This Gen-Z influencer is one of the established and breakout names informing fashion and, more importantly, culture today. More from the series →
Social media content creator, face of Nike Pride campaign
“Moody, extra, glamorous.” That’s how gender-bending innovator Bretman Rock describes his style in three words.
The 23-year-old Filipino social media star (with more than 43 million followers across all major platforms) has wowed Gen Z and beyond with his dewy skin, next-level makeup looks and fearless fashion sense. Point blank, Rock is all about aesthetic.
“Vanity, and everything that has to do with vanity, is something I’ve always been obsessed with since such a young age, whether it’s hair or makeup, and especially clothing,” Rock said. “It’s not that I don’t want to ever do beauty anymore. It’s that I want to let the world know that, yes, I can slay a face, but I can also slay garments.”
And the world has taken notice. The Hawaii native, who grew to fame by way of Vine and YouTube, has graced the cover of “Teen Vogue.” Plus, he was the face of Nike Pride, and he’s worked with countless designers, including Michael Kors, Ferragamo and Stella McCartney. He said he recently attended NYFW feeling “so confident,” and, most notably, he just appeared on the cover of “Playboy” as its first openly gay male. But for the seemingly larger-than-life personality, the magnitude of his influence often goes under the radar.
“I’m just always at home on my little tiny island of Hawaii,” he said. “I don’t really get to see the impact of how many people actually see my videos until I’m out of the island or when I actually meet people in real life. I feel like I’m constantly realizing that.”
In fact, people will probably be surprised to know that the multifaceted star is actually pretty lowkey outside of his internet persona.
“People expect that my energy will be very intense, because sometimes I am [that way] online,” he said. “It seems like that people get shocked when they realize that I’m actually very chill and laid back. I get a lot of comments about how I’m chill in person. But, style-wise, what you see is what you get, baby girl!”
To that point, don’t expect to see Rock bundled up in a T-shirt and sweats. When asked about the pressure to look “on” at all times, he said simply: “Who wouldn’t want to look their best 24/7? Like, come on, now. I’m extra as hell! But actually, yes. Yes the hell, I do feel the pressure. And I do love looking good 24/7.”
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