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WOOYOUNG, member of global K-pop group ATEEZ, has been named the first global ambassador of STUDIO TOMBOY, a fashion brand operated by Shinsegae Tomboy Co., Ltd. The partnership follows the successful campaign STUDIO TOMBOY launched with WOOYOUNG early this summer. Products featured by WOOYOUNG in the campaign sold out shortly after release, while his everyday styling, seen through airport appearances and personal social media, also drew significant attention. His individuality and personal style naturally aligned with STUDIO TOMBOY’s identity, leading to the next chapter of their partnership as global ambassador. The synergy between WOOYOUNG’s expressive style and STUDIO TOMBOY’s spirit of freedom, individuality, and originality is expected to bring fresh energy to the brand’s Fall/Winter season. His ambassador activities will begin with the 2026 Fall/Winter campaign, with campaign images and videos featuring WOOYOUNG set to be released sequentially from August 31st across STUDIO TOMBOY’s official online channels and retail stores in Korea and overseas. Through its partnership with WOOYOUNG, STUDIO TOMBOY aims to build on the continued growth of its menswear line while strengthening the brand’s presence in global markets. A representative from STUDIO TOMBOY said, "As K-fashion continues to gain attention from the world, this is an exciting opportunity to showcase STUDIO TOMBOY's heritage and distinctive design. Together with WOOYOUNG, we look forward to continuing the growth of our menswear line and expanding the brand’s presence in international markets." Meanwhile, ATEEZ has established a strong global presence through their powerful performances and commanding stage presence. The group recently achieved another major milestone with their 14th EP, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5, led by the title track “BAD,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. About STUDIO TOMBOY Based on the heritage of K-fashion, STUDIO TOMBOY is a unisex fashion brand that proposes a distinct attitude and personal style, transcending both eras and boundaries. Driven by a free-spirited sensibility and continuous evolution, the brand shapes new styles and culture every season.

From underground roots to a global language of Filipino fashion. What happens when the instinct to take things apart becomes a way of understanding how to build something new? For Proudrace, experimentation has always been at the core. Long before fashion became a practice, curiosity about how things were made shaped the designer's approach, from deconstructing fabric and paper to rebuilding them into something unexpected. For Manila Fashion Week 2026, that instinct takes form through a collection centered on garment construction, reconstruction, and the life of clothing. Inspired by the natural movement of fabric, from curtain folds to incidental draping, the collection plays with proportion, unexpected prints, and familiar garments to create silhouettes that feel fluid yet sculptural. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you’re presenting at Manila Fashion Week? My fascination with garment construction started long before I understood fashion. As a child, I would deconstruct and rebuild objects—fabric, paper, even clay—driven by curiosity about how things are made and transformed. That instinct for experimentation still anchors my practice. For this collection, I focused on extending the life of garments through draping, proportion, and reconstruction. I was drawn to how fabric naturally falls—curtain folds, incidental drapes, and everyday movement. These observations shaped fluid yet sculptural silhouettes. By combining unexpected prints, proportions, and familiar garments, we created pieces that challenge conventional dressing while remaining wearable. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? Proudrace began as a streetwear label rooted in Filipino underground culture. While that rebellious energy remains, our focus has expanded toward craftsmanship, heritage techniques, and everyday Filipino life. Today, our identity is more defined and intentional. We draw from ordinary moments—local communities, family traditions, friendships, and shared cultural references. Instead of looking outward, we now look inward, translating lived experiences into a contemporary fashion language. Fashion is more than clothing—it’s a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope it encourages people to embrace individuality without hesitation. Personal style is one of the most direct forms of self-expression, and Filipino identity deserves to be seen with confidence on a global stage. More importantly, I hope it reinforces pride in where we come from. Our roots and shared experiences are not limitations but foundations for innovation. The deeper we understand them, the stronger and more honest our creative voice becomes. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we’d love to hear the story behind it. Experimentation is central to our process, and this season pushed us into unfamiliar territory. We explored couture-inspired construction and draping techniques that were new to the studio. The process involved constant trial and refinement but those challenges led to some of the collection’s most meaningful breakthroughs. It reaffirmed that growth happens when you step beyond what you already know and it’s a direction we’re excited to continue developing. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? Our collaboration with adidas marked a milestone not just for Proudrace but as the first Filipino fashion label to work with the brand. It reinforced that Filipino creativity belongs in the global conversation. Rather than focusing on legacy, I think about possibility. If our journey helps even one young creative believe that a Filipino brand can exist globally without losing its identity, then that already means something. We hope to keep building international collaborations while staying rooted in our culture proving that authenticity can travel far beyond where it begins.

