It has been more than a year since Marvin Conanan created his independent brand, Chief. It began as a vintage store and evolved into menswear design inspired by heritage and classic pieces, but with the current influences of music, film, culture and art.

Sports take center stage in the Summer 2013 collection. Conanan was inspired by water polo, when he bumped into a friend who plays for the Philippine water polo team. He decided to help push the sport locally.

“It’s just something new to most people, and that is what the brand aims to provide—different experiences and lifestyles, and showcasing passionate people,” he explains.

He even made a short documentary about the team. Unlike swimming, which is an individual sport, water polo requires teamwork. The Philippine team is composed of athletes from different walks of life who can all work well together.

Conanan’s pieces are studies of blues, grays and whites—subtle colors, a contrast to the brights associated with summer. Through his line, Conanan wants to underscore the brand’s vision to inspire and influence.

“There is more to every life,” he adds. He wants to encourage people to do something to help create a society that is open-minded, liberal and entirely experienced. “No one can really quantify all the things we can experience in this world, but one can make the most of what one is capable of doing.”

Photography

Toff Tiozon

Styling

Luis Carlo San Juan

Grooming Sari Campos

Hairstyle Mark Familara

Model Kirst Viray

Colored chinos by Bench