Not two months ago, Giorgio Armani held his runway show at Milan Fashion Week and was met with silence. The show was held at an empty theater as Italy faced the largest outbreak of the coronavirus outside of Asia. 
Spring has always been a season of exuberance and bright colors, especially in the world of fashion. It goes without saying that this year’s spring/summer season has been overshadowed by the global epidemic  we’re facing. And it is only right that we substitute our enthusiasm for vigilance at this time.

Optimism in the face of adversity has always been one of humanity’s most powerful traits. And as the world faces one of the worst pandemics in ages, it is a good time to maintain a healthy amount of optimism. This storm, too, shall pass. In the meantime, we simply have to learn to cope. For instance, Scottish actor Sam Heughan, this issue’s cover boy, is currently stuck in the U.S., but remains busy juggling various projects. Shawn Hatosy of “Animal Kingdom” fame is also living through the lockdown of Los Angeles while Yoson An who stars in the live-action of adaptation of “Mulan” must contend with the fact that his big Hollywood breakout has been postponed for a while.

For our first proper issue published in 2020, we have some incredible stories. Naoki Kobayashi, who graces the cover of this issue, has recently broken into the global movie industry. We also have an interview with Camrus Johnson from the “Batwoman” TV series and, on the home front, we’re touching base again with seasoned actor and all-around gentleman Rio Dewanto. 

In a surprising twist, what really resonated with me was chat talk with Santiago Carbrera about his involvement in “Star Trek: Picard.” So, here we have a well-established setting with a very familiar premise, an incredibly loyal fanbase and top-notch talent. Yet, as Carbrera pointed out, the new show is “a true departure and new beginning in so many ways.” In a way, it boldly goes where no “Star Trek” show has gone before.

Some of you might still remember how in 2006, Time magazine’s Person of the Year was “you.” The idea was to recognize all of the people who contributed user-generated content—often anonymously—to platform like YouTube, Wikipedia and so on. That idea feels relevant again as I ponder the end of another new year. Essentially, DAMAN is about you.

You, the actors, actresses and artists who felt that DAMAN could tell your story. And also you, the models and photographers who chose DAMAN to showcase your talent. Then there’s you, our business partners who believed in the potential and capacity of this magazine then told us “Let’s work together!” And finally there’s you, our readers—old fans, returning devotees and new patrons—for whom these pages are dedicated.

The phrase “we couldn’t have done it without you” has become somewhat of a cliché, but for us at DAMAN, it has always rung true. Print media has always been a challenging arena, and it gets more challenging each year. But it is always heartening to see that there are still so many who enjoy flipping through physical pages to be inspired, motivated and entertained. We fully embrace the digital age, but creating print magazines is still what we do best.

Good movies tell the stories the audience wants to see. Great movies tell the stories the audience needs to see. In this issue of DAMAN, we feature the stories of Laura Basuki and Dion Wiyoko, the two leads of the upcoming “Susi Susanti: Love All.” Is this a great movie? I’m sure that there will be plenty of arguments for and against, but if anything I do believe that this is a movie telling a story that needs to be told.

For those of us who grew up seeing Indonesia win its first ever gold medal, Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma are heroes—real-life, relatable heroes who basically told us that no achievement is beyond us. So, their story is something we definitely want to see. “Susi Susanti: Love All,” however, is not your typical “underdog becomes world champion” story, as it touches on many issues that may strike a chord with many of us: Tolerance, acceptance, how we treat the ones we call our nation’s heroes. And sacrifice. This is a story that we definitely need to see.

Travel, they say, opens your eyes to the wonders of the world and the diversity that it contains. But, like many other ardent travelers, I’ve also found that travel gives you a fresh perspective of home. I consider it my mission of sorts to introduce the marvels of Indonesia to the people I meet in my journeys. And I wholeheartedly believe that I am able to do so since whenever I discover a new place to visit, I also find a new angle to look back at my home. This fundamental idea also drives DAMAN’s mission to highlight actors, celebrities and public figures. We go far and wide to speak to some of the most celebrated people in show biz and at the same time we take what we’ve learned from Hollywood and beyond to look back at how far our own artists have moved forward. As a local magazine with a global reach, we feel that it’s only right that we bring attention to Indonesian talent. On a more personal level, I find it heartening to see how we’re slowly but surely moving forward. And, more importantly, how we sometimes make huge leaps forward.

Every May, while preparing DAMAN’s June/July issue, I will always set aside a day or two to go over the photos taken during the year’s DAMAN Party. In this case, the twelfth. I always find it an uplifting experience to relive the event from a fresh perspective. It’s also uplifting to see a new format—a new tradition, if you will—really taking root and becoming a celebrated part of the magazine. 

I am talking, of course, about the Awards portion of the DAMAN Party experience. Introduced last year, it proved to be quite popular among guests and fans of the magazine. Award ceremonies are always exciting, but being able to be the one to say to an artist, “Hey, your work has really inspired a lot of people and we want to thank you for that” feels great. DAMAN has always celebrated talented people—and being able to take it a step further is a true privilege.

