Cover Models pose backstage at the Filipinxt press conference in New York (Photo: instagram.com/filipinxt.show)
Models pose backstage at the Filipinxt press conference in New York (Photo: instagram.com/filipinxt.show)
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The runway show titled “Filipinxt: A New Era of Philippine Fashion” will be instrumental in promoting Filipino creative industries both in the Big Apple and beyond
The Filipino community in the United States is taking it upon themselves to introduce more local creative talent to the Western Hemisphere. The Philippine Consulate General (PCG) of New York has recently partnered with the organisation Manila to Manhattan to create “Filipinxt: A New Era of Philippine Fashion”, a runway show and hub dedicated to all things Filipino in relation to fashion and art.
Filipinxt was announced during a press conference at the Philippine Center in New York last April 5. Led by fashion designer Bessie Besana and entrepreneur Rob Mallari-D’Auria, Filipinxt offers a platform for Filipino fashion designers to debut on the world stage, showcasing what our local fashion scene can offer to the mainstream industry.
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From Josie Natori to Monique Lhuillier, Filipino representation in the design world is no foreign concept to the bright lights of New York City. Natori and Lhuillier’s legacies are sure to continue through the work of four designers: Besana, Veejay Floresca, Wilson Limon, and Michael Leyva.
These visionaries will be showcasing their creations at Filipinxt. Besana’s clean-cut aesthetics make his pieces a staple of modern Filipino fashion, while Los Angeles-based designer Floresca emphasises sustainability with uniquely tailored and one-of-a-kind garments.
Limon is the creative director of Niñofranco, a label that collaborates with Mindanaoan artisans to create a fusion of modern-day fashion with indigenous tradition. Leyva, perhaps the most established of the lineup, has made a name for himself for his contemporary take on the Filipiniana gown.
Related: Weaving an archipelago with fashion designer Michael Leyva
Senen T Mangalile, New York State’s consulate general, remarked on this ambitious project, “Our collaboration [with Manila to Manhattan] highlights our collective ambition to not only spotlight Filipino artistry and craftsmanship but also to support and nurture it, ensuring it finds its rightful place on the global stage.”
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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
