Table of contents for April - July 2020 in Da Man

Optimism in the face of adversity has always been one of humanity’s most powerful traits. And as the world faces one of the worst pandemics in ages, it is a good time to maintain a healthy amount of optimism. This storm, too, shall pass. In the meantime, we simply have to learn to cope. For instance, Scottish actor Sam Heughan, this issue’s cover boy, is currently stuck in the U.S., but remains busy juggling various projects. Shawn Hatosy of “Animal Kingdom” fame is also living through the lockdown of Los Angeles while Yoson An who stars in the live-action of adaptation of “Mulan” must contend with the fact that his big Hollywood breakout has been postponed for a while. Most importantly, however, is for all of us to stay safe…

For the Greater Good Gucci has announced that the brand will stand with the global community in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by making two separate donations to crowd-funding campaigns: Locally, in Italy where the company is based, for the Italian Civil Protection Department (Protezione Civile) in partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo; and globally, for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in support of the World Health Organization, through a matching campaign with Facebook. “We Are All In This Together” is the call to action that will accompany Gucci’s crowd-funding campaign along with an illustration gifted by Rome-based artist MP5, depicting a person holding their hand to their heart in a symbol of solidarity. “This pandemic calls us to an unexpected task, but it is a call to which we respond…

The Masquerade Men are known to have relatively tougher skin, which is—supposedly—less prone to acne and more resilient against environmental stressors. But that also means that their skin is more resistant to skincare products. Enter the face mask. Face masks are, of course, new. In fact, chances are that if you’re reading this article you have already adopted a holistic skin care regimen and are looking for options to make your skin feel a little bit better. Using face masks is the secret to looking great in no time; they provide you with an arsenal to quickly improve your skin’s clarity, moisture and texture. Essentially a reset for your face, masks provide all sorts of great benefits for your skin. They work even for dealing with post-shave irritations, since the…

Visit a gym—any gym—or maybe a fitness-themed YouTube channel and you’re bound to see kettlebells. These distinctively-shaped weight training gear (we’ll return to the shape of kettlebells later) have become pretty much ubiquitous now—and with good reason. Kettlebell workouts offer a wide range of benefits and also a wide range of variety. And speaking of variety, a really cool exercise using these cannon-balls-with-handles-attached is the kettlebell flow. So, for this Fitness article, we’re inviting you to flow down a story covering the basics of kettlebell training all the way to kettlebell flows. THE FUNDAMENTALS One of the main appeals of kettlebell training is that it offers a happy medium between weight training and high intensity cardio, thus allowing us to burn fat while building muscle tone at the same time.…

Along with his fellow cast members, Arya Vascvo is part of a new generation of Indonesian actors. For one, they check all the right boxes: they’re young, talented and attractive. The attractive bit might not be all too relevant if you have the talent, but it is hard to miss. On that note, the photoshoot for this article was a breezy one. Everyone knew how to pose and what their best angle is, which is a bonus. The guys have great chemistry on set and we can’t help but think that this energy they bring to work is part of what made the “Gossip Girl Indonesia” web-series successful. You can’t miss Vasco’s tall stature and his fair looks, thanks in part to his Dutch genes from his father’s side. Arya…

The release of Disney’s latest live-action blockbuster has faded. And the same can be said for the people behind the project. Recently, DA MAN chatted with Yoson An, the man who plays Mulan’s love interest in the movie. While a lot of people might still be unfamiliar with his name, the Macau-born actor won’t stay unrecognized for long once “Mulan” hits theaters worldwide. DAMAN: Hi Yoson, thank you for spending some time with us. How are you? Yoson An: I’m great! Thanks for hanging out with me too. DA: “Mulan” is one of the most anticipated Disney live-action remakes. How do you feel about being in the project? YA: The animated movie was one of my favorite childhood Disney cartoons. Being a part of this project has been somewhat of…

