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Just Add Color: Breaking down Unique’s Art-Inspired Style for April

Just Add Color: Breaking down Unique’s Art-Inspired Style for April

A break from convention, comfort zones and life in black and white

 

 

When “everybody and every body,” the theme for April, came up, several names that fit the bill were thrown back and forth. But the moment Unique Salonga was put on the table, it was a done deal.

 

The promising young musician, unsurprisingly, lives up to his name: something we realized from a quick interview once before and learned again at the #WonderxUnique cover shoot.

 

It went without saying that, with Unique in mind, the theme’s creative interpretation was going to be attention-grabbing. At 18 years young, Unique Salonga’s clear-cut vision for his artistry––and a unique (no pun intended) aesthetic that is easily tied to his name––is impressive. Therein lied the challenge for us of telling the already-familiar story through a different lens and a very different look.

 

This story right here and below is about the clothes that maketh the man on the April cover of Wonder.

 

 

Construct a Classic, Deconstruct a Classic
The Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus front flap shirt is where tailoring meets cut-outs.

There’s no way anybody can lose from revisiting their classic wardrobe staples. The white button-down, the indigo denim trouser, the white trainer: a lot of the time, playfulness in dressing can come in how things like silhouette, cut and an item’s focal point are switched up. In Unique’s case, was a combination of all three.

 

Photos: Colin Dancel. White deconstructed button-down polo, COMME DES GARÇONS, ceam cotton trousers, PULL&BEAR, tan checkered coat, PROBLEM STUDIOS, J Balvin Vibras sport socks, GUESS, white Varix WC trainers, VANS

 

Paint and Print-on-Print
Welcome-to-the-art-room paint splatters on garden picnic checks: it’s one way to incorporate another dose of color.

Backtracking now: the conceptualization of this cover shoot came at a time where my mind, in particular, was consumed with street style looks from Seoul Fashion Week. Unique’s mood board allowed for playing around with baggy pieces, liberal yet breezy layering and elements that could almost clash but cohere instead. Enter: Problem Studios’ distinct checks, graphic print cutouts and paint…plenty of paint. Paired with a Raf Simons graphic tee, a powder pink Forever 21 polo and powder blue Vans sneakers, it was a look that certainly was the most off-brand for Unique. Sometimes off-brand, though, is what gives people the room to play.

 

Just Add Color: Breaking down Unique’s Art-Inspired Style for April

Photo: Tamia Reodica. Pink button-down, FOREVER 21, double neck t-shirt, RAF SIMONS, checkered and paint splattered trousers, PROBLEM STUDIOS, light blue Anaheim Factory Style 73 DX sneakers, VANS

 

Sublime Sunny Lime
Muted pastels for a change: Vans takes the neon green trend down a notch.

Color trends are great fun to watch out for and follow at times, but exploring subtler variations (read: that ensure you wear your pieces more than once) are just as worth your while. Opt, perhaps, for something that has a better chance of staying current for longer or something that flatters your skin tone more than whatever the hot new color of the month might be. For Unique, it was also about pairing a bright, near-lemonade shade of Vans’ sunny lime t-shirt with something neutral. In keeping with veering away from convention, however, we opted for loungewear as casualwear.

 

Photos: Tamia Reodica. Lime green t-shirt, VANS, gray striped pajama top, DEBENHAMS, gray striped pajama bottoms, DEBENHAMS, white button-down, RAF SIMONS, gray pinstripe mules, PEDRO SHOES

 

 

Still haven’t checked out Wonder’s April cover story? Tap here to read it. More Unique coming your way very soon, too. Stay tuned.

 

 

Featured Images Colin Dancel

Behind-the-scenes Photography Tamia Reodica

Art and Art Direction Alexandra Lara

Fashion Direction and Styling Nicole Blanco Ramos

Beauty Direction Cessi Treñas

Makeup and Hair Zidjian Floro using Laura Mercier

Shot on Location at Chroma Studio

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