Cover Lulu Tan-Gan has spent decades advocating for traditional design while remaining receptive to innovation (Photo: Chael Santos, courtesy of Bench/Ternocon 2025, courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan; stylised with Canva)
Lulu Tan-Gan has spent decades advocating for traditional design while remaining receptive to innovation (Photo: Chael Santos, courtesy of Bench/Ternocon 2025, courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan; stylised with Canva)
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Lulu Tan-Gan has spent her career honouring heritage through innovation, creating unique pieces that prioritise sustainability above all
From a young age, Lulu Tan-Gan exhibited a natural affinity for crafts, often reminiscing about her home economics classes, where she first learnt the intricate arts of knitting, crocheting and fabric construction. Initially, she envisioned a future in political science, fuelled by lofty aspirations of one day making her mark at the United Nations.
However, her parents’ guidance and deep-seated wish to remain in the vibrant embrace of Manila redirected her path toward the world of fine arts. During that period, the landscape of fashion education in the Philippines was quite limited; formal fashion schools were non-existent, leaving only vocational programmes that concentrated primarily on the technical foundations of design rather than the artistry that Tan-Gan yearned to explore.
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Above A portrait of fashion designer Lulu Tan-Gan (Photo: Chael Santos/Alliance Française de Manille)
A portrait of fashion designer Lulu Tan-Gan (Photo: Chael Santos/Alliance Française de Manille)
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She attended the Madonna School of Fashion during the summer to supplement her fine arts studies. This early exposure to fashion fuelled her desire to become a designer. At that time, it was already clear that her unique focus on craft-based design set Tan-Gan apart from other designers of her time.
Tan-Gan’s first venture into fashion craftsmanship was knitwear, earning her the nickname “Queen of Knits”, a sobriquet that still follows her today. Unlike industrial knitting, which relies on machines, she gravitated towards handloom knitting. This process mirrors traditional weaving but with a different structure that allows for stretch, akin to the spiral binding of a notebook. Filipino fashion largely followed Western trends at the time, with little innovation in local materials.
See also: Inside the whimsical world of ‘Pirate Bae’ by designer Kelvin Morales
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s segment at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Bench)
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s segment at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan)
A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s segment at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Bench)
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A turning point came when she integrated piña fabric with her knitwear. Piña, a delicate feather-light fibre derived from pineapple leaves, had begun fading from mainstream fashion awareness. Tan-Gan saw an opportunity to revive it by incorporating it into contemporary designs. “As a designer, more than often, my challenges involve solving problems and coming up with something out-of-the-box,” she states.
Despite initial scepticism about the viability of knitwear in a tropical climate, she found an enthusiastic market among Filipino jet-setters and expatriates who travel to cooler parts of the world. She recognised the need for practical, travel-friendly fashion, something knitwear naturally provided. Later, she transitioned into working with piña and encountered the challenges of merging two vastly different materials: knitwear, which is thick and elastic, and piña, which is ultra-light and stiff. “I’m not against anything traditional”, she clarifies, “but contemporary design is what’s keeping the art of weaving alive.”
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s segment at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Bench)
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s show at the Red Charity Gala (Photo: courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan)
A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s segment at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Bench)
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Beyond her designs, Tan-Gan is passionate about supporting emerging Filipino designers and artisans. She has been involved in various mentorship programmes and designer collectives, believing collaboration strengthens the local fashion industry. She believes education plays a crucial role in shaping the next generation of designers. While many young talents emerge, those without strong marketing skills often struggle to sustain their careers. She credits competitions and initiatives, such as Ternocon, of which she was a mentor at the last iteration, with providing much-needed platforms for young designers to gain visibility.
As she continues her work, she remains deeply involved in every aspect of her designs—from conceptualising collections to personally cutting piña fabric to ensure precision. She also emphasises the need for innovation in craft-based fashion.
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s show at the Red Charity Gala (Photo: courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan)
Above A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s show at the Red Charity Gala (Photo: courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan)
A look from Lulu Tan-Gan’s show at the Red Charity Gala (Photo: courtesy of Lulu Tan-Gan)
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Traditional techniques must evolve to stay relevant and move beyond being viewed as mere handicrafts to becoming integral elements of contemporary design. With the rise of independent brands, she stresses the importance of continuous creativity to ensure that Filipino fashion remains dynamic rather than repetitive. “We have to stay competitive and constantly innovate,” she emphasises.
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About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