1 Home Sweet Home Martell, the world’s leading cognac brand, presented the “Rindu Kamu Yang Dulu” (Missing the Old You) concert at Pallas Fairground SCBD on Friday, February 14, as part of its House of Martell Entertainment initiative “Home by Martell.” Among the attendees were Martell’s Heritage Director Jacques Menier along with Amaury Martell, who was joined by a large number of VIP guests and celebrities, including Pernod Ricard’s Managing Director Edhi Sumadi, Aming and many more. At the concert, guests were entertained with songs by Marcell Siahaan and Judika.…

COPY AND PASTE Co-ords—as in, matching two-piece outfits—are among the most essential fashion items this summer. Unsurprisingly, the best co-ord apparel this season are heavy on patterns, logos and loud patterns. Even when they come in more subtle, monochromatic designs—like this pair from Balenciaga—co-ords are definite statement pieces meant for bold spirits.…

Playing Color Louis Vuitton presents a unique blend of relaxed and classic chic with its latest Taïgarama leather goods line. The Taïgarama line first debuted last year and for the spring/summer 2020 collection, the house’s signature Taïga leather is now paired with the Monogram canvas across a range of colorful and wearable styles. This time, Louis Vuitton’s spirit of travel and savoir-faire are combined with a new casual approach that modernizes masculine codes. The collection also comes in a graphic mix of materials. From bags to accessories, the collection offers a variety of supple, urban, contemporary shapes. The key and iconic pieces such as the Keepal, Discovery Backpack, Outdoor Messenger, a mini Bumbag, Messenger Bag and Horizon 50 Rolling Luggage are presented in vibrant summer shades. The accessories vary from…

1 The Men Mask from Sephora Collection is a complete 5-in-1 skincare mask especially designed for men, even those with beards. A key ingredient of this particular mask is black charcoal enriched with revitalizing sea salt extract. 2 Sensatia Botanicals has a comprehensive range of face masks for every skin type and concern. The Green Tea & Tamarind Facial Mask is formulated for combination skin and helps remove old skin cells and excess oil. 3 Draw out dirt, oil and grime with the Irish Moor Mud Mask from Peter Thomas Roth. The black moor mud is combined with hijiki seaweed, volcanic ash and activated charcoal to minimize pores, fine lines and wrinkles.…

A Fashion Legend “The Chiffon Trenches” by André Leon Talley is the new memoir by the legendary style icon whose presence and contribution in the fashion industry are well known and admirable. The book offers a candid look at the who’s who of fashion for the last fifty years and tells with raw honesty how Leon Talley not only survived the brutal style landscape but thrived to become one of the most renowned voices and faces in fashion journalism. He started off his career alongside Andy Warhol at Interview then a fateful meeting with Karl Lagerfeld sparked a decades-long friendship with the enigmatic designer. With his knowledge and adoration of fashion, Leon Talley’s career also rose as he made important friends and also enemies along the way. “The Chiffon Trenches” also…

Baskara Mahendra is on the path to make his name in the film industry. Before landing his role un “Gossip Girl Indonesia”, he was already involved in several Indonesian films—and successful ones too, if one might add. But he hasn’t always been an actor. Mahendra actually started his career working in an office while being offered modeling jobs. It wasn’t until he landed a supporting role in a film titled “My Generation” by director Upi Avianto and learned about the film industry that he realized that he wanted to be in the biz. Not long thereafter, Mahendra resigned from his day job, joined a management agency and began his acting career. From there, he appeared in local music videos, web series and soon enough, more films. In a mere three…

Playing the role of a bad guy convincingly takes a lot of skill; giving a bad guy nuance, depth and a genuine sense of humanity underneath the veneer of cruelty, now that’s something else. And that’s something that Shawn Hatosy has done for four seasons in hit TV series “Animal Kingdom.” Now that the fifth season of the show is on its way—a bit delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but that’s not exactly unexpected—DA MAN reached out to the actor/director to learn more about his performance as the disturbingly-appealing Andrew “Pope” Cody and his thoughts about how the film industry is growing. DAMAN: Hi, Shawn; thank you for making the time for this interview. How are you doing? Shawn Hatosy: Currently I am social distancing and have been in lockdown…

