Karl King Aguña Offers A Glimpse Inside The Vogue Man Party

By the time photographer Karl King Aguña headed home after the Vogue Man Launch Party last Thursday evening, he had used up three rolls of film. Before he was asked to create a photo diary for Vogue Philippines, he was already planning to take film photos for his own safekeeping: a capsule of a celebration spent with his friends, collaborators, and fellow creatives.

But the Vogue Man Launch wasn’t all Karl was celebrating; the first story he ever shot for Vogue Philippines, titled “Slow Life,” appears in the June issue fronted by filmmaker Isabel Sandoval. It was also the very first editorial he shot when he arrived in Manila from London last January, marking his foray into becoming a full-time photographer.

The photos he took at the party are sleek if not blurry—the mark of an evening well-spent—and, moreover, authentic; behind Karl’s lens, we are in on an inside joke, joining laughter-filled conversations, sneaking a peek into Vogue Philippines interviews, and diving straight into the heart of the party. In developing his film, he was worried that most of the shots on his rolls featured many of the Vogue Philippines team and his own collaborators. “Pero ganun talaga [But that’s how it is],” he shrugs. “It’s the party from my perspective!”

Designers CP Garcia and Kendrick Cay. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The designer duo, CP and Kendrick”
Photographer Shaira Luna. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The Shaira Luna—nice to finally meet ya!”
Vogue Man June 2024 cover star Paolo Roldan. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The man in Vogue, Paolo”
Zild Benitez. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Zild is too cool!”
Roko Arceo and Jio Joshua Baldesimo. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Cheers with Roko and Jio”
Borgy Angeles. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Gorgy”
The newly launched maiden issue of Vogue Man Philippines. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Vogue Man in print.”
Designers Kelvin Morales, RJ Santos, and Nicolo Perez. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Kelvin, RJ, and Nico in black and white”
Vogue Philippines producer Anz Hizon with designers Kelvin Morales, RJ Santos, and Nicolo Perez. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Anz doing his job, lining up designers Kelvin, RJ, and Nico”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Party!”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“I love Manila. I don’t want to leave!”
Vogue Philippines producer Anz Hizon. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“My Gemini twin, Anz”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The Vogue Man launch was a blast!”
Kelvin Morales, RJ Santos, and Nicolo Perez. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The designers of the moment taking a selfie”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Couldn’t get into the bar, but hello Jason!”
Zild Benitez, Vogue Man editor Danyl Geneciran, and Elijah Canlas. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Zild and Elijah with Danyl”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Quick cheers with the photo diarists Joseph and Borgy”
Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“My first time meeting Jericho!”
Elijah Canlas. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The best dressed for sure, Elijah”
Vogue Man editor Danyl Geneciran. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“Congrats, Danyl!”
Jio Joshua Baldesimo of Univers, designer Prince Padilla, and Elijah Canlas. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“With Jio, who introduced me to Prince and Elijah”
Stylists David Milan and Lyn Alumno. Photo by Karl King Aguña

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“The stylists, David and Lyn!”