Capt. Frank Desiderio was all over the news when he was named the first ever Filipino to pilot the A380 bus, the biggest commercial aircraft in the world, in 2014. As the aircraft commander, he is responsible for the safety of hundred people on board in the entire duration of the flight. His career did not start well in the beginning like what most would dream of and he had to prove himself before getting the big break in 1994 – the start of his work as a flight instructor.

Photo by Alex Callueng; Photography Assistant – Bethoven Filomeno Special thanks to – Giordano, Nikon, Liali Jewellery, Lulu, Mitsubishi and Western Union.

With Western and Arabic models dominating the local world of advertising and fashion, and Southeast Asians a rare sight whether on media or on the runways, it is truly amazing to see a handful of Filipinos make a breakthrough in the local style scene.

Illustrado interviews Lope Navo, Filipino International Fashion Photographer. Known for his work for Dior, L’officiel Hommes, Esquire and more, Navo shares his insights, personal story and artistic journey on this edition of Artist Spotlight. Tell us about yourself. What kind of art do you make? Feel free to include your personal story. I’m a fashion …

Staring at old photos of Manila must have had this effect on me. I have been day dreaming, imagining myself walking down the streets of Manila during its glory days, trying to feel how it was like to walk down a charmingly glorious city that was the envy of other cities in South East Asia.