Michael Cinco

Michael Cinco
Logo of Michael Cinco fashion firm
Born	(1971-08-27) August 27, 1971 Catbalogan City, Samar, Philippines
Residence	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Nationality	Filipino
Education	University of the Philippines Central Saint Martins
Occupation	Fashion designer
Website	www.michaelcinco.com

Michael Cinco (born August 8, 1971 in Samar, Philippines) is a Filipino fashion designer. He launched his eponymous fashion line in Dubai in 2003.^[1]

Early life and education

Cinco was born on August 27, 1971 in the island of Samar in central Philippines. His provincial upbringing made him fantasize the glamour of dressing up Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Joan Crawford and Audrey Hepburn, later saying "I pictured those fabulous heroines and imagined dressing them up in my creations. I chased after those visions...”^[2]

Cinco studied Fine Arts at the prestigious University of the Philippines Diliman for two years eventually transferring at Slims Fashion and Arts School in Manila.^[3] He then took up supplementary courses at Central Saint Martins in London.^[4]

Career

In 1997, Cinco moved to Dubai, eventually establishing his fashion line in 2003. “Moving to the Middle East was a big leap for me, the region is a haven of haute couture,” he recalls. “In my first job in Dubai, I reinvented the image of a slightly staid fashion house, and succeeded in injecting new fashion nuances. Now, it’s great to know that the elite fashionistas of Dubai eventually recognized my passion for fashion.”

In 2002, Michael went to Paris and then London where he trained at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design. The next year, he returned to Dubai and established his eponymous label, Michael Cinco.

Cinco state, “A Michael Cinco woman is moneyed. She may not be born into royalty but she better be married into one. My clothes appear seamless. They look heavy and yet they float. They look expensive simply because they are”.

The designer regularly finds inspiration in architectural features. For his 2017 Haute Couture collection, he dedicated his Fall/Winter 2017 couture collection to the Palace of Versailles, referencing its baroque panelling and intricately painted ceilings.^[5]

Notable clients

Cinco’s clients include international celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ellie Goulding, Nicole Scherzinger, Fergie Ferguson, Dita Von Teese, Brandy Norwood, Ashanti, Chris Brown, Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, among others.

Aishwarya Rai wearing a Michael Cinco gown at the 70th Cannes Film Festival, 2017

Jennifer Lopez is a frequent wearer of Michael Cinco gowns, from her stage performances to red carpet appearances.^[6][7]

Sofia Vergara wore a black Michael Cinco gown at the Golden Globes 2013, where she was voted Best Dressed by several television shows and magazines in the US. The same year British pop star Paloma Faith wore his couture dress at the Met Gala in New York.^[8]

Cinco also designed several costumes for Mila Kunis for the sci-fi blockbuster movie Jupiter Ascending (2015).^[9]

Cinco dressed fellow Filipino and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach at the 2016 Miss Universe pageant held in Manila on January 30, 2017.^[10]

At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in France, Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai wore a blue gown designed by Cinco.^[11]

Cinco designed the wedding gown of Austrian singer and Swarovski empire heiress Victoria Swarovski when she wed Werner Murz in June 2017 in Italy. The gown valued at over US$1 million and weighing 46 kilograms has an eight meter long train adorned by 500,000 of Swarovski's family-owned crystals. The bride also wore another Cinco creation, in red, at the wedding party.^[12][13]

Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai reprised her stellar black tie wardrobe with another couture gown by the designer at 2018 Cannes Film Festival

Recognition

• Michael was chosen by Asian Couture Federation to be one of the elite members of the best designers in Asia headed by Kenzo Tanaka and ACF President Dr. Frank Cintamani.
• In 2014 Michael was conferred with Presidential Award for Outstanding Filipinos Overseas by President Benigno Aquino Jr. for his exemplification of the talent and industry which the Philippines has to offer to the world.
• Michael appeared in US hit reality show America's Next Top Model cycle 16 and cycle 17 finale hosted by Tyra Banks. He was also chosen as guest designer and guest judge in the new reality show Asia's Next Top Model cycle 1, in Singapore, and was highly endorsed by Banks. He was also featured as a designer and a judge in China's Next Top Model cycle 5.
• In November, 2011, he won the Breakthrough Designer award from the WGSN Global Fashion Awards held in Gotham Hall, New York, against top contenders. Michael won Best Designer award in Grazia’s Style Awards 2016. Michael had won the People’s Choice Award at Dubai Fashion Week 2010. He was chosen as one of the top movers in Dubai in the Ahlan Hot 100 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016.
• Michael just recently debuted his Autumn-Winter Collection 2016 at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. He wowed audiences at Dubai Fashion Week, Miami Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, Singapore Fashion Week, Australia Fashion Week, Philippine Fashion Week and did shows in New York and London.
• Michael Cinco launched his first, ever perfume called, IMPALPABLE, in 2012. In 2015, he launched his first ever limited edition underwear collection for international brand BENCH.

References