The BINIverse isn’t just a testament to the group’s musical artistry and national popularity—it’s also a reminder of their commitment to serving looks
With their many hard-earned, long-overdue accolades and years of work and commitment, something magical and connective happens when BINI takes the stage. The same thing happens when one member has the stadium all to herself—each one can make a massive stadium feel intimate with their command of the spotlight. Over the course of the three-hour-long setlist, the BINIverse heralded solo stages for the girl group. From fits dreamed up by their visual director and stylist, Ica Villanueva, to custom pieces made by local designers, the concert delivered plenty of memorable fashion moments. In this exclusive, MEGAStyle dives into the members’ solo stage debut ensembles.
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“I asked them kung ano naiisip nila or what they visualized their outfits will be. I gave them pegs, then we agreed together,” Ica reveals. “And of course, since it’s their solo, they had to be comfortable performing in it.”
Marrying the members’ inputs, the tracks, and ease of movement, Ica tapped local designers Job Dacon, Raf Villas, Iñigo Villegas, and Marian Zara for each of the members’ individual moments on stage.
Gwen and Aiah in Job Dacon
Aiah and Gwen’s wardrobe and tracks matched their fiery onstage persona: big, bold, mesmerizing. Both of the women’s concert looks during their solos were full-on bejeweled fashion courtesy of Job Dacon. Wherever they go, the custom sequined sets make them shine.
Gwen
The secret? “The main material I used were Swarovski beads—the ones mainly used for charm bracelets back in the early 2000s, because their style harkens to the charm bracelet, Mariah Carey era,” Job explains. “For Gwen, we had to put individual strings for the 3,000 plus individual Swarovski crystals on her ensemble.”
While we can’t deny Gwen’s radiance, it’s certain she lit the stage ablaze with a little help from the intricately-placed Swarovski beads.
Aiah
“For Aiah, since she has a beachy vibe that goes back to the Y2K aesthetic, I used the visual of a puka shell necklace—then transformed that into a dress,” Job says. “The mesh that we used was very 2005-Boracay vibes. It looks beach inspired but also sparkly.
Aiah certainly embodied the mermaidcore aesthetic as she was draped in ocean-inspired hues and shimmering beads the made her mesmerizing to watch on stage. Her headpiece was a notable part of her ensemble—made from holographic sequins and a female peacock feather that shifts color from green to blue. “So, when Aiah moves, the colors change as well. The headpiece just feels like you’re going back in time to a Kylie Minogue or Britney Spears concert in the early 2000s,” Job laughs, taking reference from other pop icons.
With his vast fashion knowledge having worked with drag queens, Job knew what worked best on stage and which did not—and so he had to source very specific glass Swarovski beads that looked good on stage. “Their aesthetic is lightweight energy, so I asked myself, ‘How do we make something in their style, but also very opulent, different, and glamorous? How do we embellish the crystals in such a way that it’s fashionable, danceable, and telegenic?”
The beads did their job, checking all of those boxes. And though it was a new and unfamiliar approach, the designer wanted the crystals to be the finishing touch for BINI’s Y2K aesthetic. “Everything was beaded in the early 2000s, and I thought, ‘Wala pa tayong beaded piece diyan,’” Job says. “My only problem was that we had to make sure the crystals won’t smash each other. Since they’re fragile and prone to breakage, we had to individually pack them into garment bags, and then put paper inside those garment bags.”
The designer also reveals this is their first time working with a girl group, and watching Gwen and Aiah bedazzle in their creations on stage was an unforgettable moment. “Drag queens are more forgiving with the lapses—pop stars have a different set of expectations,” he quips. “The whole Philippines is watching them, so the pressure was on. But this work was very refreshing, and it’s rare for us to do numbers like these. We’re super calculated with our creations, but for Gwen and Aiah, I said, ‘Let’s be serendipitous.” And how wonderful where serendipity led those pieces.
Jhoanna, Maloi, Stacey, and Colet in Iñigo Villegas
Jhoanna
The four ladies certainly don’t need audacious fashion to take charge of the stage, but they certainly do add power. Case in point—Iñigo Villegas’s custom fits made for Jhoanna, Maloi, Stacey, and Colet. “There’s a lot of pressure because I’m also just a young designer, and I’m grateful Ica trusts me that I can deliver and give my best to each look,” he tells MEGAStyle. “And these are for four members’ solo productions. Each of them are different, the cuts are different, and the garments have to connect with them and resonate with them and their character.”
Soft yet solid, delicate yet sweet, the leader’s vocal prowess shined during her solo set—and the fully beaded fabric added to the allure. “We wanted a The Voice moment for Jhoanna,” Ica describes their peg for the leader’s solo performance. “So, a ball gown was the way to go.”
