Cover The Metropolitan Museum gala honours fashion icon Pitoy Moreno (Photo: courtesy of The M Museum)
The Metropolitan Museum gala honours fashion icon Pitoy Moreno (Photo: courtesy of The M Museum)
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The Metropolitan Museum gala honours fashion icon Pitoy Moreno through an exhibition and a fundraising gala
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M Museum) hosted its annual fundraising gala on June 28, 2025, in a grand creative display, paying homage to legendary Filipino designer Jose “Pitoy” Moreno. Titled Remembering Pitoy, the evening unfolded at the museum’s new home in Bonifacio Global City and also marked the closing of its landmark exhibition, Timeless: J. Moreno.
Spanning a prolific career of over five decades, Moreno left an indelible mark not only as a fashion designer but also as a cultural advocate, mentor and steadfast supporter of The M Museum. Timeless: J. Moreno was designed to be more than a retrospective—it was a powerful tribute to a life dedicated to excellence, Filipino heritage and a relentless pursuit of craftsmanship and beauty.
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The exhibition, which opened in February 2025, to coincide with what would have been Moreno’s centenary, celebrated his pivotal role in shaping Philippine fashion. It featured some of his most iconic creations and evoked deep nostalgia among attendees, many of whom were his muses, models and close collaborators.
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Organised by a committee led by The M Museum president Tina Colayco, vice-chairman Doris Magsaysay-Ho and trustee Fe Rodriguez, the gala transformed one of the museum’s galleries into a dreamscape with floating fabric panels reflecting projected visuals—an installation crafted by artist-designer Tony Gonzales, with video elements produced by Tarzeer Pictures. The programme included a four-course dinner by chef Gilbert Pangilinan of Kai, served atop long tables adorned with banana paper silkscreened with Moreno's original sketches—a concept by Tina Ocampo and made possible by Maricris Floirendo Brias.
“In Remembering Pitoy, we remember his spirit of philanthropy. Early in his career, it had already become important to him to give back, and give back he did, establishing a scholarship fund that sent talented and deserving students to study at the UP College of Fine Arts, as well as the College of Medicine,” Rodriguez shared. More than a couturier, Moreno was a mentor whose passion for preserving Filipino identity through fashion was matched by his generosity and quiet but unwavering philanthropy.
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A highlight of the evening was a special segment featuring artists who were once recipients of Moreno's scholarships at the University of the Philippines. The M invited them to create works inspired by his fashion. The artists, including Issay Rodriguez, Carlito Camahalan Amalla and Digo Acuzar presented pieces in the museum’s foyer which are available for purchase in support of The M’s programmes.
The night culminated in a musical performance by the UP Manila Choir, whose a cappella rendition of 1970s Manila Sound classics concluded with Bongga Ka ‘Day, a fitting tribute to Moreno—himself referenced in the song as a symbol of glamour.
The gala celebrated not only Pitoy Moreno’s extraordinary body of work and artistry but also his enduring influence on generations of designers and his commitment to elevating Philippine culture on the global stage.
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“Pitoy often said that true beauty lives not only in design, but in how we connect with one another. Through your presence, support, and stories, you’ve proven that true,” shared Magsaysay-Ho.
The gala also launched The M Museum’s new membership programme, which grants year-long complimentary access for members and their guests. Proceeds from the event will support the museum’s educational initiatives, exhibitions and cultural preservation efforts, enabling the team to continue the promotion, preservation and betterment of Philippine arts and culture.
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The success of Remembering Pitoy was made possible through the support of institutional partners, including the Jusi & Pina Foundation, BPI, Lexus and Tatler, among others.
In celebrating Moreno, The M not only honoured a national treasure, but reaffirmed its role as a guardian of Philippine heritage—fashioned not just from fabric, but from memory, meaning and shared identity. His legacy is not only stitched into the gowns he created but also tightly woven into the many lives he touched and the causes he championed.
