Take Your Cue from Stylish BFFs Joey Mead and Fatima Rabago's Chic List

Longtime friends Joey Mead and Fatima Rabago are alike in so many ways: they are stunning women, with beautiful, fit bodies, and are known for their compassion and affection for animals, their genuine kindness and carefree nature, and their love for the beach and anything that has to do with the ocean. These are just a few character traits that immediately drew them to each other in 2013. They met backstage as both were walking in Rajo Laurel’s anniversary show for Metrowear and the Lifestyle Network. Mead shares that she felt an instant connection to Rabago, and that they have been inseparable ever since.

Though both were modeling in the show at the time, they both also have very significant careers outside of ramp and print. Spanish native Fatima is the founder and marketing head director of Agua Brazilian Swimwear—a Brazilian and Filipino swimwear company that makes gorgeous one-piece suits and bikinis. “My Brazilian partner and I do the designs and choose the prints together. Then all our pieces are manufactured in Brazil—we get the fabrics from there and it is made there. Locally, we market and produce our online content.” This brand of swimwear is definitely known for the fit. There aren’t too many produced in each size, so you know you are getting something unique and of good quality, and pretty, of course. Rabago is also a well-known makeup artist in the local fashion and beauty industry, booking gigs for print and TV. When she is not in front of the makeup chair, she is sitting in it, as one of the country’s most recognized faces.

Outside of work, she is a busy wife and mom. She and husband Hideo Muraoka have a beautiful daughter named Danda, a sweet French bulldog, Eva, and a lovely cat (whom she adopted from Joey), Sevi. Because of her lifestyle, Rabago’s style is very relaxed and beachy, perfect for our tropical climate. You’ll often see her sporting one of her pieces with a simple pair of denims, a chic pair of sunglasses, and cool flats.

Mead, on the other hand, has perfected what it means to be “boho-chic.” She wears a maxi dress just beautifully and manages to always look put-together. Her toned arms and tummy make wearing swimwear effortless, especially when she finishes her look with cool accessories, some of which, only someone like her can pull off. The Filipino-born-but-Australian-raised celebrity has been a permanent fixture in the industry for quite sometime, branching out as a model, host, and presenter around Asia, as well as in LA, where you will also oftentimes find her vacationing with spouse, Angie Mead King. Today, she is most known for her dedication to the protection of animals. (She has 12 right now: three dogs and nine cats, most of which are rescued, and she is raising a 13th rescue kitten at the moment). She excitedly shares that she is working on an animal shelter project, an animal sanctuary called Saint Roche in Tagaytay, which has been one of her long-term goals. Aside from all this, she just finished shooting a special documentary called RABAGO, with Angie, which takes a closer look at them as a couple and their relationship. It is set to air on the Discovery Channel. Following this will be a six-episode documentary with Active TV in Singapore, which takes a look at the different lives of trans couples.

More than having so much in common and a true friendship, Mead and Rabago have a professional relationship. Rabago is Mead’s first choice when asked which makeup artist she likes to work with. “It is just easy, she’s so talented, and she knows my face. And of course, it always helps to work with someone who you genuinely trust, respect, and love.

Article from Metro Society's April 2017 issue / Photographs by Jar Concengco