Carla Gem Buyo

From 'Baybayin' To Coastal Textures: Here Are The Details You Might've Missed From BINI's Coachella Fashion

Article (news)

<p>With over 25.3 million views on Instagram for their Coachella performance and ranking as the second most talked-about act during weekend one, <a href="https://metro.style/fashion/2026/4/11/metro-exclusive-the-designers-and-story-behind-bini-coachella-performance-outfits-ica-villanueva-0800" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>BINI</strong></a> has surpassed expectations with their historic set.</p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Aiah</strong>, <strong>Colet</strong>, <strong>Maloi</strong>, <strong>Gwen</strong>, <strong>Stacey</strong>, <strong>Mikha</strong>, <strong>Jhoanna</strong>, and <strong>Sheena</strong> made a striking impact—not only with their performance but also with their onstage looks. BINI’s stylist and visual director,<strong> Ica Villanueva</strong>, shares how she conceptualized their Coachella ensembles in an exclusive feature on <a href="https://metro.style/fashion/2026/4/11/metro-exclusive-the-designers-and-story-behind-bini-coachella-performance-outfits-ica-villanueva-0800" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Metro.Style</a>. </p><div><br/></div><p>To give you a closer look at their golden warrior and siren-inspired outfits, we spoke with<strong> Marian Zara</strong> and <strong>Raf Villas</strong>, the Filipino designers who created the ensembles we saw on-stage. </p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Metro.Style</strong>: <strong>How did BINI&#x27;s ‘golden warrior’ concept came about?</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776145216696image_123650291 (1).JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Marian Zara</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p><strong>Marian Zara</strong>: “The “golden warrior” concept actually came from Ica’s direction. She asked me to interpret a Filipina warrior in gold armor but in a way that would still feel relevant to a contemporary audience and appropriate for BINI’s age.”</p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Metro.Style</strong>: <strong>What&#x27;s the inspiration behind BINI&#x27;s &#x27;siren&#x27; look?</strong></p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Raf Villas</strong>: The idea started with Ica Villanueva, BINI’s visual director. She brought up this vision of Filipina sirens inspired by our marine biodiversity, and I was instantly hooked. It felt powerful, a little dangerous, and very beautiful which is something I’m always drawn to.</p><div><br/></div><p>For Coachella, we didn’t want to play it safe. I wanted the girls to arrive with a presence, to feel almost otherworldly, but still grounded in who we are as Filipinos. The “siren” became that perfect balance of allure and strength. We also want to capture the essence of their hit song “Pantropiko” and elevate their signature style to the Coachella stage. We want Bini to come into their “Tropical Queens” persona. We think that this is the perfect stage to show their growth.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW_nyyvino4/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A1212187%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>From there, we started pulling from coastal textures like woven bamboo walls from beach huts, fishing nets, coral reefs, mother of pearl and shell crafts. We  reimagined it in a way that feels more elevated, almost subversive. I like that tension between raw, organic materials and something more sculpted and deliberate. It’s beautiful, but it still has edge just like BINI’s fashion throughout the years.”</p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Metro.Style</strong>: <strong>Can you walk us through your design? What are the patterns and design techniques you want to highlight?</strong></p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Marian Zara</strong>: “When I started designing the look, my main goal was to capture strength and presence, but balance it with lightness so it didn’t feel too heavy or costume-like. For the silhouette, I added angular shoulders to create a sense of power, then I created sharp tips on the hem and in certain areas to show that warrior energy.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776145261616image_123650291.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Marian Zara</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Instead of going very literal with armor and using metal plates, my team used beige denim as the base. It allowed the outfit to hold all the elements and details while keeping the structure intact and allowing movement. From there, we focused on structure, texture, and the placement of the beadwork so it felt strong but still youthful and wearable. We also experimented with materials—transferring gold foil onto the denim to give it a different texture, and weaving denim with brocade in certain areas to add more dimension.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776145281938BANNERS (68).png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Marian Zara</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>For the finishing touches, Ica asked us to incorporate baybayin, so we added patches with meanings like <em>Pilipina</em>, <em>Binibini</em>, and <em>Perlas ng Silangan</em>. For the additional detailing, Ica tapped <strong>Job Dacon</strong> to build onto the piece, which added another layer to the final look. In the end, it’s still a warrior—but one that feels current, expressive, and very much aligned with BINI.”</p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Raf Villas</strong>: “For the siren looks, I wanted to take Filipino weaving and push it somewhere more unexpected. I’ve always loved how intricate and thoughtful our weaving traditions are, so I wanted to translate that into silhouettes that feel current and flattering for the girls. Not in a traditional sense, but something sharper, more body-aware, more charged.</p><div><br/></div><p>The silhouettes are very intentional, they follow the body, they reveal, they move, very RAFA. I wanted each look to feel like a second skin, something that amplifies the girls’ energy on stage. There’s a quiet confidence in that kind of exposure.</p><div><br/></div><p>The palette stays within ocean tones, deep blues, teals, but with flashes of gold that catch the light in a very deliberate way. Almost like armor, but fluid. The pieces are made entirely out of hand woven strips of fabric, which adds this rawness and imperfection that I think makes the pieces feel alive. I also incorporated intricate beadwork, gold chains, and natural shell embellishments to add texture and dimension. </p><div><br/></div><p>For me, it’s really about taking something traditional and giving it a new attitude. Showing that Filipino craftsmanship can exist and thrive in a space that feels bold, modern, and unapologetically global.”</p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Metro.Style</strong>: <strong>What makes an impactful reveal? What specific method did you use for it to be executed seamlessly?</strong></p><div><br/></div><p><strong>Marian Zara</strong>: “For me, an impactful reveal is really about timing. It has to feel intentional and the audience needs to understand the transformation instantly, even from a distance. For this look, I focused on planning the mechanism and its placement. Since the base was already structured to handle movement, I made sure the added elements could be removed or revealed without disturbing that foundation. We used transparent closures that were secure but easy to release in one motion. And honestly, a lot of it came down to trial and error. We kept testing until we got that clean, one-count reveal.”</p><div><br/></div><div><em>Stay tuned on Metro.Style for our exclusive on BINI&#x27;s Day 2 looks.</em></div>

<p>In an exclusive interview with Filipino designers Marian Zara and Raf Villas, discover the inspiration behind BINI's Coachella performance outfits. </p>

In an exclusive interview with Filipino designers Marian Zara and Raf Villas, discover the inspiration behind BINI's Coachella performance outfits.

Here Are The Hidden Details You Might've Missed From BINI's Coachella Outfits

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Here Are The Hidden Details You Might've Missed From BINI's Coachella Outfits

Carla Buyo

Published April 14, 2026 05:30 PM PHT

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Updated April 14, 2026 06:01 PM PHT

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