The Gilded Escape 2025: A Week of Transformation, Storytelling, and Community Across Manila & Boracay

Manila, Philippines- From November 3–8, 2025,  The Gilded Escape gathered a curated circle of founders, leaders, creators, and wellness innovators for an immersive six-day journey held across Manila and Boracay. Hosted by global branding and marketing agency Maude Labs, the experience blended meaningful conversations, cultural immersion, healing conversations, brand discovery, and global community building. 

A Curated Week of Experiences

The week opened with an intimate energy and identity dinner at Shangri-La The Fort’s Samba, led by London-based energy and performance strategist Jo Sweeney, where guests explored expansion, intuition, and new-paradigm leadership. Her insights on energy and alignment resonated deeply with the founders and executives present, reminding them that “expanding your energy field and raising your frequency will unlock new creative ideas.”

This was followed by a storytelling dinner at Las Casas Quezon City with New York–based PR maven Cris Gordon, who guided participants through the power of narrative, visibility, and authenticity. “People buy stories. It’s the difference between zero to a million dollars,” she shared. “It’s not about chasing virality but about building connections.”

Throughout the week, guests moved through a restorative wellness journey, from Centro Holístico’s IV drips and AcuDetox, to Culture Salon’s Aveda scalp rituals, and Face Sculpt’s sculpting lymphatic treatments.

Esteemed photographer Artu Nepomuceno also captured elevated portraits of select attendees, with hair and make-up exclusively by Culture Salon.

The commitment to conscious leadership continued with a visit to Anihan Technical School in Laguna, where guests learned about the institution’s long-standing mission to uplift young women through culinary education and saw firsthand how their donations make an impact.

The Manila leg closed with an intimate evening at Manila House with Los Angeles–based fashion designer Ace Harper, bringing together entrepreneurs and creatives for a night centered on style, feminine power, and confidence. “Style is power,” Harper shared. “It’s transformative and allows you to embody your best self.”

The journey continued in Boracay, where participants eased into slow mornings, beachside conversations, personalized workouts, shared meals, and grounding activities that helped them integrate the week’s insights. Surrounded by the island’s natural beauty, guests had space to recharge, expand, and connect beyond titles and roles.

This year’s retreat highlighted one core truth: when people gather with intention, transformation accelerates. Through thoughtful conversations, healing practices, cultural immersion, and genuine community support, everyone left with renewed clarity, connection, and creative expansion.

Partners Who Made the Experience Possible

The Gilded Escape was made possible through the generous support of our Official Brand Partners: Centro Holistico, Culture Salon, Face Sculpt, Founders Beauty, Blackbough Swim, Rom&nd, Im Meme, Rotacion, Unreal Snacks, Bloom, Curioser House, Guava Smells, VMV Hypoallergenics, Scentsmith, Aeropostale, Danolyte, V&M Naturals, Shepherd, Glutamax, Riamarisse, Simonita, and Peter Paul. Their products, treatments, and experiences elevated each touchpoint of the program. 

The week was further enriched by our Beverage Partners Santa Ana Gin and Hey Lucky Coffee, Venue Partners Las Casas, Quezon City and Manila House, and CSR Partner Anihan Technical School, whose mission grounded the group in purpose and community impact. 

Positioning the Philippines on the Global Retreat Map

“The Gilded Escape is our love letter to the Philippines, to its warmth, culture, talent, and spirit,” says Tin Santos, Co-Founder & CEO of Maude Labs. “We want global leaders to experience what we already know: that the Philippines is one of the most powerful destinations in the world for transformation and community. This retreat is our way of showing that when you blend Filipino hospitality with meaningful programming, you create magic.”

Maude Labs Co-Founder and Co-Presentor Erika Aquino adds, “Our goal is to place the Philippines on the global stage as a premier destination for intentional gatherings. There is a depth, generosity, and creative energy here that the world needs to see. The Gilded Escape is proof of how the Philippines can host world-class experiences that move people, not just visually, but emotionally and spiritually.”

A new chapter is already underway, with the next edition set for 2027. Maude Labs will unveil an expanded experience for global founders, creators, and conscious leaders, with more details to follow. As The Gilded Escape evolves, Maude Labs remains committed to elevating Filipino hospitality and creating transformative spaces where leaders can deepen their purpose and broaden their impact.

For partnership inquiries, future event updates, and media requests, contact: discover@maudelabs.com

About Maude Labs Maude Labs is a global personal branding and strategy house for founders to show up with clarity, confidence, and impact. They specialize in personal branding that goes beyond aesthetics, blending strategy, storytelling, and design to build brands that are as intentional as they are influential. 

You visit their website at www.maudelabs.com and follow their socials at @maude.labs