For HA.MÜ!, the question arrives at a milestone: nearly a decade of creating, experimenting, taking risks, and building a community around a distinctly playful vision of Filipino fashion. Titled HA? HA.MÜ!, the collection looks inward, asking what exists beneath the visible achievements of a brand. The people who believed early, the risks that didn't always make sense, the difficult seasons, and the countless small decisions that eventually shaped HA.MÜ! into what it is today. Structured in three acts, The Beginning, The Commitment, and The Alignment, the collection becomes a reflection on the forces that shape identity. Its final act, I Do! Do I?, expands the idea of commitment beyond relationships, turning it into a promise to one's creativity, community, and self. For HA.MÜ!, the collection isn't simply a celebration of the past. It's an invitation to think about how all of us become who we are. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? Our collection, HA? HA.MÜ!, began with a simple question we found ourselves asking as we approached our tenth anniversary: How did we become who we are today? It's easy to celebrate milestones by looking at the visible achievements, but we became more interested in everything that happened behind them. The people who believed in us before anyone else did, the creative risks that didn't always make sense, the difficult seasons, and the countless small decisions that quietly shaped the brand. The collection explores those invisible forces through three acts: The Beginning, The Commitment, and The Alignment. The final act, "I Do! Do I?", reimagines commitment not only as something shared with another person, but as a promise to yourself, your creativity, and the community that helped shape you. In many ways, the collection isn't just about HA.MÜ. It's about how all of us become who we are. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? When we first started, we wanted to make clothes that stood out. Today, we want to create work that stays with people long after they've seen it. Make people ask a question, start a conversation and take a second look on that they are seeing. Our creative identity has evolved from simply designing garments into building narratives and experiences. We’ve become less interested in chasing what's new and more interested in creating work that feels honest to us. HA.MÜ has always embraced color, playfulness, and experimentation, but today those elements have become more intentional. Every detail exists because it serves a story, and I think that sense of purpose has become the strongest part of our identity. Fashion is more than clothing. It is a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope it encourages people to pause and reflect on the invisible forces that have shaped their own lives. To make them question on how they can wear their clothing and make them interact with them more. We often celebrate the finished version of ourselves without recognizing the people, places, failures, and quiet acts of kindness that helped us get there. I want the collection to remind people that growth is rarely linear, and that our journeys are built through countless moments that may seem insignificant at the time. If someone walks away thinking about the people they've loved, the mentors who guided them, the risks they chose to take, or the promises they've made to themselves, then I think the collection has done what it was meant to do. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. One of the biggest challenges wasn't technical. It was deciding to tell our own story. For years we've built collections around concepts and observations, but this was the first time we turned the lens inward. Looking back on ten years of HA.MÜ forced us to revisit both the highs and the difficult moments, and translating something so personal into clothing wasn't always easy. The breakthrough came when we realized we didn't have to tell the story literally. Instead of recreating memories, we translated emotions into symbols, materials, and silhouettes. That allowed the collection to feel personal while still giving people space to see themselves in it. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? We hope HA.MÜ encourages more people to believe that there's room for different voices in Filipino fashion. When we started, we often questioned whether our ideas were too unconventional or too playful. Over time we realized that authenticity is far more valuable than trying to fit into someone else's definition of success. If our journey leaves anything behind, We hope it's the confidence for young creatives to trust their instincts, embrace experimentation, and understand that building something meaningful takes time. That one machine, 2 heads, 4 hands and 2 pairs of feet can take you somewhere. We’d love for HA.MÜ to be remembered not only for the clothes we made, but for proving that staying true to your vision can create a community, inspire others, and contribute to a richer, more diverse future for Philippine fashion.

