Parents, indeed, know best! Although Bernie and Alice Liu’s union isn’t a product of an arranged marriage, the couple behind some of the country’s biggest fashion and lifestyle brands are forever grateful to their respective parents for their subtle efforts to make them fall in love.
The practice of going through an arranged marriage, even among traditional Chinese-Filipino families, was already on the wane when Bernie and Alice Liu finally decided to exchange “I dos” nearly 40 years ago. Still, certain families practiced it. But knowing how independent and strong-willed they both were, their respective parents would never force them into an arranged marriage.
Instead, they were hatching something more subtle to make Alice and Bernie fall for each other. And it worked!
The Liu family-owned Golden ABC, Inc. was then transitioning from purely being a clothes manufacturer to a purveyor of lifestyle and fashion via a newly launched clothing brand called Penshoppe. To generate much-needed publicity for the brand, the company tapped an elite circle of teenagers and young adults as its brand ambassadors.
Dubbed as Club Pen, the group included Alice, then fresh out of college, who was personally invited by Bernie’s father to sign up. Since it was a fledgling venture, Bernie also served as the marketing campaign’s photographer.
“She came in for a test shoot one day,” says Bernie. Although they probably knew of each other, Bernie and Alice had never met before.
“Little did Bernie and I know that our parents had a hidden agenda to subtly set us up,” an amused Alice chimes in. “Bernie’s dad would remind him that I was a family friend so he should take care of me during those engagements.”
Bernie probably took his role a tad too seriously, picking Alice up and accompanying her to almost every Club Pen event. In no time, the two became good friends. Before long, their friendship blossomed into love. Their parents had their way, after all!
“After we decided to go steady, we saw each other every day save for one day when Cebu was ravaged by a strong storm. We were married within a year,” Bernie shares.
“In fact, we were married exactly a year later–on the very same date we officially became a couple. Bernie loves to joke about it. Now, he only has one date to remember daw,” Alice says with a laugh.–Alex Y. Vergara
Read the full story in PeopleAsia’s latest issue, coming out next week.
