Mom on the Move: Catching Up with Fashion Mom, Rina Santos
MANILA, Philippines – Mom, blogger, entrepreneur, and fashion icon. These are some of the words people have used to describe Rina Santos. In the last few years, Santos has become a prolific figure on social media due to her aesthetic style and her adventures with daughter, Rafa. This August, Melissa Shoes recognizes this power mom as a #MeInMelissa Style Maven.
“I had no idea we were even popular,” shares Santos. “It started when she was really small. I would always dress her up in something weird or fun. Then eventually, people started asking me, ‘Oh, how’s Rafa?’. So I changed my IG account’s name because more of my followers are actually following Rafa!”
#MeInMelissa is the new campaign by Brazilian footwear icon, Melissa Shoes. The campaign empowers women across the country while highlighting pieces from the brand’s 2018 collection, Open Vibes.
For her #MeInMelissa Style Maven shoot, Rina Santos donned a pair of Melissa Classic Brogues. Santos has found her personal aesthetic by mixing androgynous stylings with vintage, yet feminine touches. “(the pair) exudes manliness, at the same time if you mix it up with different kinds of styles, it brings a different kind of take in fashion.”
Due to the popularity of her Instagram account, @rinaandrafa, Santos launched a supporting video blog, The Rina and Rafa Show, which has become an instant favorite. Through her social media accounts, viewers have a chance to witness the Santos family’s trips all over the world.
“Travel is important to us. Not just for fashion, but for Rafa,” says Santos. “It opens a lot of ideas for her. She has an open mind and she’s not discriminating. She doesn’t feel scared going to different places. But if we have a super favorite place, that would be Japan or Seoul, South Korea. We like the food and they have a lot of vintage stores there. We love mixing vintage and store-bought clothes!”
For Santos, travel isn’t just a means of exploring new worlds or rediscovering long-forgotten favorites. “Most of our inspiration actually comes from traveling. We see a lot of styles along the way, and eventually that brought us to zeroing into our individualities. We’re different and that’s okay.”
