Michael Cinco’s futuristic Metaverse Fashion Gala

All eyes were on Philippine Blockchain Week (PBW) as world-renowned Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco showcased his iconic style in the digital and physical spaces at the country's first-ever Metaverse Fashion Gala.

World-renowned Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco PHOTOS BY J. GERARD SEGUIA

Taking place on September 18 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, Newport World Resorts Manila, the Metaverse Fashion Gala attracted a who's who of the fashion world, including fashion icons, trendsetters, influencers, and even government officials, with the distinguished presence of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

Throughout the PBW venue, Cinco's couture designs were on glorious display.

The Philippines’ first-ever Metaverse Fashion Gala at the Mariott Grand Ballroom, Newport Resorts Manila.

Among the mesmerizing creations showcased were the iconic sapphire ball gown worn by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach during her final walk, the breathtaking ombre gown that adorned Jennifer Lopez at the American Music Awards in 2015; the ethereal sky-blue off-shoulder dress of Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017; and the shimmery black mini long-sleeve turtle-neck dress that American rapper Nicki Minaj slayed at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, to name a few.

The fashion show itself unfolded in a breathtaking spectacle, with a 60-piece collection meticulously divided into five distinctive themes: the Metaverse, off-white, black, pearl, and nude.

Cinco’s looks for the future.

The runway itself took on a futuristic ambiance, surrounded by multiple screens that transported attendees into a digital dreamscape. Models, adorned in Cinco's creations, flaunted spray-painted silver hair, with some daringly extending the metallic hue all the way to their faces.

The show ended with Cinco walking the runway, igniting cheers and a standing ovation from the audience.

RTW collection

Following the event, Sayed Ali, co-founder and managing director of Michael Cinco Couture, announced the launch of the designer's first couture ready-to-wear collection, along with a perfume and jewelry line.

“It's not normal ready-to-wear,” said Ali, during a PBW panel entitled, “Fashion Digital Runway.”

“It's couture ready-to-wear, with a touch of Michael Cinco Couture, but the price is very affordable,” he continued.

Bringing fashion to the digital space

Host and eventologist Tim Yap moderated the discussion with Ali, Blockchain Council of the Philippines founding VP Chezka Gonzales, and Xctuality co-founder and CEO Warren Woon, whose company was responsible for bringing Cinco's creations to the digital world.

At the Gala, collectors were treated to a showcase of signature Cinco pieces, while the runway models’ avatars were shown wearing the same outfits in the Metaverse.

“We wanted to bring together the physical elements of the gowns with elements of the Metaverse and NFTs,” said Woon, before sharing that the designer's gowns are so unique that it took some time to translate them into the digital format.

Based on reactions from the audience and on social media, the event was successful in presenting the possibilities of bringing art to the digital space, not the least of which was helping creatives reach a younger, wider demographic.

For Gonzales, who'd helped conceive the event, the Metaverse Fashion Gala was an event over a year in the making. She cited the value added by placing Cinco's pieces on the blockchain, stating that, “Recreating Michael's fashion in the Metaverse and authenticating them with NFT's helps give consumers the value they really deserve.”

Running concurrent with the Gala was the sale of both featured pieces and iconic designs from Cinco's portfolio, with proceeds benefiting the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Global Spectrum Initiative and the Global Reskilling Movement.

Now on its second year, PBW is dedicated to shining the spotlight on how blockchain technology is evolving the way we live, work, and play. PBW ran from September 19 to 21 at the Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom.