EXCLUSIVE: Michael Cinco on the Fierce Inspiration Behind His Boldest Collection Yet

The international designer took Paris Fashion Week with Ancient Rome, as embodied by his muse The Real Housewives of Dubai star, Chanel Ayan

What happens when Rome meets Paris and a visionary designer discovers his modern-day muse? Michael Cinco unveiled his Spring/Summer 2025 collection, The Impalpable Dream of Rome, at Paris Fashion Week, and while the gowns shimmered with radiance, it was a certain Housewife who took the designer’s runway with vibrance.

RELATED: Pia Wurtzbach and Michelle Dee Brought Michael Cinco’s Roman Fantasy to Life in Paris

A New Kind of Grandeur

Cinco unfurled his process like a sculptor carving marble. “Showcasing my collection at Paris Fashion Week brings my artistic vision to a global stage where fashion is celebrated as an art form,” the international designer explained. With the eternal beauty of Rome as its inspiration, the collection felt as though it had been lifted from the ancient city’s ruins and draped in the modern pulse of Paris.

“Paris, being the epicenter of fashion and haute couture, allows me to push the boundaries of creativity and craftsmanship,” he shared, describing how he fused Rome’s antiquity with the avant-garde rhythms of Paris. In Cinco’s hands, the statues of emperors and the frescoes of ancient gods became the fabric of a new kind of grandeur. 

Becoming Couture

While he took Rome to Paris, pulling inspiration from the Eternal City’s art, culture, and architecture, his true muse wasn’t ancient marble—it was Chanel Ayan.

Cinco doesn’t speak of the model in the usual terms. “She’s a modern-day goddess,” he says with absolute certainty. In Ayan, he found someone who becomes couture. She doesn’t walk the runway so much as claim it, turning it into something unmistakably hers.

Taking Things Further

Ayan, who is starring in one of the cities of Bravo’s international hit franchise, The Real Housewives of Dubai, brings an unapologetic fierceness to everything she wears. Her energy shakes up Cinco’s process, forcing him to think beyond the familiar. “Chanel challenges me to take things further,” the designer says. 

“She inspires me to make couture that feels strong, almost defiant, while still holding on to that timeless grace.” And the designer isn’t one to back down from a challenge. With Ayan in his corner, the work shifts—heavier fabrics, stronger lines, more daring designs that still present the elegance for which he’s known.

“Chanel has an undeniable presence that instantly drew me to her. She exudes confidence, grace, and a fierce individuality that aligns perfectly with the spirit of my designs,” he continued, framing Ayan as the embodiment of his vision. She’s untouchable yet relatable, commanding attention with her fearless approach to both fashion and life.

“Her striking features and commanding presence bring my creations to life in a way that feels both timeless and revolutionary,” he said, the admiration unmistakable in his tone. With Ayan, the line between muse and creator seemed to blur, each fueling the other’s sense of beauty and strength.

A Modern Muse Who Elevates

There’s something about the way she wears his creations that transforms the show from a fashion moment to something that feels larger, more dynamic, more alive. Cinco isn’t creating looks for aesthetics alone—he’s telling a story of power and presence, and Ayan is his perfect narrator.

For Michael Cinco, Chanel Ayan transcends the typical boundaries of fashion. “What sets Chanel Ayan apart in the world of couture and fashion is her rare combination of fierce confidence, versatility, and striking beauty.” In an industry rife with pretense, Ayan’s presence pierces through the noise: bold, unapologetic, and anything but understated. Her strong individuality doesn’t merely complement Cinco’s designs, but animates them, imbuing them with life and meaning—much like Rome and Paris suggest.

^{Photographed by DION TRINIDAD}