To most ad execs, the challenge to "get a life" means taking up a new sport. A few understand it to mean weekends spent out of town.
Only Marlon Rivera, president and chief creative officer of Publicis Manila, took it as an opportunity to design his own line of clothing and launch it at Manila Fashion Week. Under the signature MNR, Rivera sent 100 pieces of architecture- and Japanese-inspired dresses, suits and separates down the runway at the SMX Convention Center. Origami folds, capiz embellishments, dhoti pants in cool neutrals dominated the collection.
The audience was not your average Fashion Week habitues. Although fashion buyers and fellow designers sat in the front row, ad peeps from McCann Worldgroup, Y&R, BBDO Guerrero and of course, Publicis Groupe were in attendance.
Quite the Renaissance man, Rivera’s other forays outside advertising included interior design, stage design and makeup and feature film. Last year, he co-produced the indie comedy "100," which had people lining up in the cineplex.
People can only wonder for what Rivera will have them line up in 2010. Designer polling booths, perhaps?
