🤓BEYOND THE DRESS
Inside Dress Beyond MNL’s Curated World of Fashion Fantasy
The moment COOL Magazine stepped inside Dress Beyond MNL’s showroom in Salcedo, it felt less like entering a rental space and more like walking into a fashion fantasy. Racks of designer dresses stood in perfect harmony, carefully curated by color, silhouette, and mood. Sequins shimmered under soft lighting. Sculpted minis hung beside ethereal gowns. Every corner felt intentional. Every piece looked ready for its main character moment.
And honestly? We wanted to wear everything.
Amanda Uprichard
Behind Dress Beyond MNL is Gladys Choy, a woman balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship, and fashion school at FIP Makati while building one of Manila’s most exciting designer rental destinations. What started from a simple frustration—buying expensive dresses only to wear them once—turned into a thriving fashion business that now dresses celebrities, beauty queens, stylists, and women looking for that perfect unforgettable look.
“The inspiration behind Dress Beyond came from my own experience of struggling to find the perfect dress for special occasions,” Gladys shares. “I realized many women faced the same challenge, so I wanted to make designer fashion more accessible while promoting a more sustainable way of consuming fashion.”
Jro Alarcio
L’academie
The Dress Beyond collection reads like a dream designer closet. Think Marchesa Notte, Cult Gaia, Self-Portrait, Alice + Olivia, Alexander Wang, and Nicholas. Structured corsetry, sculpted silhouettes, lace embellishments, architectural cuts—every rack tells a different story. There’s drama. There’s romance. There’s cool-girl minimalism. The showroom feels curated not just for occasions, but for personalities.
Gladys admits she gravitates toward designers with strong visual identities. She admires the timeless sophistication of Halston, the intricate femininity of Self-Portrait, and the bold modern energy of Rotate Birger Christensen. She is especially drawn to Cult Gaia and Christopher Esber for their architectural silhouettes and distinctive point of view. And while the showroom already feels like a luxury fashion archive, there is one designer she still dreams of adding into the curation: Alaïa. For Gladys, Alaïa represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship, sensuality, and timeless fashion.
Supriya Lele
The references don’t stop there.
If she could own one iconic piece from fashion history, it would be Audrey Hepburn’s legendary black Givenchy dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s—a symbol of timeless elegance that continues to inspire generations of women and designers alike.
And when asked about her dream Dress Beyond clients? Gladys answers without hesitation: Heart Evangelista and Zendaya. Two women known for their fearless fashion choices, confidence, and ability to transform clothing into personal storytelling. It makes perfect sense for a brand that celebrates individuality through style.
Bianca and Bridget
Self-Portrait
What also separates Dress Beyond from the growing rental market is its exclusivity. The pieces feel personal, almost collector-like, as if Gladys herself carefully imagined the woman who would eventually wear them. And apparently, the industry agrees. Through word-of-mouth, celebrity clients, and fashion insiders quietly borrowing looks from the showroom, Dress Beyond has evolved into one of the city’s most trusted names for occasion dressing.
Amur
Now, the brand is entering a bigger chapter—literally. Dress Beyond MNL is expanding into a larger showroom space, allowing clients to fully immerse themselves in the experience. But beyond expanding the racks, Gladys reveals something even more exciting: original Dress Beyond designs are already part of the vision.
“This has always been part of the plan,” she says. “To eventually create pieces that reflect the individuality and style the brand is known for.”
Cult Gaia
Amanda Uprichard
Even while studying fashion construction and design at FIP Makati, her perspective on clothing continues to evolve. She now views garments beyond aesthetics—understanding the craftsmanship, movement, proportion, and intention behind every detail. It’s a mindset reflected throughout the showroom itself. Nothing feels random. Everything belongs.
Amanda Uprichard
As trends move toward modern minimalism and elevated versatility, Dress Beyond MNL continues to sit comfortably between timeless elegance and contemporary fashion fantasy. One dress can transform a mood. One look can shift confidence. One fitting can feel like becoming a different version of yourself.
And inside that Salcedo showroom, surrounded by immaculate racks of curated designer pieces, COOL Magazine completely understood the obsession.
Beyond the dress is the feeling. And Dress Beyond MNL knows exactly how to deliver it. #CoolisinSession #CoolNERD
Photography: Rxandy Capinpin
Styling: Melody Torres/Gladys Choy/Abegail Morante/ Marianne Antonio
Hair and Makeup: Lars Cabanacan
Model: Ji Won at Mercator Models
