In 2016, SM Men uncovered the many hidden layers of fashion to reveal infinite possibilities in the seemingly limited sphere of men’s clothing. The launch of SM Men Plus was a revolution in local fashion, in that SM Men recognized the much-clamored need for plus-size men to have a wide range of comfortable yet trendy pieces accessible for them.
The brand kicked off by launching Zach Miko as its first-ever ambassador-an international face of body positivity for men, being the first ever plus size male model in the famed IMG models line-up. As it marks one year providing fashion forward clothing for plus-size men, SM Men Plus introduces three unexpected yet perfect new faces for the pioneering brand.
Three achievers in their own fields revolutionize the meaning of “plus-size men”: Philippine Basketball Association star player Greg Slaughter of team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, chef and restaurateur Luigi Muhlach, and Alexis Deocaris, man behind the wildly successful culinary microblog, ForkSpoon Manila. These three new ambassadors provide a refreshing angle for men’s fashion in the country, as they transcend set notions of what it takes to be a man of style, both in terms of size and in their level of achievements.
“In choosing our new ambassadors, we tried to stay true to what SM Men Plus is all about: proving that men of all sizes, shapes, and interests can be included in the fashion conversation,” says Jeffrey Lo of SM Men. “Coming from a successful launch with the first male plus size model in the international modeling scene, we felt that SM Men Plus’ first anniversary is the right time to introduce real men known locally for their respective fields to serve as an example that whatever your lifestyle is, vertically or horizontally blessed men should enjoy expressing themselves through clothing.”
The three also expressed both their surprise and excitement for being ambassadors of the brand. Luigi puts it into words: “I’m pretty stoked! This is actually the first time I will be representing a clothing brand. My advise for plus-size men is to not be discouraged, as there is a brand available that is both stylish and suited for us.”
Greg expresses his happiness and relief in finding a store locally that cater to his seven-foot frame: “Clothing was always limited to me in the Philippines. It’s like I lived in my basketball clothes because that’s all that ever fit me here. But this new line from SM has given me a whole new range of options.”
Finally, Alexis doles out advice for plus-size men contemplating on a fashion upgrade: “Whatever your size is, there should be no hindrance in terms of expressing yourself through clothing. Happiness is what comes out when you express yourself.”
With its range of on-trend style pieces-from polos, shirts, structured jackets to all kinds of bottoms and layers-on for any occasion, SM Men Plus seems to be acing the job pretty well.
SM Men Plus is available at all branches of The SM Store. Visit facebook.com/SMMensfashion or on Twitter and Instagram at @SM_Men for more details on SM Men Plus.
