Walking the ramp for Lee's Make History fashion show last October 22 was actually a promise of things to come. Five days later, Robin Padilla signed his contract with Jag—sister company of Lee—to launch the brand's back-to-basics campaign.
He said, "Sabi nga ng nanay ko, nung pinanganak daw ako, naka-maong ako, e. Talagang ako'y si mister maong nung araw pa. Nag-uumpisa pa lang ako sa pelikulang Pilipino, maong na. Kaya ano rin ito, isang sagot din sa mga panalangin natin."
The action star was clad in a white shirt, jeans, a pair of cowboy boots, and a beret.
When asked if he has a stylist, he replied, "Ako lang ito."
And when we brought up the word "fashion," he quickly said, "wala akong ano diyan..."
But the former Bad Boy of the Philippine movies already made himself a fashion icon in the '90s. Remember how he started the craze for bandana and fatigue jackets? Robin also revived the skinhead look for guys.
He smiled at the recollection, saying that his only intent then was to create a distinct mark for his bad-boy image. Fashion didn't have anything to do with it.
Even the "pulseras galing sa Iran" he was wearing that day was inspired by the Greek hero Achilles, whom he described as "the greatest warrior [that] ever lived."
"Pag sinusuot ko ito, parang ang sarap ng pakiramdam. Ginawa ko na lang siyang fashion statement. Magandang isama sa T-shirt. Imbes na kung anu-anong burloloy, amulet din," he explained.
Binoe (his nickname) stressed that body influences his sense of fashion.
"Wala talaga akong ano diyan. Wala akong alam na sikat sa ganyan. Wala talaga, e. Sinasabi lang sa akin na, 'O, panoorin mo lagi si ano, si ganito, si ganun...Minsan, hindi ko naman nagagawa, e. Yung sa damit, wala talaga. Minsan sabi nila, manood daw ako ng fashion channel," the freelance actor said.
And who among the local celebrities would he consider a fashionista?
He dropped only one name: BB Gandanghari.
But he quickly clarified, "Hindi na kami nagpapakialamanan sa damit, lalo na ngayon."
He explained, "Ibig ko sabihin, magkaiba talaga yung ano namin, style. Pero minsan, nag-guest yata ako nun sa Startalk, binihisan niya kami ng mga damit niya, yun...Nangyari na yun, pero hindi naman...Basta, iba talaga. Iba, iba, kahit na nung si Rustom pa siya, kahit na ngayon, hindi ko puwedeng sabihin na susundin ko lahat yung [style niya.]. Kasi minsan, bading yung style ng boots niya, e. Iba, iba. Yung belt niya, malaki nga, pero ang kintab! Iba talaga."