For ANTONINA, the answer takes shape in Not Here, the brand’s Spring Summer 2027 collection presented at Manila Fashion Week 2026. Born from a personal need to pause, the collection reflects on the moments when life becomes consumed by work, movement, and the constant pressure of thinking about what comes next. Not Here explores what happens when we allow ourselves to disconnect. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? “Not Here” Spring Summer 2027 came from a very personal need to pause. I’ve been thinking a lot about the moments when we’re constantly working, moving, and thinking about what comes next, without really giving ourselves time to stop. The collection is about that feeling of stepping away for a while—to rest, disconnect, and simply not have to think about anything.For me, rest isn’t necessarily an escape. Sometimes, taking a step back gives you the space to rethink things and see where you want to go next. That idea also became part of the design process. “Not Here” is a shift for ANTONINA—a chance to step away from what we’ve done before and look at the brand through a different lens, exploring new shapes, techniques, colors, and quieter forms of expression.It’s also a meaningful collection for us because it’s our first full collection since my debut. In many ways, it feels like both a pause and a new beginning. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? I’ve always been a very personal designer. What drives me to create are my own feelings, experiences, and beliefs, and each collection becomes a way for me to tell a story or put those thoughts into something tangible. Over time, I think I’ve grown into fully owning my own ethos as a designer. I’ve become more confident in creating from a personal place and letting the clothes carry the story. Today, I see each collection as a testament to where I am at a certain point in my life—a way of turning feelings and ideas into pieces that people can experience and, hopefully, find something of their own in. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope people can see that changing direction or taking a pause doesn’t mean you’re not moving forward. It can still be a form of progress. Whatever comes out of that pause, we should be able to own it and accept where it takes us. At the end of the day, we’re all human, and sometimes we just need to breathe, slow down, and give ourselves room to be. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. This is the biggest collection I’ve done to date, so working with so many variables has been a big step for us. We’re dealing with unfamiliar fabrics, trims that aren’t readily available, and a lot of new processes. Beyond the making of the clothes, financing an entire collection is also a challenge—from production and manpower to overhead costs and branding.But we wanted to treat this collection as an important milestone for ANTONINA. Because of that, we really wanted to give it the time and effort it deserves and, as much as we can, show the best version of what we’re capable of. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of Creatives? I hope ANTONINA can contribute to Philippine fashion by showing that you can build a practice from something personal. I want to continue creating work that has a point of view, tells stories, and reflects where we come from without feeling like it has to fit into a certain idea of what Filipino fashion should be. If people remember the stories, feelings, and ideas that the work gave them, I think that would be enough of a legacy for me. It shouldn’t necessarily be my name or the brand. I’d rather they remember the stories we’ve shared and the feelings we were able to leave through the work.

For Charlotte Folk, it starts with the people. The places they come from, the lives they lead, and the individual ways they choose to express themselves. At Manila Fashion Week 2026, Charlotte Folk presents a collection shaped by the people the brand has encountered, the places it has traveled, and the different lifestyles it has experienced. Rooted in its philosophy of elevated everyday essentials, the collection explores diversity, movement, and individuality while staying true to the brand's distinctly Filipino perspective. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you’re presenting at Manila Fashion Week? Charlotte Folk has always been built on the idea of creating pieces for everyone, everywhere. This collection was inspired by the people I’ve met, the places I’ve traveled to, and the different lifestyles I’ve experienced along the way. We wanted to create a collection that reflects diversity, movement, and individuality—showing that no matter who you are or where you’re from, there’s a place for you in Charlotte Folk. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? Our creative identity has always been rooted in creating elevated everyday essentials, but it has evolved into something much more intentional. We draw inspiration from Filipino culture in subtle ways—through local music, artists, the tropical climate, and the way people naturally express themselves through fashion. Over time, we’ve become more confident in creating pieces that are functional, timeless, and distinctly Charlotte Folk while still celebrating our local perspective. Fashion is more than clothing—it’s a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? More than anything, I hope people feel included. Charlotte Folk has always been about building a genuine community, and we love bringing our audience into our creative journey by sharing the process behind every collection. I hope this collection encourages people to embrace their own style with confidence and reminds them that fashion should feel personal, expressive, and accessible to everyone. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we’d love to hear the story behind it. There are always unexpected challenges throughout the design process—from refining silhouettes to making countless small decisions that shape the final collection. Every obstacle became an opportunity to improve the designs and push our creativity further. Looking back, those challenges made the collection stronger and reminded us that great work comes from constantly learning, adapting, and refining. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I hope Charlotte Folk encourages people to see fashion as a form of self-expression rather than something defined by trends. We want people to make every piece their own and wear it in ways that reflect who they are. If our brand can inspire the next generation to create authentically, embrace inclusivity, and build communities through fashion, then that’s the legacy we’d be proud to leave.

