"No, I'm not crazy; you’re eating my face!" Any diehard pop culture and reality TV fan likely recognizes that quote from season four of Dance Moms—a scene in which a heated altercation ensues between Abby Lee Miller and [Dance Mom] Kelly Hyland. But only an equal parts reality TV aficionado and fashion obsessive would go so far as to identify Kelly's ensemble: a long-sleeved Missoni spring 2013 dress in the brand's signature zig-zag weaved pattern. Or, take the now-iconic Real Housewives of Atlanta season 6 reunion, where Nene Leakes churns out infamous one-liners, like "This ain't Porsha," "Let them know Greg, honk the horn," and "So nasty and so rude." Who ID'd Nene's velvet Marc Bouwer dress? The person in question is Nathan Capistrano, whose X account Muglerize is dedicated to such very specific fashion credits.
Through Muglerize, Capistrano is among a new vanguard of fashion voices—a diverse group of writers, creators, and personalities utilizing social media to express their niche fashion viewpoints. "I love how there are more people around the world in different kinds of places and upbringings that have a voice in the industry," he tells Vogue. "Thanks to social media, [fashion] is such a wide and ever-expanding conversation, and that's what I love; we can all share our love and passion for the art form." From breaking down looks seen in viral memes and gifs to dissecting iconic music videos and reality TV scenes, the 22-year-old is churning out some of the most innovative fashion content—all from the comfort of his family home in Manila, Philippines.
While the concept of ID'ing looks from viral pop culture moments may not be entirely groundbreaking, Capistrano's specific approach makes it a genre all its own. His posts—which average more than 2,000 likes each—straddle the line between highbrow and lowbrow; the intersectionality of exclusive high fashion and “guilty pleasure” programming. Archival fashion imagery—when posted alongside a clip of Kim Zolciak singing “Tardy For the Party” in Louis Vuitton or a TikTok of internet sensation Sabrina Brier wearing Amanda Uprichard—becomes far more easy to digest.
This endeavor, Capistrano says, all started from watching YouTube. "Here in the Philippines, we don't have Real Housewives of Atlanta or any Real Housewives, so I was exposed to it because of YouTube," he says, citing channel Thethrowbackqueen as sparking his curiosity. "I was always obsessed with watching those tidbits, but at the same time, I was so focused on what people and what the housewives were wearing during those scenes." This led Capistrano to start sharing his archiving skills with the internet. Today, he's amassed 30K followers.
The Real Housewives franchise has birthed countless infamous fashion looks (dozens of which are identified on Muglerize), but one underrated moment that stands out to Capistrano is Atlanta's season seven Puerto Rico dinner scene. "Everyone was clamoring [over] what Nene was wearing because she said ‘Now this is off the runway!’ but I was actually looking at Kenya Moore." And what was she wearing? "I believe a Versace spring/summer 2005 pink dress—the opening look," Capistrano says.
Though Capistrano studied finance and advertising at The University of Santo Tomas, his final thesis centered on fashion—and he knows his fashion far beyond the confines of Bravo. The recent university graduate has committed looks form Versace spring 2018 to memory, and vividly remembers falling in love with fashion after seeing Alexander McQueen's spring 2001 show, titled Voss. "That was such a moment for me," he explains. “I downloaded the runway show on my phone, and during recess and lunchtime I would watch [it] while also hiding.” (He wasn't allowed to use his phone at school, and if the teacher caught him, he'd have to give up his device and his McQueen rewatches.) “It's an amazing combination and fusion of art and commerce,” he says of the collection. “It's artistic and avant-garde, but at the same time, if you look at the clothes, it's pretty sellable.” Capistrano also points to pop stars like Madonna, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Caroline Polachek as pillars of fashion inspiration. (During our interview, he went into detail about his appreciation for the styling of Beyoncé's 2006 “Deja Vu” video, in which she wears Gaultier and Roberto Cavalli).
Capistrano is also excited about the collective interest in vintage and archival fashion. “I love how more and more people are having this kind of love for the fashion of the past; the shows that made the shows that are being presented today that day.” Currently, he is finding his footing as a content creator, writing, and doing what he does best: identifying fashion through his distinct lens. All from his bedroom—the power of the internet.