Ghouls and Glamor Reign Supreme at "The New Nocturnals" Halloween Night

Since 2019, Mond and Ash have been close collaborators in bringing to life Manila's glitziest night through the Opulence Ball. Following last 2024's disco era-inspired celebration, the two went with a darker, edgier route for this year. "We wanted to do something different," Mond tells Preview in an exclusive interview. "We wanted to surprise our guests a bit. So, we came up with the New Nocturnals."

If past editions of the event aimed to express excess and border on hedonism, this year aimed to capture the frightful nature of Halloween. "It's all about celebrating the dark creatures inside all of us," Mond explains.

Describing the evening's dress code as "dark, edgy, and sexy," Mond sought invitees to lean into the unexpected while still upholding their personal tastes. The season, after all, is all about coming as you are, but with plentiful twists.

"I have to say, the crowd this year really stepped it up," he admits. "They understood the assignment. There were so many best-dressed people with so many amazing looks."

On top of mind for Mond as a standout was Andrea Brillantes, who was completely unrecognizable as she stepped onto the red carpet. Looking fine, fresh, and feline, the actress embodied a black cat with a pompous tail, intricately-done prosthetics, and mesmerizing blue eyes.

Styled by Eldsz Mejia in custom Neric Beltran, Andrea definitely reclaimed her Hallo-queen seat after skipping last year's occasion. In a quick chat with Preview, she says that it was an "overstimulating" experience to put together the look, but it was certainly worth it in the end.

A battalion of muses followed suit in Blythe's all-black dress code. Zeinab Harake was decked out in roses laid against a sheer frock, while Ruffa Gutierrez seemingly accessorized her gown with an actual flower in hand. Jillian Ward slipped into a beaded black number, complete with a veil and an anatomical heart that she jokes she "broke" herself. A stylish trio composed of designer Inigo Villegas and fashion influencers Liam Labrooy and Gabbie Mariano also showed up in their zhuzhed up black-on-black.

Of course, as the host of the night, Mond pulled out all of the stops in a bespoke Jaggy Glarino, styled by Roko Arceo. "I'm all about duality. I'm elegant on one side, but I'm embracing the chaos on the other," he describes his spliced suit. His twin brother Richard Gutierrez also got the dual-faced memo in a tattered velvet blazer and grotesque makeup.

A Halloween event wouldn't be complete without the presence of the Philippines' top drag queens. Khianna skipped the special effects and came as a Job Dacon "blood clot," which foreshadowed her fiery performance later that night. Marina Summers came as an all-grown-up Wednesday Addams who is "ready to slay the world." Her fellow Drag Race Philippines alumni Eva Le Queen and Arizona Brandy were also show-stoppers on the red carpet, donning looks that were macabre yet alluring at the same time.

Of course, Halloween is also an optimal time for some satire. In today's political climate, nothing is truly more horrifying than ghost projects and swindled funds. Isn't that right, Shewarma?

A flurry of bombshells also arrived in their finery, perfectly merging spooky references with sleek silhouettes. Barbie Imperial was a sultry siren, while Bonita Penaranda was the undisputed queen of the spiders. Beauty queen Christi McGarry turned up the sexy in a half-and-half black 'fit (designed by Bonita, by the way!) and Preview Creative 25 honoree Nunoy was an absolute devil on the red carpet.

The parade of looks wraps up with hairstylist Renz Pangilinan as a mystical blue deity and model Michelle Dee as a chicly-dressed clown. Dr. Hayden Kho was plucked straight out of a post-apocalyptic scene, while Jarren Garcia was a dashing vampire whose looks even Dracula might envy.

With drinks overflowing and music sets on loop, The New Nocturnals exhumed the creativity in everyone. For at least one night, they were able to be showcase a grittier side to them, a side often left in the shadows. In finality, Mond states that at it's core, the party aimed to, "give a platform to all the creatives who work so hard in the industry. We just want celebrate and have fun for the night."

As per future iterations of their now iconic Halloween gatherings, Mond says it's still up in the air. "This year, we didn't know that we were going to go darker and edgier, so who knows what next year brings," he states with a smirk on his face. "You have to stay tuned."