January is big for many Filipino music lovers as British rock band Coldplay returned to the country for a concert at the Philippine Arena. But for one of its members, performing in front of many Filipinos wasn’t just his only agenda.

Recently, the band’s bassist, Guy Berryman, visited Univers One Rockwell to launch his fashion label Applied Art Forms (A/A/F). Established in 2020, the Amsterdam-based brand is known for contemporary men's and women's pieces inspired by utilitarian, military, and workwear. It celebrates European and Japanese techniques, with sustainability at its core. To do that, Guy and his team design pieces that are meant “to last a lifetime—and to improve with age.”

"My background, before I became a musician, was engineering and architecture. I’ve always been passionate about design and manufacture. It was important for me to re-engage with these skill sets," Guy told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle via email.

Guy's creative process usually involves looking at vintage garments and sourcing inspiration from everyday life, the internet, old books and magazines, and even dreams. According to him, these ideas will be fed into the team and often worked up as quick sculptural prototypes in the studio by cutting old garments together.

"I have a huge collection of old garments—lots of denim, workwear, and military pieces. Mostly from the 1940s through the 1960s. Some are even older," he said. Utility garments always seem beautiful to me as they generally follow a form-follows-function principle, which embeds honesty and authenticity into them. ”

Present at Univers One Rockwell store are some of the brand’s pieces, including the “Love Is The Drug” capsule collection. The limited-edition Valentine’s Day-inspired line, first launched in 2022, features hoodies, sweaters, and oversized tees with screen-printed artwork

"I would love to see my clothing being worn in the Philippines," Guy said. "I hope people will discover a label that makes timeless clothing that will last a very long time and look more beautiful as it gets older."

To know more about A/A/F’s available pieces in the Philippines, visit univers.ph or @univers.ph on Instagram.

Hello, readers! Do you have a story you want us to feature? Send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and X and let’s talk about it.