First Dubai, then the dump? Michael Cinco tackles recycled couture on 'America's Next Top Model'

The last place one would expect to see one of Michel Cinco’s creations is at a landfill. The Dubai-based Filipino designer whose extravagant finery has won him the loyalty of wealthy clients in the Middle East and breathless acclaim back home was invited to take part in the latest episode of one of our longest-running guilty pleasures, America’s Next Top Model. But for this Tyra said ixnay on the crystals — with an environmental theme referencing recent ecological disasters, Cinco’s challenge was to turn, basically, trash and other landfill-headed materials into red-carpet couture. “Tyra Banks wanted me to design huge and voluminous dresses with never ending trains, and she wanted the clothes to look fabulous on top of a landfill. One thing she requested me though, she asked me not to use a lot of crystals,” Cinco says. His resulting creations, though not blindingly bling-studded, still glittered like melted lead and were as slick as an oil spill. “Eventually she was happy with the results. The clothes looked impalpable.”

YSTYLE: Congratulations on being featured in ANTM. Can you tell us how it all came about?

MICHAEL CINCO: An Emmy Award-winning Filipino producer from ANTM, Michael Carandang, sent me a message on Facebook and told me that he has a friend in Manila who watched my show in Philippine Fashion Week last year and was impressed by my collection. He asked me if I was interested to be in America’s Next Top Model Cycle 16. He sent me the idea of the shoot and asked me to submit some sketches to be approved by Tyra. They showed to Tyra my website (www.michaelcinco.com) and I think Tyra liked my creations so she asked me to do couture dresses using eco-friendly materials for the shoot. He called me to set the date of the event and I went to LA last November 2010 to do the shoot in a landfill shot by Nigel Barker. The shoot was very high-fashion and very couture.

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What was Tyra like in real life? Did she say or do anything crazy? What did she think of the outfits?

Tyra Banks is one of my favorite supermodels. I’ve worked with some international models before like Naomi Campbell but I think Tyra is very down-to-earth. She’s a doll. I remember when I was introduced to Tyra she was so nice and the first thing she told me was “ So, you’re the first Filipino designer on the show... Did you bring all the bling from Dubai?” It was hilarious. She liked the collection I made and one of the judges, Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley, was raving about the clothes I did for the shoot. I remember he even exclaimed about one dress that, even if it was made from recycled materials, it can be used on the red carpet by a famous Hollywood celebrity. Nigel Barker and Jay Manuel, who were very nice and accommodating, were so impressed with the pictures that came out from the shoot. I think everyone loved it. Everybody from the crew and models of the shoot were all professional; the very fact that we did the shoot in a smelly and gross landfill, same as Smokey Mountain, I never heard anyone complain about the location of the shoot.

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How did the models handle wearing the clothes during the photo shoot challenge? Did you have a favorite?

I think it was only their eighth week on the show so I was shocked to see them acting like professional models. The way they carry the clothes and how they pose for the camera, they were such professionals. Some models even lay on top of garbage following instructions from Jay Manuel and showing their best. The fiercest model from the shoot was Molly. But I like Hanna and Brittani’s photos; they came out fabulous. If I had to choose who will win the competition, it would be either Molly or Brittani. Both have the high-fashion look that is very now.

What kind of personality does it take to pull off wearing a Michael Cinco creation?

She has to be impalpable and fabulous. A Michael Cinco woman is tastefully done. She is a woman in her own terms. She is moneyed and has a fierce attitude. She may not be born into royalty but she’d better be married into one.

How much involvement did you have in that episode? Were there any creative differences that came about?

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I was introduced on the show as the couture designer for the shoot of the remaining six finalists. Nigel Barker was the photographer and he was very helpful and was amazed with the clothes. The theme of the shoot was recycled materials used as couture gowns. So I specifically designed couture dresses using safety pins, rubber bands, broken mirrors, cellophane, garbage bags and made them into wearable couture pieces.The producers sent me some references that Tyra liked. Tyra wanted the clothes to look like eco-couture, she wanted the clothes to look like an oil spill, melting metal. For some dresses I used materials from old parachutes and tents.I sent them many designs and luckily Tyra liked them all and she gave me creative freedom to do the collection as long it abided by the theme. At first I wanted the models to look like statues because I thought it would suit the location and the theme. But Nigel explained to me that they had already used the idea from the last cycle and he wanted the models to look very high-fashion with big hair and fierce makeup. 

ANTM is watched by all kinds of people everywhere. Soon you may be a household name. Are you ready to take on the world? 

As Tyra Banks always says, “Wanna be on top?” Well, I’m ready for my close-up (Laughs).

Do you see yourself designing for a different kind of market other than Dubai, which may not have similar extravagant, fantastical tastes? 

America’s next top designer: Cinco with Andre Leon Talley, Nigel Barker and Tyra Banks

The Dubai market is now becoming international. Most of my clients (90 percent are women from the Gulf) are well travelled and educated. They all love expensive brands and love to buy clothes from leading brands like Dior, Chanel, Hermes,YSL, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, so I have to adapt the latest trends and go with the flow. 

At the moment I’m collaborating with a giant retail brand in the Philippines. I’m doing a luxe pret-a-porter limited collection to be launched this May. I’m also planning to do ready-to-wear evening dresses and wedding gowns to be distributed in the US and Europe. My aim now is to be global and be proud to be Filipino.