The Best Complex Council Quotes to Live By for 2024
When we launched the Complex Council this year, we intended to prod the minds of those we believe best represent our key tenets of music, lifestyle, and pop culture. Featuring artists, content creators, athletes, and entrepreneurs, the Council is as reputable as anyone in their respective fields. So far, the audience reception – that includes […]
Nadine Lustre on Her Creative Independence
The Council: Nadine Lustre “Multi-hyphenate” is a term that gets tossed around often, but it’s a title that fits Nadine Lustre like a glove. We’ve seen Nadine grow from a teen actor into a FAMAS awardee, a singer, an unofficial Siargao ambassador, and an environmental advocate. Every milestone required a push against the boundaries set […]
Waiian on Embracing an Authentic Sound
The Council: Waiian Change is inevitable—all the more towards the reformation of Filipino sound. The industry proudly welcomes flavors from across the archipelago, gearing towards a community inclusive of voice and aesthetics. A sense of bayanihan (togetherness) is rooted in Original Pilipino Music (OPM)—growing and evolving together. With the rap/hip-hop wheels churning in the present, […]
Season Pass’ Lean Torres and Red Moraleta on Riding the Vintage Wave
The Council: Lean Torres and Red Moraleta Vintage continues to reign as a go-to wardrobe tenant. Its movement generates stylishness with hints of nostalgia, amassing a global audience. With present fashion trends seeping onto Philippine soil, acquiring such garments brings accessibility—with the nearby ukay (thrift) and fledgling Instagram stores settling as premier options. Despite the […]
Miss A and Fateeha on Modern-Day Filipino Femcees
The Council: Miss A & Fateeha While Filipino hip-hop has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to female representation, the culture has seen sporadic debuts of wildly talented femcees. The sibling duo of Miss A & Fateeha is the latest in a long line that proves that women more than deserve […]
DBTK’s Emil and Vince Javier on Being the Gateway to Filipino Streetwear
The Council: Emil & Vince Javier For many purveyors of Filipino streetwear, Don’t Blame The Kids was their gateway to the culture. Launched in 2012 by brothers Emil and Vince Javier, DBTK rose when international labels like Supreme and Stussy dominated the scene. The brand would evolve from small stalls at conventions to launching high-profile […]
Because on the Evolution of Filipino Love Songs
The Council: Because Filipinos, at their core, are hopeless romantics. What cannot be expressed in cheesy hugot lines or words of affection, we leave to music. Mainstream pop led the way, with OPM offerings that deal with love found, lost, butterflies in our stomachs, and will they/won’t they moments. But a recent evolution has seen […]
Jack Animam on the Future of PH Women’s Basketball
The Council: Jack Animam Basketball will forever be considered the Philippines’ unofficial national sport, as history evidences the people’s unwavering support and criticality. With cagers populating the broadcasts, showcasing local or international fixtures, the once male-dominated sport undergoes a timely reform—welcoming the fledgling female talent across the archipelago. 2013 saw the emergence of Jack Animam, […]
Nika Higashionna on the Convergence of Style and Hype
The Council: Nika Higashionna Fashion in the Philippines has been predominantly traditional—with the 2000s channeling a reform in adapting more foreign influences. Choosing the perfect fit transcends the mere utility of being clothed but presents a persona rich in personal expression and taste. With “hype” options playing a recurring wardrobe component in the past decade, […]
Jeff Ong & Rhea Bue-Ong
The Council: Jeff Ong and Rhea Bue-Ong Sneaker culture has evolved beyond the initial throngs of hip-hop and basketball. Virgil Abloh famously led the bridging of streetwear and luxury clothing with his Off-White collaboration with Nike on “The Ten,” and the movement has continued in audiences integrating iconic silhouettes in a wide range of styles. […]
