Sassa Gurl and Versex Join Fashion Forces To Embody the “Dream Girl”

"I had already wanted to style Sassa even before the MMFF season," Versex tells Preview. The two have been close confidantes for the past few years, with Sassa being "instrumental" to Versex's entry into Drag Race Philippines through "constant kikis" or social gatherings. Now that both of them have become established names in the creative scene, working together for a slate of looks is a full-circle moment. "Styling her is my love letter to her," Versex expresses.

Dressing Sassa was a creative itch that Versex just had to scratch. She even went as far as creating a fully realized deck ("almost like a business proposal," she says) that laid out her vision for Sassa's fashion direction. "I'm incredibly grateful that she trusted me and gave me full creative freedom to execute that vision," she adds.

For both premiere nights of Bar Boys: After School and Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Evil Origins, Sassa was dressed in irreverent but assertive looks by local designer Ziv Rei Alexi. Each ensemble captured the energy of the actress' characters and the films they're found in, with Trisha being more "cheeky and playful," and Sky having a "grimey and darker" aura.

Even for her other press appearances (which included a musical performance on the Wish Bus), Sassa was styled in a way that aligned with Versex's vision: "aspirational but grounded, camp but more refined." The newly-minted actress was to be the epitome of a "dream girl."

For the Gabi ng Parangal, Sassa thought to wear a look that merged the two worlds she inhabited. While the films she starred in are of different genres, the actress' participation speaks to the indomitable presence of queer artistry in Filipino cinema. "And given our current climate in the Philippines, where conversations around justice, identity, and visibility are more urgent than ever," Versex states about their punctuating outfit entry for the season, "we wanted the look to reflect the idea that justice lives in trans bodies."

Versex and Sassa's team sought to translate such a powerful and urgent message into clothing. In their brainstorming, they learned of the Greek goddess Themis, who represents divine law, order, and justice—themes that were explored in both Bar Boys and Shake, Rattle, and Roll. Versex wanted to encapsulate her essence in a way that was still distinctly Sassa.

"I asked Ziv to create a Filipiniana silhouette that subtly echoed the Greek chlamys, but reimagined through a Filipino lens," she spoke of the process. Another key reference was the bimpo, a commonly-found rag that grounded the ensemble culturally. Emmanuel Rinoza was then asked to fashion a simple fascinator to tie together the look. "We intentionally kept accessories minimal," Versex explains. "No purse, no excess. We wanted Sassa to feel less like a person and more like an entity: timeless, symbolic, and powerful."

As expected, the final outcome was subdued and polished, but still carried the grit of its underlying message. It perfectly aligned with Sassa's lookbook as an artist, which, in Versex's observation, has always been "impact-driven."

"Her looks have to say something. They need to scream her identity and carry meaning," she goes on. While many see Sassa's garments as vehicles of virality, what truly makes them buzz-worthy are the political connotations that they bring to the fore. As fantastical as her ensembles appear to be, Sassa's style—finetuned by a Versex-ian touch—is always coming from somewhere real and honest.

"[Her fashion sense] sparks conversation and stays deeply rooted in reality," Versex puts it, "which is why her audience connects to her so easily."