THE FRIENDSHIP MAKING FASHION HISTORY

STYLISTS STORM PABLO AND MARVIN DOUGLAS LINARES ARE CRAFTING AN IMAGE FOR BAD BUNNY THAT HELPS TELL HIS STORY

- Keyla Marquez

In a series of fortunate events, I met the styling masterminds Storm Pablo and Marvin Douglas Linares at a Kwame Adusei dinner last year. (A year later, Pablo, Douglas Linares and Adusei are part of our 2025 Image Makers class.) As a stylist myself, I'd been noticing how over the last six years they've been transforming their client Bad Bunny into a fashion icon and trendsetter. There is intention in what Bad Bunny, whose full name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is telling you through his looks — from political statements to his never-ending pride in Puerto Rico. I was already a fan of Douglas Linares’ work with his jewelry brand. We connected over our shared experiences, like selling L.A. Times newspapers door-to-door as one of our first jobs and most importantly being from El Salvador. I became familiar with Pablo because of his work with Bad Bunny and his brand CNTRA, which is an extension of his personal style and ’90s pop culture references I relate to.

I'm not surprised at how everything has unfolded for Pablo and Douglas Linares. Luck, prosperity and abundance seem to follow them. From the story of how they met, to how they got connected to Bad Bunny, to how things go down every weekend in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they're based while styling Bad Bunny, his dancers and the band during the No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency for his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” There is a softness in their relationship that doesn’t exist in our industry — the way they lift each other up and respect each other’s polar opposite views and styles is refreshing to witness. With the help of their assistants, Junichi Kamata and David Gomez, they found a formula that works for them, not one that was forced but came organically. This special dynamic has resulted in them crafting an image for Bad Bunny that is classic, joyful and high-fashion.