The backstage energy at the inaugural Fashion Week Asia in Manila was a masterclass in high-stakes precision. Over five days, Palacio and Marriott became a fast-paced stage where every detail mattered and where timing was everything. For the 12 designers showing their collections, the vision did not end at the garments. It called for head-to-toe intentionality, and the hair carried as much weight as the collection itself.
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Holding down that crucial side of the show were lead hairstylists Mark Rosales and Wesley Jay at the Cream Silk Pro Salon backstage chairs. As Official Hair Styling Partner, the homegrown Filipino brand used the biggest transformation in its 40-year history to anchor the week’s hair trends, from the opening regional showcases to the closing presentation of ARCHIVO by Rajo Laurel. The brief was smooth, polished, perfectly managed hair that could withstand the intensity of a regional fashion week.
That partnership was also a talking point at The Fashion Forward Asia Forum. In Session 4, “ACCESS: Fashion Week: How to Get In, Get Seen, and Get Started,” presented with Cream Silk, Patrick Ty, Creative Chief of MEGA Asia and Chief of Editorial Content of VMAN Southeast Asia, joined Fashion Week Asia Co-Founder and Co-Chair Apples Aberin, GCM Group CEO Svida Alisjahbana, and Visa Fashion Week Almaty and Tashkent CEO Bauyrzhan Shadibekov. The panel agreed that access is only the beginning for an emerging designer. The network you build and the discipline you bring to it come next, and so do the right partnerships. Brands and platforms working together is what makes a week like this happen, as Cream Silk and Fashion Week Asia showed.
Apples Aberin further emphasized how vital these alignments are during the session, noting that “partnerships built on shared values, like the one we have with Cream Silk Pro Salon, are exactly what make a platform for emerging creatives possible.” Beyond supporting industry talent, this partnership also reflects deeper commitment to inclusivity. Just as the forum opened up access within the fashion industry, Cream Silk Pro Salon mirrors that mission on a broader scale, by bringing salon-grade hair care closer to every Filipina so she can experience a professional finish everyday.
The Foundation of Runway Artistry
For the Cream Silk Pro Salon team, every look started with the hair itself. “Runway-ready hair starts with understanding the hair,” Rosales explained. “I always consider the hair’s texture, condition, (the model’s) lifestyle, and even our Philippine climate before styling. We need to know what the hair needs.”
Jay agreed. “Every model has a different hair type and condition, so I always take that into consideration before styling,” he shared. “You can have all the right tools and products, but if the hair isn’t prepped well, it will show in the final look.”
With a constant rotation of models, Cream Silk Pro Salon gave the team a dependable base to build from, and the approach shifted with each head. “Fine hair needs lightweight products so it doesn’t become flat, while thick or wavy hair needs more control and proper sectioning,” Rosales noted. “For color-treated or damaged hair, we have to be more mindful of heat and prioritize protection.”
Creating Movement and Endurance
Preparation gets a look to the runway. Technique keeps it there. “Backstage, we work with limited time, and the hair needs to look good from the first walk to the last,” Jay explained. “With the right prep, the hair can stay polished without needing too many touch-ups.”
Rosales credited the same mix, with Cream Silk Pro Salon doing its part. “Longevity comes from preparation, technique, and product choice,” he said. “And with Cream Silk Pro Salon helping to keep the hair smooth and manageable, we can create a look that stays polished through the lights, movement, and demands of Fashion Week Asia.”
The goal was never stiff hair. “I always want the hair to look polished but still have movement,” Jay noted. “Sometimes, you don’t need to do too much. It’s about knowing when to stop and letting the hair move.”
Bringing Fashion Week Hair At Home
The same approach works outside the glam chairs. It starts with the step Jay says people skip most. “Blow-drying—I feel like people sometimes rush through it because they want to get straight to the flat iron, but a good blow-dry really sets the foundation for the entire look.”
To recreate the finish, follow this routine:
- Cleanse & Prep: Wash hair with a clarifying or straightening shampoo to build a clean, weightless base.
- Condition, Treat & Protect: Apply Cream Silk Pro Salon Pro Straight Lock Conditioner + Treatment from mid-lengths to ends to deliver daily smoothing, deep moisture, and salon-grade straightening, then rinse thoroughly.
- Weekly Intense Care: Once a week, use the Cream Silk Pro Salon Pro Straight Lock Salon Renewal Mask, leaving it on for one minute before rinsing to to realign hair structure from within and transform unruly strands into salon-straight finish hair.
- Strategic Blow-Dry: Blow-dry your damp hair using a nozzle directed downwards to seal, flatten, and align the hair cuticles.
- Flat Iron Perfection: Glide a styling iron down small sections in slow, fluid motions to instantly press the strands pin-straight.
- Smooth & Lock: Distribute 1–2 pumps of Cream Silk Pro Salon Pro Straight Lock Shape Lock Serum evenly from mid-lengths to ends on your freshly ironed hair to seal the final look and lock out humidity.
Powered by 30x Kera-Press Actives, the Cream Silk Pro Straight Lock regimen is designed to deliver salon-grade straight hair for up to 30 days. It turns hair care from a chore into an intentional upgrade, proving that minimalist hair requires maximal care. “Straight hair looks simple, but there’s actually a lot of technique behind it,” Jay concluded. “Sometimes, the simplest hairstyles require the most attention to detail.”
The forum and the glam chairs made the same point. Talent is what gets you in the room, while partnerships are what give it a stage. Fashion Week Asia happened because brands and platforms backed it, and Cream Silk’s place in those backstage chairs is that idea in practice. Behind every polished look on the runway is a partnership that makes space for these talents to show. So whether you’re a designer finding your way in or someone recreating the look at home, the takeaway is the same: bring the preparation, find the right partners, and show up to every opportunity like a pro.
