Rajo Laurel Answers the Question: How Do You Strike a Balance Between Creativity and Commerce?

At Vogue Threads Manila 2025, RCBC, celebrating its 65th anniversary, joins designer Rajo Laurel onstage, together with RCBC Credit Cards first vice president and marketing head Angela Mirasol and investment advisor Abigail Jacosalem, to share insights on how to champion creativity with financial tools

The morning masterclass at Vogue Threads Manila 2025 opened with stories of Rajo Laurel’s childhood desire for a Barbie doll, lessons that referenced the characters of Goldilocks, and a few acronyms involving the three P’s, two C’s and the letter S. 

While the setup may have sounded like a children’s story hour, the lessons shared were anything but. In the panel titled “A Balancing Act: Juggling Creative Passion with Business Acumen,” Laurel is joined by RCBC, one of the top five privately owned universal banks in the Philippines, alongside RCBC Credit Cards first vice president and marketing head Angela Mirasol, and RCBC Trust Corporation investment advisor Abigail Jacosalem onstage with moderator Paolo Abrera to tackle the question: can you really make art and make it a sustainable business all at the same time?

“Creativity, business acumen, and financial savvy aren’t mutually exclusive,” says Abrera, addressing Laurel. “You simply found a solution and a way to make it happen.”

For the designer, the approach to “problem solving” began at the age of seven. “My origin story began with that desire of getting a Barbie doll,” he shares. His methods, even for a child, were a bit unconventional yet resourceful: he gathered a litter of cats, believing that by selling them to his classmates would get him his coveted doll. 

“Even when I was [at that age], there was that desire to want something so bad, I actually found ways and actually achieved it. And there are many ways to do it properly,” he says candidly, admitting that his mom reprimanded him for that. “I think that’s what I wanted to share with all of you: how to do it properly.”

He also emphasized the need for both heart and strategy in building a brand as a designer: “You cannot be just purely creative. And you cannot just purely be commerce, because it’s boring to be purely commerce.”

Following Laurel’s story, Mirasol introduced to the audience something more structured, a framework she calls “two C’s and one S:” capital, cash flow, and sales. The RCBC Credit Cards first vice president and marketing head shared that while creatives may hesitate when it comes to finance, the right tools can turn hesitation into momentum.

For capital, she pointed to the RCBC credit card as a tool to purchase inventory, pay talent or advertise. “Some people think that credit cards are debt traps, but they are not,” says Mirasol. “They can actually be very good financial tools.”

She explained two key features: UnliPay, which allows users to transfer funds from their credit limit to any local bank or wallet and RCBC InstaCash, which converts a cardholder’s available limit into actual cash, useful for emergencies or supplier payments.

Mirasol then tackled the second “C” cash flow, which she described as one of the biggest hurdles for freelancers and creatives. “Sometimes, you don’t get paid right away. A credit card is perfect for that. It will give you around 20 days before you’re required to pay. And if you pay in full, technically, you don’t have to pay any financial charge.”

She also noted that big purchases can be converted into 36 months installment payments, giving freelancers or small business owners much-needed breathing room.

And finally, the “S” is for sales, demonstrated through the RCBC’s Tap-to-Phone, an app that turns any Android smartphone into a mobile point-of-sale terminal. “What’s exciting about this one is that you’re not required to have any monthly sales. You can bring it anywhere you go and you can see the reports right away,” shares Mirasol.

Jakosalem, meanwhile, offered a long-term lens into the conversation. “You still need to protect your assets, and you still need to make sure that your income or your source of funds is growing,” she advises.

“The idea of investing might sound foreign to some people, but I do think that it’s an important thing to think about, especially now that you’re still quite young.” She further encouraged creatives to view money not as math, but as meaning. “I think banking, finance, and investments need to start with you. Because money is about people and people have emotions. You have dreams ascribed to that capital.”

Towards the end of the session, the panel circled back to purpose and balance. “Passion, purpose, and profitability,” says Mirasol. “That’s something you cannot forego.”

Laurel encapsulated it from a lesson from Goldilocks and the Three Bears: “Always be the baby bear: Not too much, not too little, just right.” He also reminded the room that the goal is sustainability, not just in fashion or finance, but in life. “Invest in yourself and invest in people.”

Following the masterclass, associate features fashion editor Ticia Almazan led a private tour of the exhibit housed within The Art Space. The tour offered a deeper look into the stories behind over 50 photographs and 11 video, each spotlighting Filipino creatives across fashion, design, art, and culture.

Taking place concurrently with Vogue Threads Manila 2025, RCBC’s 65@65 anniversary campaign was also on view within RCBC Plaza. One of its key highlights, is Your Partner for Passions, a collaboration you can have with the bank to support your entrepreneurial or art pursuits.

According to the brand, it can provide the tools and advocate for you to have a sustaining business, while also giving you access to creative events and workshops. Since its launch and in celebration of its 65th anniversary, RCBC has curated 65 unique events and experiences designed to “ignite your passions and help you discover new ones.”

For more information, visit RCBC’s official website.