooming and hair Thazzia Falek and Patty Cristobal
Production Jones Palteng
Grooming assistant George Dillinger
Fashion assistants Carl Alberto and Migs Leguera
