Tina started modeling at 18 and toured Asia, America and Europe extensively, showcasing the exquisite collections of Ben Farrales, Pitoy Moreno, Aureo Alonzo and Renee Salud. She likewise joined several CITEM sales missions and projects abroad led by Mina Gabor, tirelessly promoting Philippine products.
While she helped organize the Professional Models Association of the Philippines drafting its mission and vision, Tina broke into the international fashion scene via Singapore and Hong Kong and soon was modeling international labels such as the much-desired Giorgio Armani, Matsuda, Byblos and Lanvin.
At the height of her exciting career as a top-ranking mannequin, she said her farewell to the ramp to start a new life as the bride of Ricco Ocampo.
Meanwhile, at the age of 21, Ricco had his first business venture–he hand-painted and sold T-shirts–in cooperation with his three cousins and a working capital of P3,000. The business boomed and Sari-Sari, a fashion retail store, was born. Ricco served as its president for 11 years and brought their company to even greater heights. Several branches were inaugurated, the partners developed other shops–Dalagita, Max Studio and Mix–and Ricco took Tina for his wife.
When the cousins decided to part ways, wherein Ricco’s shares included the specialty stores, he and Tina opened The Black Shop and introduced an affordable line of eyewear called i2i New York which now has 38 outlets – 27 company-owned and 11 franchisees located all over the country.
Today, the couple run four successful fashion retail chains – Anonymous, a concept store; Mix, which carries well-known imported brands of women’s apparel, The Black Shop, which caters to the working Filipina and Fish (formerly known as Dalagita) the shop for the more adventurous teenager–all attending to the fashion needs of such a diverse group of clients from the young and trendy to the power-dressed executives.
The acknowledged driven pair –who admirably and effortless know how to pace life’s ways – are also co-owners of two popular restaurants – Kitchen and Mangan.
If all that is not enough, Ricco and Tina still find the time to fly to Hong Kong at least once a month to attend to business, travel to New York every quarter for more work plus personal research on the latest trends on fashion and retail and journey to Europe annually for sheer inspiration.
And that is not to mention the family holidays they both admit they always look forward to. "New York is a much favored destination of ours. It is like our second home, declares Tina. "Chances are that’s where we will be spending the holiday season, this year," Ricco adds "when we got together a week before Christmas. And guess what, they really did!
Anything to look forward to for the year 2002?
He smiled. She glowed. Ricco, the youngest of six kids, and Tina, also the youngest of nine siblings, said they hope to be spending more time with the four children they both adore and can’t wait to transfer this month to their newly-refurbished home done with a Sixties look.
"Any more scheduled travels for the coming year?" I ask.
She smiled. He glowed. I understood.
Philippine STAR: What do you remember most of your first trip abroad?
Ricco Ocampo: I was in grade two when my father brought me to Hong Kong and took my picture standing beside a Rolls Royce of the Peninsula Hotel. That moment in time got stuck in my mind. I made a promise to myself that one day, some day, I will be a guest in this property. The promise was fulfilled at the age of 30.
Tina Maristela-Ocampo: Although it wasn’t my first time abroad, I recall my trip to Malaysia with my mentor Ben Farrales, as my first memorable. We were invited to showcase Mang Ben’s collection in the King’s Palace and at 18, experiencing life in a palace was simply just amazing.
When you travel, what is it that you can’t leave home without?
Ricco:I don’t leave home without my American Express and my cell phone.
Tina: I won’t leave home without my cell phone and a well thought-out and much planned wardrobe.
Describe your present passport photo.
Tina: My passport photo has got nothing to do with the real me.
Ricco:I can’t comment for I haven’t even looked at the photo of my renewed passport.
How do you pass time at airports?
Ricco:I buy candies. I do last-minute shopping for the kids. And if there is still time, I take a bath in the airport lounge.
Tina: In the airports of Japan, I buy Japanese cosmetics. At the Hong Kong airport, I go straight to the bookstore for the latest issues of Tank, I-D, British Vogue and Italian Vogue.
Name your favorite city abroad.
Ricco:New York City
Tina: Venice. I love the idea of having gondolas for taxis.
What is the first thing you do upon checking in at a hotel?
Tina: The first thing I do is unpack. I then let the hot water run in the bathroom to steam the clothes. I blow-dry the stubborn creases.
Ricco:I check out the cool amenities of the room.
What would you consider a must-do activity in every foreign city that you visit?
Tina: Eat in the best restaurants the place has to offer.
Ricco:Observe the city’s architecture and eat out in the city’s hippest restaurants. Before I go and visit a place, I normally do my research. I read Travel and Leisure and Wallpaper magazines.
Let’s talk favorites now. What is your favorite meal?
Tina: When I am abroad, my favorite meal is one that is home-cooked by a Filipino.
What drink do you often order?
Tina: Orangina.
Ricco:San Pellegrino.
Favorite restaurant?
Ricco:Tetsuya in Sydney, Australia.
Tina: Il Buco in NoHo, New York.
Favorite hotel?
Ricco:The Peninsula in Hong Kong.
Favorite resort?
Ricco:Four Seasons Jimbaran
Tina: Oh yes, the Four Seasons.
Favorite garden?
Ricco:Place des Voages
Tina: Jardin des Tuileries in Paris.
Favorite museum?
Ricco:The Tate Gallery in London.