This tension between the organic and the brutalist, the rural and the urban, the natural and the industrial continues to define Lorico's approach to design. At Manila Fashion Week 2026, the designer returns to this intersection with a collection that looks back toward nature. It is both a return to familiar ground and an exploration of how opposing environments can coexist, collide, and create something new. For Lorico, design is never fixed. The brand functions as an incubator for different ideas, disciplines, and forms of craftsmanship, continuously evolving through experimentation and contemporary expression. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? I am a probinsyano. I grew up and learned so many things in my little hometown in Albay, Bicol. Moving to a big city like Manila was not just a new learning curve but also a way for me to explore new ideas, culture, and energy. The fusion of the rural and the urban gave birth to what i call now as the ethos of my brand. The intersection of what is raw and natural against what is brutalist and industrial. The collection I’m working on is a return to that clash of two different poles. A return to that union and realization, a return to nature. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? I would like to see my brand as an incubator of different ideas, disciplines, and various versions of craftsmanship articulated in a contemporary and modern language. Design as well as one’s creative voice is never at rest. Like any type of energy, it only grows and expands to express itself in ways that the world needs to see. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? With everything that’s happening in the world, fashion, design, and art can serve as a temporary state that conjures an ideal world or frequency. My intention is to be able to share positive feelings and emotions through forms and propositions based on freedom and possibilities. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. Fabric for me is like water. It has its own life and voice if you try to pay enough attention. It still surprises me after so many years how a piece of woven material can express itself in various forms and iterations that doesn't just reflect the hands that manipulate them but as well as its own composition and origin. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of Creatives? I believe it is still early for someone like me to be discussing about legacy. But if there’s something i wasn't to impart to other creatives like me, it is the message of persistence, truth, and deep passion for whatever you choose to do.

On grief, transition, humor, and finding beauty in the in-between. Some of life's most profound moments happen in spaces we don't always know how to name. The pause between what was and what comes next. The uncertainty before a new chapter begins. The quiet space where grief and hope can exist at the same time. For RANDOLF, that space became the starting point for The Waiting Room, the collection presented at Manila Fashion Week 2026. The collection was born from a deeply personal experience. RANDOLF's grandfather passed away just four days before the birth of their niece, bringing two seemingly opposite moments, an ending and a beginning, into the same chapter of life. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? This collection, The Waiting Room, was inspired by something deeply personal. My grandfather passed away just four days before my niece was born, and it made me think about that space between an ending and a beginning. I imagined a waiting room that exists somewhere between the real and the unreal, where memories, hope, and uncertainty all coexist. From there, the collection became a way to explore that in between space while staying true to RANDOLF's language. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? I've always been interested in telling stories through clothing, and just having fun with it by injecting some humor. In the beginning, RANDOLF was heavily influenced by pop culture, music, and humor. Over the years, the work has become more personal. While those influences are still there, I've become more comfortable drawing from my own experiences and using clothing to tell more intimate stories. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? More than anything, I hope people leave thinking about the stories they carry with them. We all experience moments of waiting, uncertainty, loss, or change, but we rarely stop to reflect on them. If the collection encourages people to see beauty in those transitions, or simply reminds them that every ending can also become the beginning of something else, then I feel it has done its job. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. My love for repeat pattern has resurfaced in this collection lol Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I just want people to feel good in our clothes. At the end of the day, that's always been the goal. As for legacy, it's honestly not something I think about too much. I believe that's for the people who genuinely connect with your work to decide, not for me to define. I just want RANDOLF to keep creating pieces that hopefully inspire people, make them happy, and encourage them to express themselves in their own way.

