Joseph Bermudez Reunites with Friends (And Family!) at The Vogue Man Launch Party

On the night of the Vogue Man Launch Party, photographer Joseph Bermudez was early to arrive at The Peak Bar. He is fresh off of his full-time job, but, despite arriving camera-in-hand, was fully committed to losing himself in the evening. He didn’t come with his usual steadfast focus and quiet demeanor; instead, he was chatting up musician Jason Dhakal by the bar; sharing a toast with Christophe Bariou; and laughing away with the other two “photo diarists” (the name they coined for themselves that evening), Karl King Aguña and Borgy Angeles. 

The party only held more surprises as it raged on. He didn’t expect to find fellow Davaoeña and designer Goldie Siglos in the center of the dance floor, who deliberately didn’t tell him she flew in to surprise him, or Mindanaoan model Kurt Vicencio, his long-time friend whom he hadn’t seen in years. Joseph would also run into his frequent collaborators, from Nadine Lustre and Lyn Alumno to the creatives on the Vogue Philippines team. 

He’d amassed several “stolen snaps” by the end of the night. But the final selection of photos he would end up submitting to the team didn’t look like the files he initially sent over for selects; they were printed and scanned: remnants of a spellbinding evening glazed over with the vintage, early-aughts feel through which he sees the world. 

Below, find Joseph’s collage of creatives, actors, and musicians, many of whom are his long-time friends and collaborators, reunited for the first time in years in celebration. 

As told to Chelsea Sarabia. Additional reporting by Ticia Almazan.