Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life, Nov. 24) — This month, visit a Singaporean brand’s pop-up shops, book a beauty appointment, and start your holiday shopping with new designer picks, skincare sets, and more.
Love, Bonito on Wheels at SM Mall of Asia. Photo courtesy of LOVE BONITO
Singapore brand Love, Bonito opens pop-up stores in Metro Manila malls
Love, Bonito has been a crowd favorite since it launched online in the Philippines a few years ago. The brand’s classic silhouettes and pastel color palettes are popular with office workers because of their versatility and size range — elements that make up a wardrobe that’s easy to mix and match on an everyday basis. This month, they launched Love, Bonito on Wheels, a pop-up series that visited several malls in Metro Manila. Visitors could try on the Love, Bonito pieces and scan a QR code to purchase them online via the brand’s website. — CNN PHILIPPINES LIFE STAFF
Love, Bonito on Wheels will be at Uptown Mall BGC from Nov. 26 to 27, SM Megamall from Dec. 3 to 4, UP Town Center from Dec. 10 to 11, and SM Mall of Asia from Dec. 17 to 18.
Gucci's Good Game capsule collection, photographed by Piczo. Photo courtesy of GUCCI
Gucci launches gaming-inspired capsule collection
In a coincidental play on the gamer term “GG,” meaning “good game,” and the initials of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci, the fashion house is venturing into the world of gaming in its latest capsule collection. The collection, displayed in a series of photos depicting a futuristic dreamworld by photographer Piczo for King Kong Magazine, features the iconic GG monogram across T-shirts and bowling shirts, hoodies, slides, sneakers, and bags — all made with metallics and iridescent effects to represent the fashion house’s connection to the gaming world. — CNN PHILIPPINES LIFE STAFF
Aesop’s 2022 holiday gift set collection is called “The Poetry of Place.” Photo courtesy of AESOP
Aesop comes out with holiday gift sets
To visit any Aesop shop anywhere in the world is a retail pilgrimage worth embarking on, as each one made with an aesthetic and philosophical discipline. The skincare brand’s newest Manila outpost in Powerplant Mall was inspired by the features of the bahay kubo.
Its shops all over the world were what inspired Aesop’s 2022 holiday gift set collection, called “The Poetry of Place.” Igneous (₱2,300), which is a germanium leaf body care pairing, alludes to the stone facades in their Pitt Street shop in Sydney. Hand care set Industrious (₱3,250) was inspired by the cloistered spaces of Aesop Sounds Hannam in Seoul. Taking cues from Aesop in Downtown LA, Congruous (₱5,300) is a four-piece set for both hand and body care. Aesop’s most comprehensive gift set this year is Precipitous (₱9,500), with a trio from their parsley seed line. It follows the tradition of Aesop New Town Plaza in Hong Kong, described by the brand as “a place of quietude among clamor.”
All of Aesop’s gift sets come in 100% recycled paper pulp. There is also sleeve made of recycled paper that talks a bit more about the architectural space corresponding to each set, giving every recipient a view into Aesop’s stores all over the world. — MARGA BUENAVENTURA
The Industrious and Precipitous seasonal gift kits are now available at Aesop Greenbelt and Aesop Rockwell. The Igneous and Congruous gift kits will be available early December. For the convenience of our customers, Aesop Philippines is now available to purchase online at aesopskincare.ph.
The new Reebok store at SM Megamall. Photo courtesy of REEBOK
Reebok opens flagship store in SM Mega Fashion Hall
American clothing and fitness brand Reebok recently opened its new flagship store at SM Megamall, a first for Reebok’s new distributor. Located on the third floor of Mega Fashion Hall, the store is stocked with footwear, clothing, and accessories that are suited for both professional athletes and casual fitness enthusiasts.
As far as sports-specific items go, the majority of Reebok flagship store’s footwear selection focuses on running, cross training, and active lifestyles. There are also a number of styles in the men’s section that cater to basketball players. During the flagship launch, Reebok also reintroduced their Classic Leather collection, a fan favorite from their 1983 archives. Unlike its original iteration, the new Classic Leather shoe now comes in varying colorways and stitching innovations for a contemporary refresh. — MB
The new Reebok flagship store is located on the third floor of SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall.
Salon management system BeautyBuddy launches in Manila
A new player in local tech has set it sights on the beauty industry, a fast-growing market in the Philippines as self-care treatments became popular during months-long lockdowns. BeautyBuddy is a salon management system that makes beauty appointments simplified, as the website features various partner salons that offer varying services. On the BeautyBuddy website, you can book a haircut from one salon then schedule a wax in another preferred brand. Clients are also reminded of their next appointments using the platform’s automated reminder system. Interestingly they also have a lookbook feature that lets you choose popular styles to show stylists during your next salon visit.
I was able to use BeautyBuddy’s website to book myself an appointment at Bench Skin Expert, one of their partner brands. The Maxisculpt by Legend service can be done on the face, arms, or stomach and as the name suggests, gives the chosen area a sculpted finish. The BeautyBuddy website provided me with a schedule of availability, so I was able to choose a time and date that worked well for me. Once my appointment was confirmed, BeautyBuddy made sure to remind me of my appointment ahead of the date itself. (Which helps when you’ve got a lot going on a busy day.) The treatment itself, done on my face, was just as painless and hassle-free, and may be the reason why my hormonal acne didn’t flare up recently. After the appointment, BeautyBuddy sent a thank you email with an easy link to book the service again for another session. — MB
The Collective introduces new brand of period-safe underwear
Online skincare concept store The Collective recently brought in period care brand Scarlet as part of its brand offerings. Originally from Australia, Scarlet currently has two items in stock on The Collective website. The Everyday Bikini Brief (₱1,184) is a quick-absorbing period panty that can last up to 12 hours. It has two variations (light to moderate flow and moderate to heavy flow) that are equivalent to 2 to 3 pads and 4 to 6 pads respectively. The Bikini Brief is available in sizes XS to XL. The Scarlet Period Cup (₱1,665) distinguishes itself with an indented finger grip system and flexible stem, making insertion and removal worry-free. All products by Scarlet are 100% vegan, leak-proof, with a promise to be long-lasting. — MB
Scarlet products are exclusively available on The Collective.