Dare to Denim Let’s face it: Denim is never going to be out of trend. Its versatility to transform itself for each season is just astounding. In fact, double denim had a resurgence this season, mainly in Paris and Milan. From Loewe, Celine and Valentino, each had their own rendition of the craze—all of them equally good and fitting for the season. Animal Kingdom Taking inspiration from the jungle and the savannah, leopard print motifs are absolutely everywhere, sometimes alternating with zebra or tiger stripes. If you don’t already own some animal print pieces, this the perfect time to invest in the trend. Pick your animal spirit and get ready to pounce into the urban jungle. Autumn in the Spring When talking about spring/summer fashion, the usual colors that come…

1 “Figure It Out” is a nonfiction collection of essays by poet, artist, critic and novelist Wayne Koestenbaum containing twenty-six ecstatic collisions between his mind and the world. It is both a guidebook for, and the embodiment of, the practices of pleasure, attentiveness, art and play. 2 Straightforward and direct, “How To Give Up Plastic” is a guide to eliminating plastic from our life. Greenpeace activist Will McCallum will teach you how to spot disposable plastic items and find plastic-free alternatives. You’ll also learn how to advocate your community to commit on this matter. 3 “5D: Diesel, Dream, Disruption, Deviation, Denim” is neither an academic study nor a chronological retelling of Diesel’s history in denim. It’s a tongue-in-cheek compendium about Diesel’s denim universe. The book also tells how denim permeates…

About now, you may have had your fill of tips, guides, advice or just about anything, really, about the coronavirus crisis. On the other hand, with the crisis showing no signs of slowing down and new developments popping up every so often, it is crucial to have the basics of the disease right. It might also seem that all the fuss about social distancing, the constant hand washing and so on is just a whole lot of nothing for those of us still unaffected. But that’s exactly the best-case scenario everybody’s hoping for in a pandemic like this: absolutely nothing. So, to ensure that nothing happens to any of us until the crisis has past, let’s take one more look at the essentials of life in the time of the…

Since the last time we met with Cinta Laura Kiehl, which is a good three years ago—give or take, the Indonesian-German actress and singer has moved forward quite a bit. When I asked her what some the biggest changes were since she last appeared on the magazine, she begins with the usual “Wow, there’s a lot of them” but then continued with: “So, I made Jakarta my base again in July 2019, after having lived in the U.S. for eight years.” Kiehl then continues: “I also released two singles in the past seven months, titled ‘Vida’ and ‘Caliente’ and I went to Korea and Malaysia to perform there.” Speaking about her singles, there’s something slightly different in terms her musicality. Kiehl admits that this time, she brought with her a…

The casting director for “Gossip Girl Indonesia” did a great job with the cast of the series. When the production team first announced lineup of actors in the adaptation, Jerome Kurnia’s name was there. In the series, he portrays Chicco Salim, adapted from the character of Chuck Bass from the original “Gossip Girl” who was played by one of DA MAN’s former cover stars, Ed Westwick. Even though Chuck’s character is not exactly a crowd favorite, it’s one of those roles that needs special treatment because it is such a strong character to play. And if anything, Kurnia is up for the challenge. He auditioned for the roles of Chicco and Nathaniel and eventually got the former. Kurnia himself admitted that he was more comfortable playing Chicco. Talking about roles,…

Scottish actor Sam Heughan is known primarily for his portrayal of Jamie Fraser, the male lead and one of the most intriguing characters from “Outlander.” As a historical drama series based on the novel series of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, “Outlander” follows Claire Randall (played by Caitriona Balfe), a married former World War II nurse, who in 1946 finds herself transported back to Scotland in 1743. There, she encounters a dashing Highland warrior, who is, of course, none other than the aforementioned Jamie Fraser. Being a part of “Outlander” has had a huge impact on the Heughan’s life. Of course, the same can be said for some of the other projects that he’s involved with this year, from a line of Scotch whiskies called The Sassenach to the…