The exaggerated silhouette was a perfect fit for the P-pop royalty and made Jhoanna’s stage prescence even more formidable. “We wanted it very big with volume,” Iñigo says. “At first, we wanted to stick with normal fabric, but it’s not a normal event—it had to shine on stage, so we decided to go for beaded.”
Maloi
Staying true to her individualistic style, Maloi was a powerhouse in a lace set, her top with tassel details and the skirt with draped paneling and ruffles. The singer opted for a soft and ultra-feminine look, mixing delicate textures and the girlhood-inspired, coquette aesthetic. “We always have to put those details, like the beads, tassels, and ruffles,” Iñigo declares. “Because they’re performing on stage—so there has to be a shine factor.”
Stacey
Step aside, Barbie: Stacey officially owns pink. For her solo set of Ariana Grande’s “Thank You, Next,” the star’s feminine allure was spotlighted in an asymmetrical draped tube top with ostrich feathers and beadwork details. While the star is no stranger to an ultra-girly run of looks, this custom Iñigo Villegas is a daring plumed ensemble that is both sultry and sweet.
Colet
If there’s one thing Beyoncé will do, it’s to serve on stage. For the weekend, Colet transformed into the music royalty with her rendition of “Crazy in Love” and in a full-body rhinestone leotard top and shorts. Colet embodied the superstar’s visual ethos of her album Renaissance—think sequins, silver, catsuits, and cowboy hats.
“Colet was game to step out of her comfort zone,” Ica shares to MEGAStyle. “She’s very boyish, but she wanted to be brave—and the outfit was all about embracing her body and flaws. Hiyang-hiya siya no’ng una kasi sobrang fitted at hindi siya sanay, but she wore it so well. I also told her, ‘Kailangan mong maramdaman na confident ka diyan, panindigan mo kasi para sa ‘yo ‘yan.”
“I thought, ‘Did you give me the wrong member?'” Iñigo laughs. “Because we know Colet’s branding—she’s very on the masculine side, always wearing pants and long shorts, and we don’t expect her to wear something like this. Nakakagulat din kasi when we did the fitting, tinanong nila ni Ica kung pwede pa iksian. I said ‘Sure,” and I’m so happy, because she looked absolutely amazing in it.”
Renan Pacson, the designer for the group’s streetwear ensemble, also crafted Colet’s deconstructed hoodie for the introduction of her segment. The hoodie is adorned with rings, buttons, and hanging details that the edgy side of Colet’s personality—the perfect juxtaposition to her form-fitting bodysuit by Iñigo.
Having grown up on stage as a dancer, Iñigo was familiar with which materials work on stage and what won’t. His challenge? “This was the first time I designed for all girls,” Iñigo says with a fond and fulfilled smile. “And they’re not uniformed because they’re all solo productions—but no regrets in saying yes. I really wanted to deliver the best and make every outfit a custom look for each of the four girls.”
Mikha in Rafa Worldwide
The red haired-member was the eclectic rocker chic as she rocked out to Paramore and Dua Lipa’s hit tracks, “That’s What You Get” and “Don’t Stop Now,” respectively. Her piece consisted of distressed metallic semi-sheer fabrics and 3D shapes with rhinestone work. “It fits the Rafa Worldwide aesthetic,” designer Raf Villas tells MEGAStyle, referencing his eponymous brand. Mikha’s solo moment was indeed infused with the brand’s signature touch: deconstructed, embellished, and bedazzled garments eliciting a big sartorial feast.
“With Ica’s brief, I envisioned Mikha as a Rafa Worldwide Rockstar,” Raf continues to say. “We employed our signature fabric manipulation, sculptural techniques, and rhinestone work to create the look. It’s so fulfilling to see the garment make her personality shine on that stage.” Of course, the Raf Villas custom silver ensemble wouldn’t be complete for Mikha without some classic ripped jeans and the electric guitar.
Sheena in Marian Zara
As the main dancer of BINI, it makes sense that Sheena would want clothing that accentuates her toned body and fluid movements as she grooves onstage. Marian Zara highlighted the pop star’s effortless cool with a denim/leather and silver two-piece number with pockets, cut-outs, buttons, and snaps. The cropped jacket and cargo pants combination mirrored a hip-hop’s prolix verse flow delivered with casual and comfortable ease, but the making was challenging.
“Sheena is coming from wearing Ehrran [Montoya]’s piece, so we had to put a lot of snaps on the jacket and pants to get in and out of costume quickly,” Marian explains. “We also put belts for easier movement. Overall, it was just a blend of streetwear and a certain Y2K hip-hop sensibility to complement Sheena’s performance.”
Photos and Featured Image: BINI (via Facebook and Twitter), JOB DACON, IÑIGO VILLEGAS, RAFA WORLDWIDE (via Instagram)
