The Philippine Star

Now it’s easier to find Marielle Santos-Po and Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez

- By STEPHANIE ZUBIRI-Crespi

Gl a r - ing city lights, the jarring sound of beeping horns, the overwhelmi­ng stress of the “ber” months in a chaotic concrete urban jungle… You take a moment and close your eyes; a long deep breath suddenly transports you to balmy breezes, rustling palm trees and the gentle caress of the sea and sand tickling your toes…

Ahh… That momentary escape, the perfect pick-me-up to power through the week. Where Two Find Me is exactly just that. An online destinatio­n filled with beautiful everyday resortwear that serves as your piña colada on an extremely hectic day.

“Sanctuary for us is being by the water, feeling the salty breeze, touching the sand with our toes... and we hope to create these experience­s through the pieces we offer,” shares Marielle Santos-Po. The retail maven is one of the co-founders of this e-commerce website. She, along with fashion designer Rosanna OcampoRodr­iguez, wants to evoke an everyday sense of wanderlust through their unique items. “We were inspired by our love for finding beautiful and unique pieces from different parts of the globe. We wanted to share these little treasures with fellow explorers who crave adventure and solace under the sun,” enthuses Rosanna.

This venture was born out of their long friendship and shared passion for all things related to the beach and travel. The two have done their fair share of jetsetting and sun worshippin­g, and both believe that sometimes being on vacation is just a matter of dressing the part. In fact, their entire brand is based on the idea that one doesn’t need to go to another location to travel, because they believe the resort lifestyle is a mindset — and a blissful one at that.

“I love our linen collection, we have a few pieces that combine linen and cotton with intricate beadwork and embroidery which is perfect for our tropical country,” explains Marielle. “I love that our pieces are not just for ‘traveling’ or ‘vacations’ — in fact, we always say that Where Two Find Me is all about ‘ Everyday Resortwear.’ We can be in Manila wearing our pieces. The Rosario dress I wore at our dinner party could be a cover-up while on the beach or a dress in the city if worn with wedges, sexy heels and fab accessorie­s.”

What I find absolutely remarkable about these two women is that not only are they both astute businesswo­men, they are also wives, mothers and still manage to run both their own personal businesses while finding the time to grow their joint venture and also nurture their friendship. “Marielle and I have known each other for almost three decades and even lived together in Milan for a period of time when we were both studying in Marangoni,” shares Rosanna. “It’s great working with someone you know well and truly trust. We have mutual respect for one another in and out of a working environmen­t and just set rules along the way when need be. Our tastes couldn’t be more different and I take that as a good thing so we have a wider variety when it comes to style and choices.”

“We see the benefit of having different styles,” adds Marielle. “When we meet with the brand owners, I choose the more mature and conservati­ve pieces while Rosanna goes for the sexier, louder and younger styles — in a way, we’re able to hit two markets.”

On the business end, it’s also about creating that balance. “We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses — I am more of an operator while Rosanna is more on the creative side. She’s more comfortabl­e with marketing while I focus more on finance. Although a lot of experts say that business and friendship don’t mix, it’s creating that balance and managing our expectatio­ns with each other that helps us with our partnershi­p,” says Marielle.

Where Two Find Me launched last week at the Flame Restaurant of Discovery Suites where guests were treated to a tropical escape complete with gorgeous floral arrangemen­ts and overflowin­g Aperol Spritzes. This is just the beginning; there is so much more to come. “We’re expanding to accessorie­s next year and are very excited to share the espadrille­s and bags we’ve sourced out for our clients!” shares Rosanna. When asked about her favorite pieces this season and where to wear them, she said, “My personal favorite is the Isabela. I love the effect of the hand- sewn pearls over sheer lace, making it glamorous and sexy at the same time. I wore this over a deep V-neckline, one-piece suit during my recent trip to Formentera.”

While we may not be fortunate enough to spend our days lounging by a stunning beach sipping cocktails, this holiday season, WhereTwoFi­ndMe. com is the best place to spend your lunch break, swooning over the gorgeous caftans and tunics. Dive into the world of tropical glamor and click that mouse — when you get that signature aqua blue box with the golden palms at your doorstep, it’s like unwrapping a vacation. A well-deserved one!

***

For more informatio­n follow @wheretwofi­ndme on Instagram and visit www.wheretwofi­ndme.com.

 ??  ?? Where Two Find Me techpreneu­rs Marielle Santos-Po and Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez
Where Two Find Me techpreneu­rs Marielle Santos-Po and Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez
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 ??  ?? Beautiful everyday resort wear that can also be worn in the city
Beautiful everyday resort wear that can also be worn in the city
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 ??  ?? Nicole Ortega, Tanya Moreno-de la Paz, Juana Yupangco, Rosanna OcampoRodr­iguez and Amina Aranaz-Alunan
Nicole Ortega, Tanya Moreno-de la Paz, Juana Yupangco, Rosanna OcampoRodr­iguez and Amina Aranaz-Alunan
 ??  ?? The men who nurture their passion: Marco Rodriguez with Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez, Leo Po with Marielle Santos-Po
The men who nurture their passion: Marco Rodriguez with Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez, Leo Po with Marielle Santos-Po
 ??  ?? Marielle Santos- Po, Ching Cruz, Tina Cuevas; (standing) Millet Mananquil, Mia Borromeo and Therese Coronel-Santos
Marielle Santos- Po, Ching Cruz, Tina Cuevas; (standing) Millet Mananquil, Mia Borromeo and Therese Coronel-Santos
 ??  ?? Discovery Primea’s Flames was a tropical escape all afire with blooms.
Discovery Primea’s Flames was a tropical escape all afire with blooms.
 ??  ?? Mikaela Martinez, Nicole de Los Angeles and Teresa Herrera-Antony
Mikaela Martinez, Nicole de Los Angeles and Teresa Herrera-Antony
 ??  ?? Tim Yap and Iza Calzado
Tim Yap and Iza Calzado
 ??  ?? Javi Martinez and Jessica Kienle-Maxwell
Javi Martinez and Jessica Kienle-Maxwell
 ??  ?? Xandra Rocha-Araneta and Cat Arambulo-Antonio
Xandra Rocha-Araneta and Cat Arambulo-Antonio
 ??  ?? Rajo Laurel and Ruffa Gutierrez
Rajo Laurel and Ruffa Gutierrez
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