There is a particular kind of Filipino nostalgia found in the action films of the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Manila after dark. Sampaguita sellers outside churches. Tailored suits. Street loyalties. Crime, power, and survival. The larger-than-life characters played by icons like Fernando Poe Jr. and Rudy Fernandez became part of the cultural memory of generations of Filipinos. For this designer, those films were more than cinema. They were part of growing up. Watching her parents' favorite action movies, along with contemporary remakes such as Ang Probinsyano, Batang Quiapo, and Siklab, became an unexpected source of inspiration. At Manila Fashion Week 2026, she takes that familiar world and turns it on its head with Sampaguita Queenpin, a collection centered on a reimagined female version of the legendary Asiong Salonga. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? My collection is titled Sampaguita Queenpin. It is inspired by late 60s to Early 80s Manila Noir Philippine Action Films. Ones that are starred by FPJ or Rudy Fernandez. For this, I am doing a reimagined female version of Asiong Salonga. So I would have this main character and her looks would evolve from being that sampaguita girl from the church to this powerful queenpin. I chose this concept because of my parents. I grew up watching their favorite Action movies. Even the remakes now like Ang Probinsyano, Batang Quiapo and Sigabo. I watch it with them. So I thought, why not make a female version. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? My creative identity has greatly evolved ever since I started the brand in 2019. I used to be so maximalist. I've been doing the brand since my first year of college...and during those times, I am very adventurous in exploring my creative identity. I went hard-core denim, harajuku, weave crafts, and many more creative gymnastics. Only about three years ago that I finally found my true aesthetic...and it is still evolving but now I know my core identity. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? Female empowerment. My collection represents the strength and intellect of a woman just through a storyline. I am such an advocate for more women in tailoring (which is a male dominated field in our industry). Women are boxed as eye candies or a person who can just slap pieces of fabrics together...but women can be engineers and directors of clothes too. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. The entire process. I wasn't able to fully plan the looks. I just build as I go. Think about it, draft the pattern, and from there...I play around. I love how it turned out anyway. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? The art of garment construction. I love showing the insides of the garment. I just don't sew. I put a careful consideration of what you won't see outside because the insides matter too. It is my art and I am the artist of it. So look inside my clothes and see my passion just from there.

Some memories stay with us in fragments: a song playing in the background, a familiar street in Manila, a piece of clothing we remember seeing, a film that shaped the way we understood growing up. For KILL JOY STUDIOS, these fragments become the foundation of KALYE TREZ MIXTAPE, a collection built from memory, identity, and the places that shape us. Presented at Manila Fashion Week 2026, KALYE TREZ MIXTAPE brings together a personal archive of references. Memories of growing up in Manila meet the designer’s grandfather’s connection to the Air Force, the sound of 80s and 90s music, coming-of-age films, and the experience of being a queer Filipino designer. Rather than treating these influences as separate references, the collection approaches them like a mixtape, blending familiar sounds and memories into something distinctly personal. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila Fashion Week? KALYE TREZ MIXTAPE started from a collection of personal references—my memories of growing up in Manila, my grandfather’s connection to the Air Force, 80s and 90s music, coming-of-age films, and my experience as a queer Filipino designer. I wanted to treat these references almost like a mixtape, mixing things that feel nostalgic, personal, and familiar into something that feels distinctly mine. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? I see my creative identity as someone who takes ordinary Filipino references and reinterprets them through a personal and contemporary lens. At this point, I’m also trying to understand and establish the DNA of KILL JOY STUDIOS—what makes the brand feel like itself, and how I can continuously translate that into clothing, imagery, and experiences. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope the collection makes people think about the things that shape their own identity—the clothes they grew up seeing, the music they listened to, or the places that feel familiar to them. More than anything, I want it to feel like a celebration of individuality and the freedom to reinterpret where we come from. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we'd love to hear the story behind it. One of the biggest challenges has been balancing all of the references I wanted to include without making the collection feel like a literal costume or nostalgia piece. As a small brand, we’re also still in the process of building the collection, so a big part of the challenge has been balancing the demands of making it while continuing to run and develop the rest of the brand. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I hope my work contributes to a Philippine fashion landscape where designers feel free to draw from their own experiences and culture without feeling the need to make them overly literal. I want KILL JOY STUDIOS to remain a work in progress—a journal that documents how I see the world, while hopefully encouraging other creatives to build from their own experiences and create something that is unapologetically theirs.

