Meet Gabriel Rivera-Barraza, a man who wanted to be a news presenter as child and is now a Fashion publicist that represents and collaborates with the most prominent Latin designers in NYC. Gabriel didn't become the Vice President and Director of PR for Christian Cota by simply sitting back and letting the world come to him and went out and took it. Gabriel wakes up every day as if it was his first day working and living in NYC, feeling the pressure of new projects and the beat of the city, he strives to never stop moving or thinking.These are only a few reasons why he is now the founder and president of GRB Communications.
But his success with GRB Communications started way before his days in NYC. Gabriel grew up in Durango, Mexico with his aunt, Erminia Barraza De Carrasco. She was a fashion designer in Durango with "the most delicate taste" and "elegant design," Gabriel describes his beloved aunt as his biggest inspiration, after growing up in a life of beautiful fashion and design, Gabriel took a leap of faith. "One day I told myself that I needed to be where the fashion happened, I moved to Los Angeles to study Fine Arts at American InterContinental University of Los Angeles."
Then in 2000, Gabriel made a dramatic change in his life- he moved to NYC. "I am very lucky to live and breathe in NY, within the city that discovers your soul and challenges you day in and day out. To succeed in NYC takes preparation and dedication, but what makes it worthwhile is loving what you do."
Gabriel lives and breathe NYC but he also has a passion for fashion and marketing that is unrelenting. Gabriel represents and collaborates with the most prominent Latino designers in NY, Delpozo by Creative Director Josep Font, Carlos Campos, Christian Cota, Fabiola Arias, BihBo Mohapatra, M. De Pochas by Alexis Zambrano and Jesus Torres. The list doesn't stop there and with this many creative clients, Gabriel must always stay ahead of the game.
To stay ahead of the curve with fresh, energetic ideas, Gabriel believes, "you have to look around you and take in the culture and society, one must also consider all the factors that affect the consumers economically and socially. You have to know how to move to the next step, and build a specific brand without losing the uniqueness that initially made it pop."
Even though Gabriel now calls NYC home, he has never forgotten his roots, as a Latin based fashion consulting company, GRB holds close ties to the Latino community, Gabriel says the relationship with the his culture is mutually beneficial, "I love working with the Latino market because it connects me to my culture and allows me to show the world our talent."
Despite the fashion world becoming more complex, Gabriel believes in the use of technology to reach an increasingly multi-cultural audience, "technology has become essential to GRB Communications, we use creative social media marketing to reach a new audience. We use social media to target the next generation of consumers and aim to understand a new creative, less conservation audience."
And while Gabriel juggles marketing, brand, fashion and NYC hustle bustle, he says GRB Communication has a concrete future. "We are proud to say we are surviving in the economic crisis, we have cemented ourselves as leaders for Latin designers, culture and art. Our goal for the future is to expand from simply PR and build our consulting firm, offering a new business with the ability to maximize talent and potential. GRB aims to produce the next Oscar de la Renta and create even more opportunity for the next generation of Latin designers in NYC."
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