The label’s first runway show draws inspiration from the art, architecture, and attitude of the Big Apple
Manila experienced a slice of New York at this year’s BYS Fashion Week, as IÑIGO presented its take on the city’s street fashion. Inspired by the city’s back alleys, young designer Iñigo Villegas infused each part of his 20-piece collection with the raw grit of urban life, capturing not just the fashionable folks who roam those streets but the very architecture that shapes them. It was an elevated take on streetwear, where even the grits of scaffolding and metallic pipes were reimagined as wearable pieces. But while inspiration was taken from many nooks, the essence remained distinctly IÑIGO—a love letter to the pulse of the city, reimagined for the Manila crowd.
RELATED: BYS Fashion Week 2024: Martin Bautista’s Collection is What A Woman Wants
Titled Statements Along the Alleys, this collection was like a fashion postcard from 1980s New York. Iñigo drew inspiration from pop-culture artist Richard Hambleton’s “Shadow Man” artwork, featuring gritty black silhouettes that appear to explode onto the scene.
Villegas crafted each piece to tell the story of the city’s eclectic personality. “My intention is to capture the diverse characters navigating the modern-day alleys of New York,” the designer explained. “I wanted to showcase their striking and distinctive looks that serve as bold statements in contemporary fashion.”
IÑIGO’s collection thrived on the notion that magic lies in the minutiae, where even the tiniest elements tell a story.
“My objective is for the audience to appreciate how I have translated my inspiration into the design and detailing of my garments, as well as the silhouettes I have created,” the designer told MEGA. The crowd definitely caught on; after all, dresses and skirts inspired by brick walls and city scaffolding aren’t your run-of-the-mill staples. While most people might just walk past these elements, Iñigo turned them into something you’d actually want to wear.
This collection nudged Villegas past his usual confines by allowing him to dabble in new techniques. He played with a range of silhouettes, from tubes to straight skirts, experimenting with lengths and unexpected materials along the way. “I blended intricately detailed pieces with ready-to-wear options, providing the audience with a diverse selection to choose from off the runway,” he shared. And just like that, he crafted clothes that not only looked good on the runway but could also find a place in anyone’s wardrobe.
What truly stood out about this collection is how nothing felt accidental. Every detail felt deliberate, and every fabric intentional. Villegas blended elements that typically would not make sense together, blurring the lines between what can and cannot be in fashion. And for a young designer who dared to bring New York’s raw corners to life, pulling it off is an understatement.
Photographed by GRANT BABIA
