Manu Rios And His Stylist Marc Forne's Label Carrer Is The Workwear-Inspired Brand To Know

From friends and stylists to muses and business partners, the creative forces behind Carrer talk about their newest venture, where they draw inspiration from, style, and more.

Manu Rios (left) and Marc Forne launched their label, Carrer, late last year. Credit: Carrer

By Navin Pillay, 15 Jan 2024

You know Manu Rios. You've seen him in Netflix’s highly popular Spanish drama Elite, portraying Patrick Blanco, a character entangled in the scandalous lives of teenagers at an exclusive private school in Spain. You've also witnessed him on red carpets, donning gender-bending, head-turning looks curated by his longtime friend and stylist Marc Forne – the same visionary behind the fluid and fabulous ensembles recently sported by Troye Sivan. Now, you'll recognize them as the creative forces behind Carrer, a ready-to-wear fashion label reimagining wardrobe staples.

Launched in October 2023, Carrer defines itself as a ready-to-wear urban fashion brand aiming to reinvent classics with versatile and durable pieces. Drawing inspiration from Rios and Forne’s personal wardrobes and the spirit of their favourite cities, Carrer combines vintage basics with contemporary streetwear elements. Currently, the collection includes jackets, pants, overshirts, sweatshirts, and classic-style T-shirts – all available for purchase on its e-commerce platform.

In this interview, Rios and Forne tell us about the inception of the brand, their aspirations for it, and what's next.

manu rios carrer — Marc Forne (right) have been styling actor Manu Rios (left) for several years.

You’ve both been working together for several years now on Manu’s red carpet and editorial looks and more. At what point did you decide to go into business together to launch a clothing brand?

"While working together and having had many conversations about it, we crossed paths with the right people who encouraged and pushed us to team up and develop this project to the point of making it real. It certainly is not about this and now but more about the years of common work that has led us here. We worked on Carrer for two years before our launch, and it has been a daily conversation that has evolved into what you’ve seen come to life."

Talk us through the process of setting up Carrer.

"It has been almost two years since we started talking about Carrer. We both have different but complementary approaches to fashion, and when it comes to our 'off-duty' looks, we share a common taste for comfortable, timeless garments."

What is your design philosophy?

"Our design philosophy is 'reworked classics'. These timeless pieces we chose to re-edit are updated with a contemporary twist that helps them adapt to our fast-paced way of life. The versatility of our collection is also a key value. We want to be able to wear these looks on a daily basis, accommodating the many different moments a day can have. We give these 'classics' a 'utilitarian' twist from the workwear heritage, combined with minimalism and a fit that ensures ease of wear."

Tell us about the decision to offer gender-neutral clothing through reinvented staples.

"We both wear clothes designed for men and women, never taking into account the boundaries of fashion. We wear skirts, bags… so it felt really natural to think of a brand that doesn’t limit any style to any gender."

How would you describe a classic Carrer outfit?

"A Carrer look is elegant yet comfortable. These two words are key when we speak about Carrer. It’s an outfit we wear when we are off-duty, or when we are on set or at an event. We want to feel comfy but still look on point."

What do you do when you’re not working?

Manu: "Every time I finish a job, I start to think of travelling. I believe that I learn a lot through travelling. It offers inspiration for both my personal and professional life—in the end, it’s all connected. Both personal and professional spaces feed off each other, and that gets reflected in the work."

Marc: "I believe travelling, people, friends, sports, and fashion itself takes up most of my busy and free time. It’s been a long time since I lost my sense of demarcation between working and not working. The truth is, it is hard to find personal free time, but my hobbies and work tend to be very much connected."

This article is adapted from a story that first appeared in Harper's Bazaar Singapore