Wollongong born Rick Caballo and Melissa Core are not only continuing to grow their fashion business in Nashville they are doing more work in Australia and the Pacific and are providing opportunities for home grown talent from the Illawarra.
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The popular designer clothing range under the name of Corello has been getting international exposure in movies, televisions series and music clips and is worn by many well known artists.
During a visit to Wollongong recently before flying to Fiji to do some work the Corella founders stopped by the Relativity studios in Kenny Street, Wollongong and were impressed by what they saw.
They said the large film and photographic studio was as good as anything in Sydney and beyond and believed it would bring more fashion shoots and film work to the Illawarra.
And as their business continues to expand globally and they do more work back home in Australia, they said it was great to know there was a world class facility in their home town they can use.
While they were there Rick and Melissa reflected on the last five years of making their dreams become reality and looked back on how it all started.
Although they are similar ages and both grew up in Wollongong the two did not meet until they were in the United States.
Rick had moved there to try and make a name for himself as a country music artist and Melissa was there as a dancer and model and appeared in magazines and television commercials.
Rick is also an artist and their chance meeting resulted in them pooling their creative talents and quickly begin to turn heads in the world of fashion.
Their Corello fashion line quickly became popular in the music scene with many well known artists starting to wear it on stage.
“The best way to describe Corello is it is rock fashion,” Melissa said.
“It is all designed by Rick around his style, his influences from his music and his art pretty much created the fashion brand.”
During their visit to Wollongong in August Rick took the opportunity to play a few sets at Beaches Hotel in Thirroul shortly after hopping off the plane.
He loves performing live and he loves watching his music idols doing the same. Sometimes wearing his clothing.
“It is pretty cool when someone like Steven Tyler (of Aerosmith) is wearing your brand merch,” he said.
The two creatives spoke of their recent successes and goals to continue to expand the business in North America as well as globally and back home in Australia.
The business keeps expanding and the couple now do public relations and artist management for other performers, as well as many other things.
While in Wollongong they encouraged people to check out their websites at corellousa.com and deadhorsebranding.com if they want to get an understanding about everything Corello does.
Rick is still writing and recording music and Melissa continues to model.
As business people the two compliment each other in a way where nothing seems impossible. One thing they will never do is stop calling Wollongong home or looking for opportunities to include local service provides in their business or supporting local talent from the Illawarra.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
