UNO Does Dos: Relaunch Photos

Posted by Jayvee at July 22nd, 2009

Complete set of photos with beautiful people can be found in our Photo Gallery I, Gallery II, Gallery III, and Gallery IV.

The newly reformatted UNO Men’s Magazine was recently launched in an exclusive black tie affair at the upscale Mercedes-Benz showroom in Bonifacio Global City last June.

The magazine’s new Editor-in-chief RJ Ledesma dubbed UNO Magazine Version 2.0 as “The ultimate in men’s lifestyle magazines.” In front of a capacity crowd at the Mercedes-Benz showroom, RJ shared what prompted his new editorial team to reshape the five-year old publication. “We think that there is an opportunity to provide a magazine that the Filipino male can graduate to from the racier men’s magazines. So think of UNO Magazine as dispatches for the discerning man.”

In his welcome speech to the audience, RJ shared that there would be major changes to the magazine. “Aside from the larger size, the better paper stock and the vastly improved layout, we are proud of our contributors – many of whom are Palanca award winners – who deliver best-in-class writing month in and month out. And we are equally proud of the pictorials of our featured women. We employ a different visual aesthetic of the female form that you won’t find in other publications. Our UNO women are sensuous yet still very classy. “

“We believe that what makes a woman sexy is beyond mere biology.” RJ added. “Sexy can be an experience. It can be an attitude. It can be a philosophy. It can be a way of being. And a sexy woman who is an artful, chaotic mishmash of all these attributes, she can be more complex than chaos theory. Welcome then, to the evolution of sexy. Welcome to the new UNO Magazine.”

To achieve UNO’s new vision is its top caliber editorial team composed of RJ Ledesma, an award-winning humor columnist for the Philippine Star, best-selling book author and television and events host; Creative Director Juan Caguicla, a celebrated photographer ad graphic designer Juan Caguicla who recently came home from an artist’s residency in Paris; and Executive Editor Erwin Romulo, a Palanca award-winning writer and associate editor of the prestigious Philippines Free Press. Also on board are Editor-at-Large Luis Katigbak, a multi-awarded writer and popular author; and Style editor and art connoisseur Norman Crisologo.

The highlight of the re-launch was the unveiling of the new look UNO magazine which showcased no less than high society figure and fashion icon Celine Lopez on the cover. After the unveiling, Butch Romero, the president and CEO of Five Leaf Publishing,the publishers of UNO, along with fellow board directors Alex Brandner, Atticus King and Maan Ilustre, joined RJ and cover girl Celine Lopez onstage and led the audience in a toast to usher in the new era of UNO Magazine. Five-Leaf shareholders Kevin and Konrad Tayao followed later in the evening.

After the toast, RJ was feted with a birthday treat by his wife, Vanessa, who surpirised him with a three-story black tie-themed birthday cake designed by renowned cake designer Penk Cheng. The executive of CATS Motors, Inc. the general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in the Philippines and sponsor the the UNO re-launch were in full attendance, including Emy Arcilla, PR Director, Anthony Lao, General Sales Manaer, Robert Shaw, the VP Sales and Planning, Andros Villaraza, Senior Marketing Manager and Jun Zarate, Mercedes-Benz Global Sales Manager. Pernod Ricard wines made sure that the guests were in high spirits while caterer Steve Tamayo prepared sumptuous cocktails.

Once the event concluded, all of UNO Magazine’s guests were then treated to an all-night after party at the exclusive Members Only club hosted by Erik Cua and GP Reyes.

On hand to witness the re-launch was an eclectic mix of Manila high society and the underground of art, cool and style: diplomats and hipsters, high chic and street style, political powerbrokers and cultural icons. The diplomatic community was led by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Sec. Alberto Romulo and his wife Lovely, H.E. Ambassador Thierry Borja de Mozota of France, H.E. Christian Weber Lortsch of Germany and H.E. Ambassador Adnan Basaga of Turkey and his wife Oya.

The consular community included consuls Fortune Aleta-Ledesma of Monaco, Mellie and Louie Ablaza of Guatemala and Zambia, Berk Tuna Atala of Sweden, Seferino Benedicto of Albania, Miguel George of Mexico, Jan Janda of the Czech Republic, Carla Limcaoco of Sweden, Hidenobu Sobashima of Japan.

Among the prominent business personalities who graced the event were President of the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hubert D ‘Aboville, Robinson Land;s Marilu Alferez, RPN-9’s Tonypet Albano, GMA-7’s Rod Cornejo, Michelis’ Sanya Faustmann, Stores Specialists Inc.’s Malu Francisco, Ramesh Genomal, the director of the Philippine-Indian Chamber of Commerce and his wife Cherina, Travelife’s Keiichi and Christine Miki, Japan Airlines General Manager Toshiro Morita and his wife Mie, Harbour Centre’s Mikee Romero and Edwin Jeremillo, Mabuhay Capital Corporation’s Lito Sibayan and Ray David, RJLhinet Development Corporation’s Renato and Linda Tan, and Mega Publishing’s Sari Yap.

The crowd was a playful mix of young and young once society such as Emily Lopez, Ana Angara, Jackie Cohen-Antonio, Cat Arambulo, Baby Antonio, Pilie Barranachea, Nellie Bengzon, Fanny Blanco, Nena Casimiro, Betty Chua, Arch. Gerry Contreras, Marcel Crespo, Chut Cuerva, Cristina Garcia, Lita Gelano, Chit Gohu, Jorge Hizon, Doy Kison, Mars Lambino, Rose Lazaro, Olga Martel, Miguel Rosales, Carmina Sanchez and Chicho Suarez.

High-profile media personalities who graced the occasion included former covergirls Denise Laurel and Karen Pamintuan, actresses Iza Calzado, Andrea del Rosario, and Jennifer Lee, tv hosts Phoemela Baranda, Lia Cruz, Rovilson Fernandez, Bianca Gonzalez, UNO covergirl Karen Pamintuan, and JM Rodriguez, reality tv show starts Gee-Ann Abrahan, Kian Kazemi and Bea Saw, singer Rachel Alejandro, theatre actor Bart Guingona, filmmakers Quark Henares and Marie Jamora, and the indefatigable eventologist Tim Yap.

The top names in fashion and modeling sashayed their way to the UNO launch as well, including Mia Ayesa, Mich Dulce, Mai Kaufmann, Rich Herrera, Solenn Heussaff, Brent Javier, Joey Mead, Ciara Marasigan-Serumgard, Denise Montecillo, Bubbles Paraiso, Bianca Valerio, Cecile Zamora Van Straten,

Media practitioners were Philip Abadicio, HIPP Magazine’s Gina Abuyuan, Barbie Atienza, columnist and editor Audrey Carpio, award-winning author and magazine editor Tara Sering, Patricia Evangelista, Edd Fuentes, illustrator Lala Gallardo- Samson, Glenn Gale, Circuit’s JR Isaac, Eon Stakeholders’ Jeannie Javelosa, Cecile Lopez Lilles, Donnie Ramirez, Mega Magazine’s Carla Sibal and celebrated writer Krip Yuson.

The prominent names in Manila’s music and nightlife came to celebrate as well, with the likes of Kjwan’s Marc Abaya, RockEd’s Gang Badoy, Bamboo’s Ira Cruz, Music and Wine’s Ines Cabarrus and Elian Habayeb, Bigfish’s Ricky Daker, Eventscape’s Stephen Ku, Club Ascend’s Oliver Mendez, Parokya ni Edgar’s Buwi Meneses, 99.5RT’s Tina Ryan and Itchyworm’s Kelvin Yu.