From Dubai to Cannes: UAE fashion designer Michael Cinco who dressed up Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and more scales back the train, not the drama

Dubai: UAE-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco’s war cry for the Cannes red carpet has always been loud and clear: “Go big or go home.”
And for years, the Dubai-based Filipino designer has done exactly that — dressing stars in towering tulle confections, cascading organza, and voluminous gowns that practically swallowed the Croisette whole.

“In my experience of dressing up stars from around the globe at Cannes, the actors and their stylists seek out huge, humongous gowns with long trains … Think big and dramatic,” Cinco told Gulf News in an earlier interview. “After all, it’s often their dream to walk the famous red carpet and make a bold fashion statement.”

But this year at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, things shifted.

Cannes quietly introduced new red carpet guidelines discouraging excessive nudity and long trains — an unexpected but symbolic nudge toward refined glamour. And Cinco? He was already there.

“This year at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, I embraced a new direction in style — still dramatic and voluminous, but with a more refined silhouette and less train,” said Cinco in an exclusive interview with Gulf News.

“Coincidentally, just as Cannes released their updated guidelines discouraging nudity and long trains, I was already envisioning a shift toward elegance with restraint. Sometimes, timing is everything…”

The result was a striking couture moment on Thai model and influencer Veena Praveenar Singh, who made her Cannes debut in a liquid gazar gown that took 1,000 hours to create and used over 20 meters of fabric.

“She radiated elegance and confidence on the iconic red carpet,” Cinco said.

It’s not the first time the designer has delivered show-stoppers at Cannes. In the previous years at Cannes, he dressed top Cambodian actress Yubin Shin in an electric blue halter-neck gown adorned with thousands of laser-cut flower details. “That gown took over a month to execute,” he revealed.

He also created a bold yellow ensemble for Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari, custom-made in her favorite shade. “Her stylist from India was in touch with our team and we created a custom-made skirt and an elaborate top,” he said.

While his atelier remains one of the most sought-after in Dubai, Cinco says Cannes holds a unique place in his heart — and in his calendar. Each year, he ships dozens of gowns and sets up a suite in one of the festival’s luxury hotels, turning it into a makeshift showroom for stylists and celebrities.

“It’s nerve-wracking but exciting to see who ultimately wears our designs. Stars have endless choices — so when they pick us, it means something,” he said.

His breakthrough moment came in 2017, when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wore his powder-blue Cinderella gown — a look that went viral and cemented Cinco’s name on the global couture map. “Her choice of my creation inspired many other stars from Singapore, China, Italy, and beyond to patronise my designs,” he recalled.

Still, the stakes remain high.

“My Dubai-based brand is up against fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana and other top Middle Eastern designers. So each time a star chooses us, it feels like a true validation of my talents.”

For Cinco, who moved to Dubai in 1997, the city is more than home — it’s where his fashion legacy was born. “Dubai is the city of dreams and opportunities,” he says. “My journey from this desert city to the red carpet at Cannes is truly spectacular.”

And while his gowns may now come with shorter trains, the ambition — and artistry — remains as sweeping as ever.