Let it B

No, this isn't a Beatles post.

It's about this brand that caught my eye.

"Nissin" is the leading brand in wafers. They wanted to go up agains "Nissin." So, they thought of a name that's can confuse people and one that will rub off some of the category leader's equity on to their brand.

You have to be clever to come up with something like that.

Blast from the past!

Seeing this store suddenly transported me to the early 2000s.

There was a time when the Gozum group of stores was the go to for clothes that were unique and fashionable. One of their flagship brands was YRYS, and it was one of the stores where you could find a lot of agency people buying their outfits.

Nest time, I'll go inside and see if they still have that strong 00s vibe.

Lime Time

Back in the 2010s, there was one US brand that was a go-to when it comes to shoes and accessories. Those who are familiar with fashion were also familiar with this brand. 

Piperlime was part of the GAP group of brands. They focused more on bags and accessories, and they carried hundreds of shoe brands - from designer labels to more pocket-friendly options.

They never had a store in Asia, but their website was there for us to peruse. Often, I'd check out products there, order them and have them delivered to a US address, and the products would find their way to MNL. Tedious, but worth it.

I'd also check out their stores when my travels would take me to the US. Their lime facade was hard to miss.

One time, they were even the sponsor for Project Runway's accessory wall. It was a sign of how serious they were in building their brand.

Alas, by 2015, the brand shuttered down both their on-line and off-line presence. 

And with that, Piperlime's story ended on a sour note.

Looking for Lapagayo

About 2 decades back, Lapagayo was a go-to brand among the preppy crowd in the Philippines.

Known for their ultra-colorful clothing - from shirts to windbreakers - this brand from Holland was a ubiquitous sight in universities and offices.

Then suddenly, it disappeared.

I remembered the brand today, and decided to search for it.

Apparently, you can still buy a lot of Lapagayo items on sites like Shopee, but I don't see any stores around the region.

I guess ultra-colorful windbreakers and shirts aren't as popular as they used to be.

Ad-ons

I like this local brand of accessories in SG.

I like it because it feels like an inside joke that only Ad folk will understand.

G.V.

This was an iconic brand back in the 70s and 80s. In fact, her jeans were the must-have-jeans and her name was the epitome of stylish cool.

And look, the brand is still around after all these decades!

A pleasant, fashionable surprise.

In the thick of things...

On this edition of funny labels, here's a clothing brand that might make you feel thicker than usual.

Found this shirt in Surplus Shop, and my first reaction was: "Gosh! Ang KappAhl!"

It's funny how some things can get lost in translation.

So, it's a fake?

Was looking through my HKG photos and found this gem of a shot which I took in Mongkok.

It's a Mini So knock-off! Complete with the deceiving logo.

They fake everything these days.

Monki business

Folks who are attuned to fast fashion know that H&M and COS are siblings. But what a lot of people don't know is that there are a number of other brands under the Hennes & Mauritz umbrella.

There's one lesser known sibling which I always had my eye on since discovering it in Europe - Monki!

If I'd portray them as siblings, I'd say Monki is the youngest and most adventurous in the family. The brand's aesthetic and design is very young and experimental, which makes it fun to wear.

They already had Monki in HKG as early as 2008, and it's good to see that they've expanded to a few more stores in the past years.

For sure, their clothes are too young for my sisters. But I'm introducing the brand to my nieces and nephews since they're the next generation in fashion.

Moschino's lost sibling

Apparently, this brand has a relative in the Philippines that it doesn't know about.

Behold, the bag I saw at The Landmark.

Definitely a distant relative.

Bye Bye Basic House

When they started selling their already-on-sale-items on a buy-one-take-one scheme, I knew it was trouble for Basic House.

True enough, their stores in Megamall, Greenhills and SM North EDSA are all closed.

I guess it didn't have as strong an appeal as Uniqlo. Or maybe the franchisers' coffers aren't that deep.

Another brand bites the dust.

A shadow of it's former jean-ius self

Back in the 90s, one of the must-have brands was Girbaud. It was a French brand of apparel and accessories, and one of the first European fast fashion brands to arrive in Manila.

They were known for their revolutionary and innovative designs, particularly with jeans. While Levi's, Wrangler and other denim brands went for simple and classic, Girbaud went for wild and unconventional. Their jeans were either super slim or ultra baggy, and had interesting details like oversized belt loops or denim fringes that went down to the floor.

Another defining characteristic of Girbaud was its price. Back then, it was one of the premium jean brands with some styles running up to P4,000. (That time, a Levi's 501 would be somewhere within the P1,500-P2,000 range.) That made it more coveted, and the brand became a status symbol of sorts.

Last weekend, I dropped by the Girbaud store in SM. It was merely a shadow of its former self. The store wasn't well-stocked, with only a few pieces of apparel and a raggedy collection of wallets and bags. Most of their items were either 50% off or on a Buy 1, Get 1 promo. And the jeans... sadly, there were very few styles available, and the innovative designs I liked about this brand were all gone.

There was one design that I liked, though. I asked for my size, tried it on, and it turned out to be really nice. When I checked out the price, it was less than P1,000. A Girbaud, for less than P1,000. That's how far they are from the Girbaud of the 90s.

Then again, I got a nice pair of Girbaud jeans for a really good price. So, being a shadow of your former self isn't all that bad.

Contrab(r)and

 Everyone knows this famous fast fashion brand from Spain. After all, it's been on everyone's lips - and closets - since it arrived a few years ago.

But did you know that this famous brand has an unknown sister? Harhar.

Gosh. I wonder if anyone actually falls for this contraband brand.