Robby Carmona: From model to model maker
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| Robby Carmona’s dream is for Manila to be known one day as an Asian fashion capital, and for more designers to make a big name internationally. “The next step would be to get buyers and international press, so there would be business for the young ones,” he explains |
It is likely that every major model, hotspot and brand in Manila has, in one way or
another, been involved in an event that was put together by this man. In his 17
years as an event and fashion show director, he has dealt with everything from
shampoo to beverages to couture. “Up to now when I go to my technical booth and
I wear my headset, it feels like the first time, kinakabahan pa rin ako,” he
says. His talent for coming up with new ways to present things makes him one of
the most in-demand directors in the industry. Here are 10 things you should
know about Robby Carmona.
1. Robby’s first
foray into the fashion industry was as a model. On the production side, he
started as an assistant tasked to call the models from the dressing room to put
on standby backstage.
He was 14 years old when he joined a model search for Adidas
Fashion Company. Out of the 700 who auditioned, he was chosen as one of the 10
image models, and his schedule was instantly filled with TV guestings (“to sing
and dance”), pictorials, and fashion shows. “I met a lot of good, inspiring
people in the industry, it was very fulfilling,” he says of his ramp and print
modeling career that spanned around six years. He decided to lay low in
modeling when he was given a break by Ace Saatchi head caster Flor Salanga to
cast a commercial for Ivory. “Ma-PR na ako nun, fashyon na ako nun, and she saw
my potential, that I had a great eye for talent,” he shares. He went on to cast
more product launches like Vidal Sassoon and Fanny Serrano for Head &
Shoulders. During his stint as a caster, he also took on the job as an
assistant for fashion director Robert Tongco. “He had ‘ninja boys,’ yung mga
P.A. niya na talagang nagtatrabaho, at ako yung assistant ng ‘ninja boys’,”
Robby reveals. He jumped from P.A. straight to to assistant director, (“I’m
really like a sponge, I’m very observant,”) going full circle from model to
choreographer for segments involving models.
2. He was a popular
kid back in school: volleyball team captain, Mr. Intramurals, director of
Binibining CSA.
“I was not shy,” Robby declares. “Even for the young people
now, I want them to know walang mangyayari if you’re shy, you have to be on the
go and push your dreams.” As early as Grade Seven, he was a part of the
Adeodatus Foundation in Colegio San Agustin, where he would co-choreograph for
their batch in the cheerleading competitions, and direct programs for Linggo ng
Wika. His biggest project was Binibining CSA, where he recalls that his idea of
directing then was to just tell people what they had to do. “I didn’t have a
headset, I was backstage, I didn’t even time the show,” he shares. He booked a
male host last minute (he called a radio station and offered the first DJ that
answered P1,000 to host the pageant) and didn’t anticipate the time it would
take to tabulate scores. “I was so stressed I just sat in one corner I didn’t
know what to do. Yun yung first experience but learning curve ko din.”
3. He started his
events company Saga when he was only 22 years old. “I would produce my own
events kasi wala pang nagtitiwala sa akin nun.”
He tied up with Mars disco and he booked his own brands.
How? “I would call offices and I would ask the name of the marketing manager,
and Yellow Pages yun wala pang Google! I would ask for an appointment, write a
letter, fax it, wait for weeks, do follow-ups, wait for the reply, super kulit,
super follow-up, until super makulitan na and they’d set a meeting,” he
reveals. He hired one secretary to help him do the work out of his home, until
he booked more and more accounts and had to add accounts and production staff.
He has 21 employees today, but a lot have already moved on to put up their own
companies. “I’m very happy because they’re now creating their own and inspiring
others as well,” he says.
It was his shows in Mars that got PR maven Edd Fuentes to
notice his work. Robby presented himself to Edd and said, “Uy baka naman you
want me to direct a fashion show.” After a string of small-scale events, the
show that got him noticed was an event titled “Denims and Diamonds,” a
collaboration between Girbaud, Evian and De Beers. At a time when stylists
didn’t exist and models did their own makeup, Robby put together design team
Michael Salientes, Diane Jardinero, Gary Garcia and makeup artists Jing Monis,
Juan Sarte, Marlon Rivera and Cristine Duque (who eventually became Propaganda)
to do the show. That show was in 1995, and as they say, the rest is history.
He considers the Fashionista Best Model Search he put up
with music channel MTV in 2001 as the turning point in his career. The show
produced models Victor Basa, Isabel Oli, Brent Javier, Rocky Salumbides,
Melissa Frye, and Ria Bolivar within the five years it was on. “I wanted to
help my industry to develop new models, so that was one dream fulfilled for
me.”
4. His exposure to
the fashion industry actually began at home. His father Derek was a model and
his mom Susan had a small jewelry business.
