From his studio in the Dubai Design District, Filipino designer Michael Cinco has been sending his lavish, ornate dresses to some of the biggest events around the world. His creations have been worn by Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Kylie Jenner, Madonna, Mariah Carey and others.
But the Cannes Film Festival holds a special place in Cinco's heart. Ever since Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wore his design – a voluminous blue gown from his Impalpable Dream of Versailles collection – in 2017, Cinco has been dressing some of the biggest stars to have walked the red carpet at one of the world's most prestigious film festivals.
Cinco collaborated with Rai Bachchan once again the following year, with the actress and L'Oreal ambassador wearing a butterfly-inspired dress featuring a three-metre-long train. The crystal-smothered ensemble took 3,000 hours to craft and was meant to represent a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.
“It has been always my dream to see A-list Hollywood and international stars wearing my couture creations on the red carpet,” Cinco tells The National. “Watching these glamorous actresses from all over the world in Michael Cinco is a dream come true.”
This year is no different. Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela attended the opening ceremony of the long-running film festival in a stunning kaleidoscopic gown, which Cinco said was inspired by the vibrant mosaics of Mexican art. The colourful gown featured a bustle at the hip, led by a dramatic train in tulle.
Thai model and beauty queen Veena Praveenar Singh was seen on the second night on Thursday in a voluminous "black liquid" gazar gown at the premiere of Dossier 137 (Case 137).
Last year, Cambodian actress Yubin Shin wore a voluminous “black liquid” dress for the premiere of the black comedy Kinds of Kindness, by Oscar-nominated director Yorgos Lanthimos. The satin ball gown is from Cinco's Japan-inspired spring/summer 2024 collection.
Indian actress Deepti Sadhwani was spotted in a Cinco creation, a bright yellow crystallised gown, at the premiere of Bird, starring Barry Keoghan.
Cinco also collaborated with model and former Miss Kosovo Emilia Dobreva, whom he's dressed at Cannes before. Dobreva wore a look from the Cinco's spring/summer 2004 collection, a shimmering black satin number.
Also last year, Dubai Bling star Farhana Bodi attended the premiere Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) in a striking custom-made blue gown by Cinco. The shimmering gown was accentuated by sculptural swirls that broke out on the side and extended in a dramatic train.
Also at the premiere of The Count of Monte Cristo was former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey, who wore a voluminous princess gown in pale blue designed by Cinco.
The satin ballgown featured a sheer upper and sleeves embedded with Swarovski crystals all over. Cinco said the dress was custom-made for the Filipina model, who he's dressed on many occasions.
Cinco, who moved to Dubai from the Philippines in 1997, established his namesake label in 2003. While a bulk of his customers – about 90 per cent, he estimates – are from the Gulf, with the rest primarily from Russia, Europe and the US, his influence is growing thanks to high-profile events such as the Cannes Film Festival.
“My dream to become a designer started when I was a kid,” Cinco told The National in 2019. “I loved watching classic Hollywood films. One of the best films I've ever watched was My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn, and that inspired me. It was like a dream, with the most beautiful costumes I'd ever seen in my life. When I watched that movie, I knew I would be a fashion designer some day.”
A version of this story was first published on May 24, 2024
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Fast%20X
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
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Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
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Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
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- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The%20Killer
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The%20BaaS%20ecosystem
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
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Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
Company%20Profile
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
SHAITTAN
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Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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