Dino Bancoro’s “Eleganza Extravaganza” is the interesting next step to uniting two different fashion components—the finesse of couture and the edgy volumes and shapes of streetwear
The MEGA Young Designers Competition has continuously served as a breeding ground for innovative ideas, potential ability, and raw talent. To wear a garment by these designers means embracing their imagination, creative fingerprint, and the intricate work of their hands and mind. For Dino Bancoro, what he brings to the table is a style marked by a fusion of edgy and eclectic. “Eleganza Extravaganza” is a commemoration of drag culture and camp fashion, but most especially, a celebration of himself.
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In his realm of fashion, Dino’s collection is a parade of the pure fun of sartorial play. It is the rediscovery of his romance with fashion, and intricate folds of his dreams, from which this kind of dressmaking is spun. “Eleganza Extravaganza” is a juxtaposition of couture and streetwear, a place where Dino is liberated and free. It is authenticity, intimacy, and emotions altogether. “This [collection] is my best work, a culmination of everything that makes me, me,” he tells MEGA. “This is the first time I made something with 100% creative freedom and no restrictions; I’m very proud as this is a celebration of myself and my hard work.”
Powerful was that moment in the runway for Dino, where electric and charged motorcycle jackets morph into dresses and where leather and tulle make an imposing yet charming combination. It was a party of outsized coats and fur outerwear, big pieces that envelope the body, and shield sunglasses. The phrase ‘don’t be serious, it’s fashion’ even glided across the runway on one of Dino’s pieces. Debuting this vision of combined dreamy haute couture and elevated streetwear in the Young Designers Competition 2024, Dino showed affinity for upper-tier tailoring and craftsmanship.
As his personal proposal of edgy sensibility in his creations make them loud, his beauty direction for the models goes the opposite way. He shares, “For the makeup and hair look, I wanted something soft and natural-looking. I just added an element of drag, the extra long lashes, to complement the outfits.”
In his desire to make his wearer feel the best version of themself while wearing his garment, Dino’s fashion-forward ideas have carved out a space in the local scene as the intersection of diverse influences.
“I surprised myself many times in the process,” he reveals. “I really pushed myself to the limit of making this collection, and my takeaway is the self-discovery—a clear vision of who I am and what I want to do.”
“Eleganza Extravaganza” then, is what Dino hopes to be the beginning to the evolution. He presents a vision of a fashion industry that’s not bound to creating something one-of-a-kind, but devoted to the ideas of self-expression and individuality that go with the territory.
Photography JHARWIN CASTANEDA. Creative Direction BRIE VENTURA. Sittings Editor MIA CASTRO
Runway Photography by ED SIMON of KLIQ INC.
Official fashion fund and grand prize partner SECURITY BANK
Co-presented by BYS PHILIPPINES
Special thanks to AYALA MALLS, LILY AND MATILDA, and HILLTOP BY EVERYDAY COFFEE ROASTERS