For one young Filipino designer, fashion becomes a space to confront the versions of ourselves we were once taught to hide. Growing up as a queer girl in a conservative Catholic environment, the designer learned early on that identity could feel like something that needed to be performed. There was pressure to appear “straight,” while another kind of expectation demanded masculinity as proof of queerness. Between these conflicting ideas of conformity, femininity became something that had to be questioned, reclaimed, and ultimately embraced. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you're presenting at Manila FashionWeek? I think the starting point of this collection is just about me growing up as a queer girl living in this conservative Catholic world type of thing. Growing up, I've always felt like I had to pretend–that in order to appease the adults around me, I had to be “straight”. But on the other hand there was also this other struggle with another form of conformity, because I felt like I had to be more masculine to feel like I deserved to like a girl. With this collection, parang, it's just me embracing na I didn't have to be masculine, I didn't have to be “passing”, I didn't have to be one certain way to validate who I am. So with this collection, I just wanted to embrace my femininity, embrace who I actually am. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? My creative identity today is somehow raw and emotional. I’d like to think of myself as an emotional designer because I think I've made it my mission na yung emotions ko, I wanted it to be translated through my art. I wanted it to show in my pieces. And when I was starting, I guess nahirapan akong i-translate siya because I had this insecurity before that I was a stylist first rather than a designer. I felt like whenever I style, nawawala yung pagka-designer ko. I thought they were two different things, but now, I realized that combining them made sense. The moment I allowed myself to be both made me feel free to create whatever I want. Fashion is more than clothing—it's a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I guess I want people to feel in awe. I want them to see how beautiful embracing your femininity can be since I really, really believe that Femininity has no gender. I feel like you don't have to be queer to get it– that femininity is something you feel, something that is just inside you that wants to come out, and I want people to celebrate that. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged you or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we’d love to hear the story behind it. I think what challenged me in this collection is I had so many emotions that I wanted to share. There are four main emotions that I put about the collection–Grief, anger, defiance, and becoming. I was really challenging myself na maipakita ‘yun in just a short collection. Pero ayun I think it's just really about editing and making sure lang na I would be able to show it through the manipulations and techniques I use. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippines Fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I hope as a contemporary designer that I'm able to create unique pieces that are less conservative, but are still welcomed. I think as a young designer, I feel like there's still so much for me to do to strengthen a legacy. But I guess for now, all I can say is that I just want to build that legacy on being body positive and embracing your hubadera-ness and that side of you.

For Yong Studio, nature has always been more than an inspiration. It is a visual language, a constant source of color, texture, movement, and possibility. Landscapes, rocks, water, plants, and wildlife all offer an abundance of ideas, reminding us that some of the most extraordinary forms of beauty already exist around us. But as climate change continues to reshape the planet, that source of inspiration is becoming increasingly fragile. Forests disappear, biodiversity declines, and natural resources become more limited. For Yong Studio, the environmental conversation is also a creative one: what happens when the world that inspires us begins to disappear? Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you’re presenting at Manila Fashion Week? Earth has always been my greatest source of inspiration. I travel often, and every place reminds me how extraordinary our planet really is. The colors of a landscape, the texture of rocks, the movement of water, and the patterns found in plants and wildlife. Everything already exists so beautifully. This collection came from thinking about how climate change is slowly changing that reality. As we continue to lose forests, biodiversity, and natural resources, we’re also losing the colors, richness, and beauty that make our world so inspiring. It’s not just an environmental issue. It’s a creative one too. As a designer, I constantly borrow from nature. This collection is my way of reflecting on what happens when the very thing that inspires us begins to disappear. It’s a reminder that protecting the environment isn’t only about preserving ecosystems. It’s also about preserving beauty, inspiration, and the world we hope to pass on to future generations. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? When I first started, I was simply excited by the idea of creating beautiful clothes. Today, I think much more about why those clothes deserve to exist. My creative identity has become much clearer over the years. I design feminine ready-to-wear that flatters the body, but I also design with intention. We primarily work with deadstock fabrics, so every collection begins with what already exists instead of constantly asking for something new. I also hope to represent another side of Filipino fashion. We’re already known for incredible couture and bridal. I’d love to show that Filipino ready-to-wear can be just as thoughtful, refined, and globally relevant. Fashion is more than clothing. It’s a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope people leave with a greater appreciation for nature. Fashion is often about asking, “What’s next?” But I think we should also ask, “What do we already have?” Whether it’s our planet, the materials we use, or even the clothes already hanging in our closets, there’s so much value in appreciating what’s already here. I also hope people feel encouraged to wear their clothes over and over again. Repeating an outfit shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. To me, a garment becomes even more beautiful because of the memories you create while wearing it. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we’d love to hear the story behind it. One of the biggest challenges was finding the balance between creating runway pieces and staying true to who we are as a ready-to-wear brand. A fashion show naturally pushes you to create more dramatic silhouettes and statement pieces. But at the end of the day, Yong Studio designs clothes for real life. I didn’t want the collection to become a costume just because it was on a runway. The challenge was asking myself, “How do I create something that belongs on the runway while still feeling like Yong Studio?” Every look had to represent the brand, not just the show. I wanted people to watch the collection and still imagine themselves wearing the pieces beyond Fashion Week. I think that balance between fantasy and wearability is what made this collection the most rewarding to create. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I hope Yong Studio becomes proof that a Filipino ready-to-wear brand can earn a place on the global stage without losing its identity. More than that, I hope we encourage a different way of thinking about fashion. That sustainability and beautiful design don’t have to compete. That deadstock fabrics still have incredible potential. That creating fewer but better pieces can be just as exciting as creating more. If someone looks back years from now and says Yong Studio helped people see potential where others saw excess, then I think I’d be very proud of that.