When he joined the Adidas model search, he didn’t mention
anything about being his father’s son because he wanted to make it on his own
merits. That, on top of his parents’ separation and his dad departed for the US when he was
seven years old, leaving his mom to raise him alone. “They were never really
married, but I’m a Carmona,” he opens up. It was later on in his modeling
career that industry insiders found out that he was Derek’s son, and Robby says
it turned out to be a good thing. “They helped me out, honed me, gave me jobs.
Mabait yung dad ko.” Robby has three half-siblings (by his dad) who all live in
the US,
and he is very much in touch with them today. “I got the creative traits from
my dad. My being patient and street smart, I got from my mom.”
5. On his being born
out of wedlock and his parents’ separation: “Kung nagka-angst ako, I probably
wouldn’t be as ambitious or goal-oriented as I am right now.”
He mentions that he hardly ever talks about his family life,
even with friends, and the only other time he has opened up about this was at a
life coaching seminar. “Actually, okay lang, para mailabas ko din,” he sighs
and pauses. “Even if you’re from a broken family it doesn’t mean you can’t
excel. It’s supposed to give you the drive to have a better life. Life is full
of choices and it’s you who makes those choices.”
6. Robby claims to
have two sides to him: his well-known jolly self, and his less-known loner
self.
When asked about the disparity between the noisy world of
clubbing and partying, and being alone at home at night, he says: “I really
have my noisy side. I like being surrounded by fun people, having fun with
friends, making people laugh.” On the other hand, he also has his quiet side
and occasionally enjoys eating out, watching movies, and traveling alone.
“That’s when I discover who I am more, my two sides create a balance,” he
reveals.
7. Robby Carmona in
numbers:
2: Average number of months it takes to prepare for a show.
3,000: Number of pesos and a bottle of vodka was his first ever
paycheck for a fashion show he directed at Mars disco.
10: Size in square meters of his walk-in closet in his
Mandaluyong home. “I give away my clothes and my shoes regularly, or I join
charity bazaars!”
1,000+: Number of CDs in his collection. He loves Chicane
when in Boracay, Rihanna and Beyonce when working out, and his current
favorites are DJ David Guetta and Azalea Banks.
7: Number of years his driver Rommel has been with him.
“Memorize na niya lahat!”
8. Robby’s top party
tips:
1. Good music: “Prepare a playlist beforehand. The selection
will depend on the set of friends you invited.”
2. Booze: “Make sure that you don’t run out of drinks to
keep the party going!”
3. Good food: “Make it complement the drink as well. Cheese
and cold cuts never fail.”
4. Great friends: “The most important. A party wouldn’t be
complete without friends you love and whose company you enjoy.”
9. Of the young
Filipino designers, he lists Martin Bautista, Veejay Floresca and Kermit Tesoro
as the next big names.
Martin Bautista: “Iba ang aesthetics niya, ang galing. He
thinks differently. He’s an artist and he’s very creative.”
Veejay Floresca: “In terms of the business side, he’s the
next big thing. And he knows his craft so well. Balanse siya.”
Kermit Tesoro: “For his creativity in pushing the limits to
go international.”
Robby also names Mich Dulce, Gian Romano, Jerome Lorico,
Chris Jazler and Eric de los Santos
as some of the most promising young designers.
In this generation, he names Rajo Laurel, Lesley Mobo, Randy
Ortiz, Oliver Tolentino, Monique Lhuillier and Francis Libiran as some of the
biggest standouts. “This would not have been possible without the help of the
senior designers who really paved the way for this generation to leave a mark,”
Robby says of the iconic Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales and Auggie Cordero.
Of the new generation models, he believes the next
supermodels will be Sam Gomez (“She has a beautiful face that defines the look
of this generation”), Irish Ong and Natassha Bautista.
10. On what the
fashion industry is doing right: “Pushing the boundaries to go global.” On what
the fashion industry is doing wrong: “Being closed-minded to change.”
He admires the local designers who are pushing their craft
abroad, and branding their products as Filipino for the world to take notice.
Robby’s dream is for Manila
to be known one day as an Asian fashion capital, and for more designers to make
a big name internationally. “The next step would be to get buyers and
international press, so there would be business for the young ones,” he
explains. He believes fashion today is all about collaboration and that he
wishes everyone would open their doors so we can be one industry. “Walang
cliques, walang clannish, we should work as one.”
* * *
He is three years away from celebrating 20 years in the industry. When
asked if he is planning anything big for this milestone, he shrugs it off and says,
“Matagal pa yun.” As someone who lives one day at a time and each day to the
fullest, Robby has never seemed to worry about his future. More than bookends,
he looks at next steps. “I want to do something to be able to teach the next
generation to build themselves both as individuals and businessmen, to push
their creativity to the limits,” he declares. Surely, another grand celebration
with great company will be the mark of whatever this next big step may be.
