mastermind
MILLION DOLLAR BABY CEO of lifestyle consulting agency Grand Tactics, partner to nightlife promotions company The Collective, and co-founder of Hot Air Brand—a clothing line catered towards the hot air balloon sport—BEE NGUYEN would rather call himself a “lifestyle architect.” By Loris Peña Photographed by Lazo
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rom connecting brands to the influential consumer demographic, dictating what is a “must-have,” to throwing the best parties in town, it’s no wonder Bee Nguyen has been hooked up as a brand ambassador of LA Belvedere Vodka. That’s also why he’s involved with Terry Kennedy’s new apparel line, Fly Society. But with great influence comes great responsibility. He shares, “If someone trusts their buying power on what I deem as a dope product, I cannot take on any project simply because of the paycheck. Like they say, ‘All money ain’t good money.’” And true enough, it shows in his
Hot Air Brand, where they put everything on hold until they figure out how to reach the hot air balloon community, so they won’t “[get] caught up in the mix of the streetwear scene.” Always seen in his go-to outfit: a simple white V-neck tee, a pair of raw denim, some work boots, and a few of his custom jewelry pieces, he lets us know that “it’s all about being comfortable in what you are rocking…if [you] feel like a million bucks, then it will show.”
grandtactics.com hotairbrand.com
LAW OF INERTIA “I’m avoiding the heartbreak in this album...”
GIAN MAGDANGAL bikes, swims, and runs—a right Ironman. He also acts, dances, and sings. When he was kicked out of his high school’s chorale, Gian stole the drama club’s shows. Since then, he’s become a reality show runner-up, recording artist, and all-around swell guy. By Giano D. Dionisio Photographed by Paolo Ruiz
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t’s been nonstop for Gian Magdangal, with local productions of West Side Story, RENT, and The Wedding Singer under his belt, as well as another leading role in Kaos, Manila’s first original Cirqueesque vaudeville. But although he has gotten over the danger of sharing a scene with a giant white tiger, his “biggest challenge is [still] the heels.” The other involves keeping his performances fresh every night, which he achieves by forcing himself to think of anything but high-risk motorcycle stunts when it’s not a show night. “If you have sincerity in every scene,” he relates, it keeps the audience engaged. Gian has also just wrapped up recording his latest studio
album, a soulful blend with original material, some mushy ballads, and a helping of himself. “I’m avoiding the heartbreak in this album; it has more of a happy, positive vibe… [because] that’s my disposition,” he explains. The album itself is a lesson in kinetic force, with an emotional velocity that rises and surges with Gian’s vocal magnitude. Having exerted himself these past years, he has finally decided to take a reprieve, spend time with family, and build up more momentum—we’re expecting some major energy that’ll push him even further than Newton’s laws could dictate.
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