Shoot for the moon, wrote American author Norman Vincent Peale, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. About this time, twelve years ago, I shot for the moon and DAMAN was born. The question, then, is whether the magazine did reach the moon or whether it is now among the stars. 

In a way, I think it did both, even if I do say so myself. DAMAN has now become the foremost men’s fashion and lifestyle magazine in Indonesia, and it has accomplished this as an original, homegrown brand. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel that DAMAN has also landed among the stars and grown far beyond what I originally envisioned. We’ve added the Style and Caliber special issues to our lineup; we’ve moved forward by leaps and bounds in terms of digital content; we’ve expanded our video creation capabilities to include campaigns for brand ... and that’s just in terms of content and media. Development of DAMAN’s event organizing portfolio is a whole other story.

The publishing world has taken quite a hit over the past couple of years. Many titles have ceased to exist or have migrated to online platforms. While change is inevitable, a thought stirred in my mind: What is it that makes print great? This brought me back to why I launched DAMAN in the first place. For one, I wanted to give readers in-depth and thoughtfully crafted stories about one of my passions: fashion. This would then extend to cover lifestyle in a more general sense. Finally, I sought to inspire through celebrities and other public figures that are, well, inspiring. 

There’s something rather poetic, I think, about having a December/January issue. There’s the melancholy and excitement about one year coming to a close; there’s the apprehension and enthusiasm for another to start. There are just so many storytelling opportunities. And it certainly helped that we’ve encountered so many amazing events in the months leading to December. Last November, for example, DAMAN became one of only six regional media outlets to sit face to face with soccer legend, cultural icon and Tudor brand ambassador David Beckham. If anything, it certainly helped us close 2018 with a bang.

Why do we feature celebrities in magazines? It’s on old question’a bit of cliché, even. The usual answer is also quite clichéd: Because they serve as our role models. But in this day and age, where gossip is a commodity and every Tweet, photo or caption is scrutinized at the speed of light, is it still relevant to say that actors, singers and other public figures are people worth parading as paragons that we should imitate?
The short answer is: yes. And now for the long answer. The thing with role models is that they are  not meant to be imitated. They are meant to inspire. Or to put it in another way: You don’t imitate the lives of your role models—you imitate their attitude. Some would say that this is just a matter of semantics, but I would argue that this distinction is important, and that is why we feature the people we feature.

While the euphoria of the World Cup has certainly died down, all of us here in Jakarta are gearing up for the 18th Asian Games. There’s always something exciting, exhilarating and—most importantly—inspiring as we cheer on those that embody the best values of all of us: Strength, perseverance, sportsmanship and the drive to succeed.

Late April until early May have always been a particularly busy time for me for the past, oh, 11 years or so. If you guessed that it’s because of our annual DAMAN Party, you’re absolutely correct. From coming up with the playlist to planning for the arrival of our guest of honor (guests of honor, this time), my team and I are kept busy round the clock. Busy, but excited.

Last year was a momentous time for DAMAN, as the magazine reached a critical milestone: the first 10 years. For sure, 2017 was a year where I was brought back to the very beginning, to the early struggles of establishing the magazine and the years of hard work to bring the brand to where it is today. And then, of course, my mind was drawn to what comes next: The next ten years, or DAMAN’s teenage years, if you will.

Furthermore, this issue’s lineup of Hollywood celebrities also reflects on the values we care so much about at DAMAN. Logan Shroyer, for one,represents a new generation of talent who are starting to enter the big leagues. Their stories are always inspiring and we are more than eager to highlight budding stars like him. On the flip side, we have Matt Czuchry, aseasoned actor who still takes on new challenges and break new ground.
Finally, we have personalities like Arielle Kebbel, who is not only talented, but also a voice of many who are too often left voiceless. So, she’s not only fearless enough to play one of the antagonists in the upcoming “Fifty Shades Freed,” she’s also a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement.

Kevin McKidd, the Scottish actor featured on this issue’s cover, has been on the cast of hit medical drama series “Grey’s Anatomy” for almost a decade. Yet, he still manages to always find new things to be excited about and how the writers of the long-running show know how to keep it “moving forward, developing and struggling to become better.”

From up-and-coming actors to veteran performers, talent has always been one of DAMAN’s main highlights. In this edition, however, we have several extra representatives of the former group: Young actors with few years in the business but much potential for the future.

With June and July behind us, we finally step into the fall/winter season—which is always exciting for fashion enthusiasts like myself. As what we saw at the various Fashion Weeks start trickling down to shops and boutiques everywhere, we start thinking about new styles, new combinations and new aesthetics. We start thinking about change. And that is always a good thing.

While most people say that 2017 flies by so fast, I just couldn’t wait for the summer to come. After the glamorous party celebrating DAMAN’s 10th Anniversary at Hard Rock Café Jakarta in the middle of May, I had some time off along with cover boy Oliver Cheshire and his beautiful fiancée, Pixie Lott, in Bali. The break also allowed me to contemplate just how surreal it is that DAMAN has grown, from the addition of two more titles (get your copies of DAMAN Style and DAMAN Caliber, too, while we’re at it) to our online presence on social media and through our daily-updated website.

