24-year-old Iñigo Villegas takes us to the main stage where the limelight zeroes in on his roots as a performer and his heart as a fashion designer
This One To Watch feature is an excerpt from MEGA’s October 2024 Issue
Designer Iñigo Villegas entered fashion not through its front doors but through an entirely different arena—dance. Creating looks for his hip hop dance team in high school, Villegas competed in local and international stages donning his elevated streetwear designs. In the eyes of a performer such as him, fashion is a powerful statement on stage and beyond.
For his BYS Fashion Week collection, Villegas brings “An Achromic Affair Under The Limelight,” which comprises elevated, chic nighttime looks. Shine, texture, and glamor—it’s basically New York streetwear set after dark.
“Beauty is radiating confidence within yourself—it’s something you put out there,” the designer shares. “It doesn’t mean following a certain standard or look. It’s really about you and the aura and energy you put out. And people will see that beauty through your outfits and the way you style them.”
Most designers tend to stick to their comfort zone in terms of technique and aesthetic, whatever fits the standard of the Philippine market when it comes to fashion. But Villegas feels that when designers step out and shake the industry, that’s when things start to get really interesting.
He adds, “As a young designer—and I know I’m just starting out—I always tell myself that I cannot be stagnant with one technique. Of course, your identity and branding will be there, but the showcase of different techniques really puts you out there. It widens your spectrum of design and creativity. I’m sure that the people will appreciate it if they know that it’s from you. It’s authentic and it’s genuine. It resonates with the designer, the muses, and the market as well.”
Get a peak of Iñigo Villegas’ upcoming collection in MEGA’s October 2024 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader, and Zinio.
Photographed by PAOLO PINEDA. Creative Direction RYUJI SHIOMITSU. Art Direction TROY NONATO. Makeup MIKI LIUSON. Hair PATTY CRISTOBAL. Fashion Assistant ERICA TEROL. Producer JONES PALTENG. Models and KENSUKE of MERCATOR. Sittings Editor MARIAN SAN PEDRO.
