Arci Muñoz is known as the young hopeful who joined a reality talent show and recently, as the sultry telenovela actress and the charming leading lady in a box office romantic-comedy film. But when Arci steps out of the big and small screens and on to the stage, she assumes her other persona as Ramona Thornes, the vocalist of heavy metal band Philia.
“I have a double personality,” Arci says candidly.
She continues, “I’m artista in the morning and rock star at night. Ramona is my persona even before there was Arci. It’s my first love, music – rock music in particular.”
The actress playing the traumatized sister and the idealistic makeup artist gets lost in oblivion when Arci (Ramona Muñoz in real life) holds the mic and head bangs to the emphatic rhythms of heavy metal music.
“I told myself, if I can do both at the same time, why not? Ramona is like the weirder, darker side of Arci,” she shares.
Arci’s band Philia has been around for nine years, during which they recorded one album and played in various locations and festivals in the country. “We just really love what we’re doing,” enthuses the 27-year-old actress-singer.
With her two differing but somehow complementing personalities, Arci was tapped to be the face and the body of the “older and more daring” lingerie line of global street wear brand Dickies.
Formerly known as Dickies Girl, which was launched in 2008, the underwear line has morphed into Dickies Intimates. The subsidiary brand offers daily undergarments in a variety of colors, prints and styles to give women of today a boost of confidence while providing comfortable choices.
“Women of today are more daring while comfort-seeking,” says Dickies Intimates marketing manager Jerrinah Cheng. “There is a need for continuous innovation of garments, especially in underwear. Designs are made specifically for a certain generation and factors are constantly changing.”
As the endorser of the grown-up brand, Arci believes that Dickies Intimates, with all its new product offerings made of high quality materials, truly embodies the women of today.
She relates, “When they asked me to be the endorser of Dickies Intimates, I said ‘yes’ right away. I didn’t think twice because it represents the women of our generation now: bold, sexy and conservative but a little bit liberated.”
With comfort and confidence at the core, Dickies Intimates also upholds the identity of the Dickies brand. “Dickies is very rock, street-style fashion. Thus we injected our own fashionable, sexy, comfortable glam rock style into the Dickies Intimates,” explains Cheng.
The brand also worked with Arci in designing some of the pieces in the collection, one of which is the pair she wore during her official launch as Dickies Intimates’ endorser.
At the launch, Arci walked in a pair of black underwear that exudes a sexy vibe but looks comfortable that women wouldn’t probably hesitate wearing it everyday.
Cheng reveals that the brand is doing another collaboration with Arci, which will come out this year.
“I really wanna try designing, not just underwear, but to also explore the world of fashion,” divulges Arci.
Suffice it to say that being actress/rock star/fashion designer is a dangerous but enviable combination.