There are no words that could sum up the excitement I have for this special issue. Never had I thought before that DA MAN could be celebrating its tenth anniversary this soon. And so, we launched this special edition with one amazing Hollywood actor on the cover, Charlie Hunnam, whose blockbuster movies, “The Lost City of Z” and “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” are not to be missed.

A lot of people agree that 2016 was kind of a downer. It was a year full of unexpected twists of events—most of them of the unpleasant kind—and one plagued by economic slowdown. So, as we’re finally stepping into the second month of the new year, we felt the need to do better in 2017 and beyond.

Out of the four fashion capitals in the world, London holds a certain regal charm.Be it the ever-looming presence of the monarchy or their colorful flamboyance in menswear (despite the gloomy weather), there is something in the air that makes this multicultural city shine. It also stands tall with irrepressible talents who have made their mark on the world’s stage.....

This season is filled with an exciting bunch of fashion collaborations, from Berluti x Scott Campbell to Prada featuring Christophe Chemin to Kenzo x H&M. Although, admittedly, these many offers flooding the market can fluster even the most seasoned enthusiast (or what I personally dub “fashion fatigue”), these one-off collaborative creations can create a renewed spark of interest in fashion.


While I was riding on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express during my last trip from Prague to Venice, I was immediately taken in by the constant rattle and vibration of the carriages, as well as the the old-world glamor that the luxury train had kept in place. It had been ages since the last time I hopped on an intercontinental train, and this one
went right to the top of my fondest traveling memories, for sure.

First of all, you surely have noticed that we’re doing not just one, nor two, but three covers this issue. And now, on to more important matters. Following DA MAN’s 9th Anniversary Party, I’ve put a lot of focus on giving back by, among others, working together with the UNDP as a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Mover. One of my fellow Movers is the one and only Reza Rahadian.

Over the years, I’ve met many incredible people throughout my journey in building DA MAN as a leading men’s fashion and lifestyle magazine in Indonesia and throughout the region. From actors to designers to the most talented people in a many diverse fields, each has taught me about the great value in luxury and about things that are more than what meets the eye—friendship.


You might notice that this issue’s cover is a bit different. Along with a new year, our
new resolutions materialize in the changes we bring into the magazine that, hopefully,
will both surprise and please you. One thing for sure, we’re ramping up our celebrity
features, introducing to you a wide range of unique personalities.

There’s Time for everyThing
With today's world being ever-connected as it is, I realize that the title above sounds like real big words. 24 hours go lightning-quick, and perhaps that’s a reason why most people love to immortalize great moments on their own social media accounts. I am definitely part of this generation, and from time to time I even check on what I posted a year ago, or a few years back, just to see how far I have come to where I am today.

hen the most anticipated smartwatch finally hit the market early this year, I was rather hesitant to buy it for myself. While I’m used to wearing Swiss timepieces on the wrist, for a second I thought that I could maybe speed up my work pace with this new technology at my fingertips. Maybe I would enjoy receiving social media notifications without ever having to take my smartphone out of my pocket. It didn’t take a lot of time for me to make up my mind, though.

THE ART  OF LIVING
Acouple of weeks ago, I caught up with an old friend, one that I frankly remembered as someone born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. But during the first five minutes, I sensed something entirely different in his persona—that he was more spirited and passionate in talking about whatever he was busy about. “I used to enjoy easy access and a very privileged life,” he reminisced during dinner, “but it felt less … artful than it is now. It really does take sweat, blood and tears to make dreams come true.” A smile ended that profound sentence.

April - May 2020

Spring/Summer 2020

February  - March 2020

December 2019 - January 2020

October - November 2019

August - September 2019

June - July 2019

April - May 2019

February - March 2019

December 2018 - January 2019

October - November 2018

August - September 2018

June - July 2018

April - May 2018

February - March 2018

December - January 2018

DA MAN is a men's fashion and lifestyle magazine launched in May 2007. This established, sophisticated magazine is packed with inspiring articles and enriched with beautiful photography, covering the very best in fashion and lifestyle for SE Asia's growing market of young, educated, well-traveled, fashion-conscious and trendsetting guys. Offering topical and up-to-date information, DA MAN is the guide to good living. DA MAN is published six times a year with a print run of 45,000 copies (and growing) and is distributed in Singapore, Indonesia and other selected locales, including New York and Los Angeles.

Caliber Vol. 6 2019

Style Fall/Winter 2019

Style Spring/Summer 2019

Caliber Vol. 5 2018

Style Fall/Winter 2018

Spring/Summer 2018

Caliber Vol. 4 2017

Style Fall/Winter 2017

Style Spring - Summer 2017

Caliber Vol. 3 2016

Style Fall/Winter 2016

Style Spring - Summer 2016

DAMAN Style Spring - Summer 2015

DAMAN Caliber vol.1 2014

DAMAN Style Fall - Winter 2015

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