Manu Ríos And Marc Forné On Their New Fashion Label, CARRER, Who They’re Designing For And What’s Next

You know Manu Rìos. You’ve seen him in Netflix’s highly-popular Spanish drama Elite, about teenagers at an exclusive private school in Spain and all the scandalous things they get up to, where he plays Patrick Blanco. And you’ve seen him on red carpets wearing gender-bending, head-turning looks, orchestrated by his longtime friend turned stylist Marc Forné—he’s also responsible for the fluid and fabulous ensembles we’ve seen Troye Sivan sporting lately. Now, you’ll know them both as the creative forces behind CARRER, a ready-to-wear fashion label reimagining wardrobe staples.

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Launched in October 2023, CARRER defines itself as a ready-to-wear urban fashion brand that aims to reinvent classics with versatile and durable pieces. Taking inspiration from Ríos and Forné's own wardrobes and the spirit of their favourite cities, CARRER combines elements of vintage basics with contemporary streetwear. Currently, it comprises jackets, pants, overshirts, sweatshirts, and classic style t-shirts—all available for purchase on their e-commerce platform. 

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In this exclusive interview, Rìos and Forné tell us about the inception of the brand, their aspirations for it and what’s next. 

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Congratulations on the successful launch of CARRER. How does it feel?

We feel very grateful, inspired, and  more motivated than ever since the launch. Many people have celebrated this very special moment with us and shared kind words, making the importance of this community we are building even more special to us.

This amazing start has also put some positive pressure on us. We want to keep improving, perfecting each collection and step we take. We want to give the best of ourselves, making sure we deliver a project that meets the standard of what is expected from us. This very positive first step has just pushed us to work even harder.

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.

In terms of the collection, what is your creative process like?

Starting from a concept that aligns with the "street" approach of the brand, we first share ideas about the most representative or iconic pieces we normally wear for those seasons, together with the fabrics and fits we like. It is also a conversation with our design team who create a concrete concept. We have in mind the brand's universe for every capsule, so that we build upon a CARRER wardrobe launch after launch. We usually draw most of our inspiration from vintage classics, keeping an eye on the details and shapes that made them icons of their time.

What is your design philosophy?

Our design philosophy is "reworked classics." These timeless pieces we chose to reedit are updated with a contemporary twist that help 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.

Who are you designing for?

CARRER is a brand for everybody. It is designed to be a genderless and universal invitation for people to explore the streets of their city, discover new spaces, and feed their curiosity. We design for someone who wants to live in style and comfort at the same time, for people who value quality and simplicity, and appreciate the art of being well-dressed, the effortless way.

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.

These days, the art of dress has expanded beyond clothing. It also encompasses accessories, fragrance and grooming products. What are your thoughts on this phenomenon, and where do you foresee CARRER in this new narrative? 

CARRER's conceptual universe is a very broad source of inspiration. We will definitely explore other categories in the seasons to come. We both love layering our looks or combining them in a creative way with accessories or items that help us express ourselves.

Tell us about the inspiration behind the fall/winter collection.

Our first fall/winter capsule is called the FW Wardrobe Capsule, as it is a reinterpretation of iconic pieces that make up our "wardrobe basics." CARRER's collections are designed to be timeless and worn from season to season, so we selected colours that pay homage to the vintage and workwear heritage, keeping them classy for a more elevated ready-to-wear look.

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 inspires you?

Inspiration for us comes from many places: Artists, movies, music videos, travel… and especially from the streets. Every city offers something unique—the attitude of the people and  how they style the clothes are all constant inspiration. For example, older people with very classic outfits inspire us to think of a piece we can "reinvent" and add to our CARRER wardrobe.

As we say, inspiration is everywhere, and we try not to limit ourselves and observe all we can. This philosophy is very true to our brand: Observe and reinterpret vintage essentials, making them true to ourselves and the contemporary world.

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 kind of lost my sense of demarcation between working and not working. Truth is, it is hard to find personal free time, but my hobbies and work tend to be very much connected.

What’s next for both you and CARRER, respectively?

Manu: I am currently working on a new series and working on CARRER. It’s quite challenging to make time for both, but we have a very hardworking team with whom we work very hard to deliver the best for the brand.

For CARRER, the journey has just started, and we want to keep growing the universe and the community, through new collections but also exploring opportunities that will make it a better project from season to season.

Marc: At the moment, CARRER takes up most of our time. That said, I’m also able to keep up with my own work and styling projects that keep growing. And it all ends up coming around, and every project feeds the other one.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.