Cover Peach Garde wins the coveted Pacita Longos Medal at Ternocon 2025 for his collection inspired by the works of Leandro Locsin (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
Peach Garde wins the coveted Pacita Longos Medal at Ternocon 2025 for his collection inspired by the works of Leandro Locsin (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
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Ternocon celebrates its fourth edition, showcasing the collections of emerging designers from all over the country
Cultural advocates and fashion enthusiasts gathered to witness a marriage of tradition and modernity unfold, as Ternocon commenced its fourth edition of celebrating Filipino arts and culture. The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) transformed into a runway last January 26, as an eager audience bore witness to another spectacular celebration of diverse talent and craft.
First launched in 2018, this biannual event serves to immortalise the terno, the Philippines’ national attire, as a treasured symbol of beauty and heritage. It also highlights craftsmanship as essential in immortalising Filipino culture. This year, the competition revolved around the theme of celebrating fashion and visual arts, drawing inspiration from the works of 20th-century Filipino painters, sculptors, and installation artists whose contributions have shaped Philippine art.
More from Tatler: TernoCon 2024: A symphony of Filipino fashion and culture
Above CCP President Kaye Tinga delivers a heartfelt speech at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
Above Chief Mentor Inno Sotto is honoured with a sampaguita wreath for his contributions to Ternocon and Filipino fashion (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
CCP President Kaye Tinga delivers a heartfelt speech at Ternocon 2025 (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
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Organised by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in partnership with Bench, Ternocon 2025 featured a collection of spectacular pieces by emerging designers from all over the country. These ensembles were created with a purpose to elevate traditional Filipino attire. Some looks showcased the symbolic terno with a pañuelo, some featured the Balintawak with an alampay, in addition to the kimona, a loose slip-over blouse made of embroidered fabric.
This year’s edition also carried added significance, marking the first Ternocon competition under the leadership of newly appointed CCP president Kaye Tinga, herself a passionate connoisseur of fine arts and fashion. “Art plays a central role in shaping our cultural identity, and fashion adds a unique dimension because it is accessible and interactive, connecting directly with the individual weaver,” she states.
Above Looks by Pacita Longos Medal awardee Peach Garde (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
Above A look by Pura Escurdia Medal awardee Bryan Peralta (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
Looks by Pacita Longos Medal awardee Peach Garde (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
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Suyen Corporation chairman and CEO Ben Chan also extended his heartfelt congratulations to the audience, expressing pride in the finalists’ contributions to the evolution of the national dress. He described Ternocon as “our panata (vow) for the Philippines.”
Chan shares, “This event is close to our hearts as it honours our parents Chan Lib and See Ying, whose legacy is etched in the drawing of a Filipina wearing a terno on the packaging of the humble gawgaw used to preserve [the garment]. This is a business they established in 1946, emerging from the ruins of war. They named it Liwayway, meaning ‘dawn,’ to symbolise the start of a new day and a new hope for the country.”
Each participant presented a capsule three-piece collection, consisting of a formal Terno with a pañuelo, a formal Balintawak with an alampay and tapis, and a formal kimona paired with an alampay and patadyong, a tube-like wraparound skirt. They were guided by chief mentor and celebrated couturier Inno Sotto, and mentors Rhett Eala, Lulu Tan-Gan and Ezra Santos—all established and influential designers in their own right. The evening started on an emotional high, as Sotto was serenaded by a choir and crowned with a wreath of sampaguita, a touching tribute to his contributions to Filipino fashion.
See also: A Pitoy Moreno exhibition is set to open at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila
Above A look by Ramon Valera Medal awardee Ram Silva (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
Above A look by Joe Salazar Medal awardee Windell Madis (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
A look by Ramon Valera Medal awardee Ram Silva (Photo: Courtesy of Bench)
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A total of 12 finalists were selected, representing different regions across the Philippines: Bryan Peralta (Makati City), Patrick Lazol (Tarlac), Windell MAdis (Ilocos Norte), Jared Servano (South Cotabato), Peach Garde (Capiz), Geom Hernandez (Batangas), Ram Silva (Iloilo), Jema Gamer (La Union), Irene Subang (Negros Occidental), Nina Gatan (Quezon City), Koko Gonzalez (Mandaluyong City), and Lexter Badana (Capiz).
Garde earned the coveted Gold Award, Pacita Longos Medal for a collection that paid homage to architect Leandro Locsin. Coincidentally, it was Locsin who designed the PICC, where the event took place. Garde’s pieces showcased sculptural silhouettes, patterns and innovative fabric choices, a striking comparison to Locsin’s geometric oeuvre.
In addition to Garde’s victory, other finalists received top honours. Peralta won the Pura Escurdia Medal, or the Silver Award, for his designs inspired by Jose Joya’s dynamic brushstrokes. Silva earned the Ramon Valera, or Bronze Award, for his project that reflects Fernando Amorsolo’s celebration of rural Filipino life. Meanwhile, Madis received the Joe Salazar Medal, also dubbed the Chief Mentor’s Award, for his interpretation of Hernando R Ocampo’s distinct abstract style.
“We find a continuation of an ongoing conversation, as [the participants’] collections, alongside the works of their mentors, create an intergenerational narrative on the runway,” Tinga comments.
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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
