Bravo Rocio!
It feels odd receiving soulful advice from a 22-year-old when one is practically old enough to be her... (gulp!)... aunt (Yeah, right — that is my story and I am sticking to it!). Even stranger is the fact that for someone barely out of her teens, the words of wisdom she gives makes incredibly good sense. Talking to Rocio Olbes is like talking to a woman who has journeyed the world over and lived long enough to relay her conclusions about it. Then I look at Rocio’s huge puppy eyes, wild mass of light brown hair, size-zero model figure (which she usually hides under an oversized shirt) and I realize that she looks 16 and here I am taking good advice from... awww, this can get infuriating!
For two years, I would hear the name of Rocio Olbes among the chic circles. She was (and still is) known as the young lady whose fabulous bag collections (using sustainable acacia wood), have twice graced the pages of Vogue UK (she will be gracing their pages again this January), been featured in British Elle, Grazia, Elle Japan, German Vogue as well as top publications in the Middle East and Russia. Scot national Hamish Menzies had met Rocio in the US where she was studying in a school for arts and creative design and both saw the potential for introducing a new twist to the traditional wooden bags seen in the market. With the addition of yet another partner Tessa Nepomuceno, the trio have successfully sold their chic collection of wooden bags to over 25 stores internationally (including the ultra-chic London stores Liberty and Fortnum & Masons, Isetan in Japan, Penelope in Milan, Charels Jourdan in Amsterdam, Etoile in Dubai, KixBox in Moscow, Atmosphere in Monte Carlo, La Basilica in Barcelona, Flair in Berlin, Fabienna Delvigne in Belgium, Pam Jenkins in Edinburgh, Carouzos in Greece and L’ECLAIREUR in Paris).
Rocio shares, “We work brilliantly as a team. I am the creative director and head designer of the brand. My partners are more into the business side of the company. Tessa is the VP of global operation and Hamish is the director/president of the company. Although it is my name on the label, the success of the business stems from solid group effort. Our collaboration has seen us through heights that we ourselves are surprised to have reached. We were nominated for the UK Fashion Export Award by HRH Princess Anne in 2007, and we won the prestigious Rocco Award for International Trade during the same year.”
Rocio continues, “I very much want to have a presence in the Philippines. In the past, the press would mention that we are a Glasgow-based brand (our main office is indeed from there) and very little was mentioned about the Philippines. But I am proud of my country and I insist on speaking about the origins of my bags, their materials and craftsmanship to the international press. It has been my dream to have a presence in our country and this will soon be realized as I will be showcasing my bag Iine 2009 at Budju Layug’s store — Budji Living in Greenbelt 5.”