Movie you could see over and over again.
Ricco:I enjoyed Babette’s Feast. It is a beautiful story about a woman who spent all her money to buy ingredients to prepare a feast.
Name a book you would recommend others to read.
Tina: Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife.
What would I find on top of your working table?
Tina: A fountain pen.
What would I find on top of your night table?
Tina: My rosary.
What would I find under you bed?
Tina: All the shopping bags–I don’t like seeing them around–accumulated during a long stay in New York with the kids.
What is your hobby?
Ricco: I collect watches and architectural books.
What sport do you enjoy watching?
Ricco: I enjoy watching tennis. I used to play when I was younger.
What are you addicted to?
Tina: Having a massage.
Ricco: I am addicted to Cranky chocolates from Tokyo.
Do you read the horoscope?
Tina: I do read the horoscope but I treat it just like the blind items in Maurice Arcache’s column. I find it amusing!
Should there be a disaster, name three things you would most likely save?
Tina: Family documents, sentimental jewelry and the one family album I have worked on which contains the baby pictures and photographs of special moments. I specifically compiled these meaningful pictures so that I know which album to take during such emergencies – God forbid.
Ricco: I will not take the risk of saving anything for I believe God has a reason for taking things away from me.
Who are your most ideal traveling companions?
Ricco: Aside from my wife, it’s Rikki Dee and Doris Ho.
Tina: My ideal traveling companion will always be Ricco – he treats me like a queen. When our children come along, it’s their nanny.
What is the best travel advice you wish to share?
Ricco: I encourage everyone to stay in one city for the longest possible time. To pretend that you are residing there, to get to know more of the place, to appreciate the culture, understand the people. Enjoy what they eat and visit the places they frequent.
Tina: Get to know the place through guidebooks and travel magazines before you embark on the trip. Ask seasoned travelers – preferably the hip ones – what to see, what to do and what to eat.
What are your pasalubongs – inbound and outbound?
Tina: We don’t like to bring pasalubongs whenever we visit other countries. We only do it when it is requested by friends. We bring them what they like and we do it with pleasure. Pasalubongs inbound are not planned for. Our children usually ask for clothes and educational toys. We bring home whatever we see that we like.
Name an event you wish to witness or attend.
Ricco: I am dying to attend an auction.
Name three things you would never do.
Tina: Sit on a public toilet, carry my cell phone with me when I am at home and attend a party I am not invited to by the host.
Ricco: Eat anything with eyes and legs, sleep on a bed with colored-printed sheets and spray a scent on any part of my body.
Three sounds that distract you most.
Tina: Ricco’s loud phone conversations in public places, Ricco constantly shaking a glass full of ice and Ricco playing with his spoon and fork after a meal.
Let’s fill in the blanks. "When I am happy, I..."
Tina: Say yes to everything.
"When I am sad, I..."
Tina: Cry and tell my children I am brave.
Name three personalities – dead or alive – you would have wanted to bump into or met or perhaps even had a meal with.
Ricco: The interior designer Karim Sashid and the architect Rem Koolhas.
Tina: Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo and Diana Vreeland. Fashion would be the topic during the entire meal.
Three traits you look for in a friend.
Tina: A friend should be able to enhance the goodness in me. A friend should become my critic in times of failure. A friend should never become competitive. The worst people however are those who pretend they are your friends. They are normally disguised as humming birds who sing beautiful songs in front of you or as crisp-looking apples full of worms inside. Beware–they are a team!
What is your greatest fear?
Tina: Falling.
Ricco: Dying in another country.
What do you think is the first step toward resolving poverty?
Tina: Stop corruption. Our leaders should become more transparent so people can trust them once again.
What do you like to do most on a Sunday?
Tina: Go to a spa.
Ricco: If our children would allow it, I would indulge in sleeping the whole day.
Describe God.
Tina: God is very personal to me – I have my own image of Him and a perception of who He really is. I even have my own idea of what role He is playing in my life. Describing Him at this point may become inaccurate because I live God as I experience Him every day.
Describe your most memorable trip.
Ricco: My most memorable trip was my first Christmas with Tina and our kids.
What is the strangest thing you have done on a trip?
Ricco: I went inside Fred Leighton Madison store and pretended that I was buying a 10-million-dollar necklace for my wife. The sales-lady was ready to take me out for lunch.
If you had more time during your travels, what would you do?
Tina: Write postcards to everyone.
Ricco: If I had more time, I would stay longer at our hotel. I always make certain that my wife and I are billeted in an interesting hotel. It is such a pity for we often don’t have the luxury of time to enjoy it.
Name your favorite spot in the Philippines.
Ricco: Baguio
Tina: Baguio. I prefer cool places like the mountains rather than warm places like the beach.
What is the best thing about travel?
Tina: Deciding where to go for a holiday.
Ricco: Coming home and seeing our children.
What is the worst thing then about travel?
Tina: Flying–that’s my phobia!
Ricco: Leaving our children behind.
Name a city you have never visited before but would like to someday.
Ricco: Copenhagen
Tina: Vermont’s Twin Farm.
Name a country you wish to explore.
Tina: Belgium
Ricco: Tibet is a place I promise to explore one day, when I finally hire a chief operating officer.
If you could reside anywhere in the world aside from the Philippines, where would it be?
Tina: Paris.
Ricco: I will definitely live in Manhattan, New York.