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Designing (and making money) wouldn't hurt
Had a wonderful interview with Ms. Maja Olivares-Co (of SS Olivares and Associates) this morning. Ms. Co - if you're a hopelessly clueless nobody cooped up under a rock (like me) - designs the retail displays and interiors of almost all Rustan stores for almost 15 years (including Marks & Spencer, A Different Bookstore, and Xara). One glance at her portfolio and you'll gape - she had been designing interiors in high-end stores in New York and Canada. She believes in the power of business, good design, and proper discipline - and she's a Filipina (of course, she had far more opportunities than us, but hey).
Ions (whose mom drove us to Rockwell), a classmate, and I were tasked by Prof. Colayco to introduce her to the class in our class forum on Sept. 7. Hence, the interview. Now, I'm not one of those oh-so-trendy people loitering around Rockwell and having lattes while studying. But I braved the fashionable streets, had designer coffee, and tried to shut myself up just to do the interview.
Ms. Co is frank, spontaneous, funny, and aggressive - the perfect person to have a coffee and an interview with. By asking the right questions, you get loads of information, insights, and occasional gossips - more that what you've expected. We were hesitant when we started asking her questions, but as the interview progressed we felt at ease talking with her. We were then suddenly talking about New York and the state of local retail stores, and laughing at anecdotes. I'm actually proud of the fact that I've interviewed one of the design bigshots in the country - even though I'm not proud of my inability to talk audibly (and I asked most of the questions, too). Suddenly, Starbucks feels right at home.
Reading about people, talking to important folks and hearing about their successful lives, I've realized that I should be more aggressive, especially when dealing with people, career paths, and practically everything. I've been cursing the day the nuns taught us about humility - the kind you give as an excuse for not taking bigger opportunities and settling with what's asinine and... small. We were taught not to be the class president simply because we're flaunting our leadership skills, that it's pride messing you up - yes, let the rich/popular/smart kid be the leader, because God gave them something the other kids do not have. Don't even give the regular kids a try. (Sure, they didn't say/teach this explicitly, but that's how I've experienced it.) It had been in me for so long, and I want that nagging thought to go away, dammit.
There's something to be said about everything we've learned from her, so far, about design and businesses. But then that's for our presentation. Ions and I are challenged by these designers - first, there was the Ewan McGregor character in The Island, and now, Ms. Co. There's a future in design, and it's us. And we should work really, really hard, and have the guts to put our best works out.
After the morning in Powerplant, I got into a train, was nearly smothered by the heat, and went straight to Diliman. My dorm room smelled like smoke - they've been fumigating. I missed lunch. And I'm back in reality.
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