For nicolò, fashion has always been a study in balance: between form and function, ambition and restraint, experimentation and purpose. At MNL Fashion Week 2026, the designer presents flow state, a collection that turns inward to examine the pressures that come with creativity, growth, and the constant pursuit of achievement. Every collection begins with a story. What personal experience, emotion, or cultural reference became the starting point for the collection you’re presenting at Manila Fashion Week? flow state is a reflection on my relationship with work, ambition, and creativity. Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to experience a lot of growth as a designer, but with that also came the pressure to constantly achieve more. I found myself asking where the line is between healthy ambition and obsession. The collection explores that question through three mythological figures: Sisyphus, Narcissus, and Icarus. Sisyphus represents the repetitive discipline of creative work, Narcissus explores self-reflection and the tension between confidence and ego, while Icarus speaks to the beauty and danger of relentless ambition. Although inspired by mythology, the collection is deeply personal. It’s about learning to enjoy the process instead of constantly chasing the next milestone. Your work contributes to the evolving narrative of Filipino fashion. How do you define your creative identity today, and how has it transformed since you first started designing? Today, I describe my work as subtle experimentation. I’m interested in creating clothes that feel approachable at first glance but reveal thoughtful construction, unexpected proportions, and functional details the longer you engage with them. My philosophy has always been “form, function, emotion”: every design should either solve a problem, create visual intrigue, or make the wearer feel something. When I first started designing, I was more focused on making statement pieces. Over time, I’ve become more interested in restraint and longevity. I now believe that good design isn’t about adding more, but about refining an idea until every detail has a purpose. That shift has made my work quieter, but hopefully more confident. Fashion is more than clothing—it’s a reflection of culture, community, and individuality. What conversation or feeling do you hope your collection sparks once it leaves the runway? I hope the collection encourages people to rethink what success looks like. We live in a culture that celebrates constant productivity and bigger achievements, but flow state asks whether fulfillment can also come from simply being present in the work itself. Beyond that, I want people to leave feeling optimistic. Even though the collection touches on ambition and pressure, it’s ultimately about finding joy in creating, moving forward with intention, and allowing yourself to enjoy the journey rather than always chasing the destination. Can you share a moment from the creation process that challenged or surprised you? Whether it was a material, silhouette, collaboration, or unexpected breakthrough, we’d love to hear the story behind it. One of the biggest breakthroughs came from learning to simplify. Early in the design process, I kept adding details because I thought every look needed to become more elaborate. Eventually I realized that the strongest ideas were often the simplest ones. That realization influenced everything, from the silhouettes to the graphic motifs and fabric choices. Instead of overwhelming the garments with decoration, I focused on clarity, proportion, texture, and construction. Ironically, stripping things back made the collection feel much stronger and much more aligned with my brand. Looking beyond this season, what do you hope your work contributes to the future of Philippine fashion, and what legacy do you want your brand to leave for the next generation of creatives? I hope my work contributes to a vision of Filipino fashion that is globally relevant while remaining authentically ours. We don’t need to imitate what already exists elsewhere. We can participate in the international conversation through strong ideas, thoughtful craftsmanship, and a distinct point of view. If people remember nicolò years from now, I hope it’s as a brand that proved thoughtful design and consistency matter. More than individual collections, I want to leave behind a body of work that encourages young Filipino designers to trust their own voice, stay curious, and understand that lasting success comes from continuously refining your craft rather than chasing trends.