Cover The terno gets a bold update as Filipino designers fuse national pride with contemporary sport-inspired flair (Photo: Bench; stylised by Joan Chan and Jon Hipe)
The terno gets a bold update as Filipino designers fuse national pride with contemporary sport-inspired flair (Photo: Bench; stylised by Joan Chan and Jon Hipe)
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Tradition gets a modern twist as the terno takes centre stage in a playful, powerful showcase of sport and style
Cultural advocates, fashion insiders and style enthusiasts gathered for a night where heritage met hustle, as Ternocon Palaro 2025 made its grand debut at the SM Mall of Asia football pitch. The open-air venue transformed into a dynamic runway on October 8, 2025, setting the stage for a celebration of Filipino identity in motion.
First launched in 2018, Ternocon has long championed the preservation and reimagining of the terno, an enduring symbol of beauty, power and national pride. But this year’s edition rewrote the rules. For the first time, the showcase swapped ballrooms for the playing field. It proved that tradition doesn’t have to stand still—it can run, play and score big.
Spearheaded by Bench in partnership with Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the one-night spectacle brought together six of the country’s brightest design minds for a playful, powerful rethink of what it means to wear the Filipiniana today.
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Kaye Tinga, Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo, Alice Eduardo and Melba Eduardo Solidum (Photo: Bench)
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The challenge: turn the terno into modern athleisure—easy to wear, celebrating local talent and irresistible to a new generation. The result was a fashion face-off where butterfly sleeves became windbreakers, abaca silk went sporty and heritage took a confident stride into the future. Each designer interpreted the spirit of Filipino sport through their own lens, showing just how versatile the terno can be.
Len Cabili tipped off the night with a basketball-inspired collection woven from abaca silk and Ifugao ikat. “Basketball is part of who we are,” she shared. “I wanted the terno to feel like it’s part of that story too.”
Len Cabili for Ternocon Palaro 2025 (Photo: Bench)
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Carl Jan Cruz, recognised as one of Tatler Asia’s Most Stylish in 2023, went for something more personal—playfully reconstructing old garments into contemporary silhouettes. A vintage Bench tee became an embroidered piece; a humble bedsheet was reborn as a saya. “The terno doesn’t have to be untouchable,” he said backstage. “It can be lived in, loved, worn over and over again.”
Hannah Adrias, known for her razor-sharp tailoring, served up a nostalgic nod to high school barkadas of the late Eighties and early Nineties. Her butterfly-sleeved windbreaker (yes, windbreaker) was an instant crowd favourite, perfectly balancing cool-girl ease with quiet elegance.
Related: Ternocon 2025 breathes life into tradition in a stunning ode to the Filipino masters
Carl Jan Cruz for Ternocon Palaro 2025 (Photo: Bench)
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For Glyn Alley Magtibay, intramurals were the playground. Think varsity muse meets cultural pride: piña kimona, Yakan hood, appliquéd chess pieces. “Sports bring people together,” she said. “So does fashion when it’s rooted in something we all know.”
Renz Reyes went minimalist, proving that a little tailoring goes a long way. His clean, contemporary silhouettes slipped easily into everyday wear—no embellishment needed.
Glyn Alley Magtibay for Ternocon Palaro 2025 (Photo: Bench)
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And then there was Jo Ann Bitagcol, a 2025 Tatler Asia’s Most Stylish honouree, whose photographic prints of barong Tagalog and ternos floated across boxy shirts and reversible skirts like a ghostly love letter to the past. “Photographs are memories,” she said softly. “This is my way of wearing ours.”
Jo Ann Bitagcol for Ternocon Palaro 2025 (Photo: Bench)
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As the music played through the stands, models strode across the football field in trainers, sneakers and reimagined ternos. The vibe was more championship game than couture runway—playful, proud and electric. “The Filipiniana is no longer confined to formal events, but is a living, breathing form of national identity that can be worn anywhere, by anyone,” said Ben Chan, founder and CEO of Bench and chairman of Suyen Corporation.
That statement felt alive on the pitch. By giving the terno a sport-luxe makeover, Bench and CCP didn’t just host a fashion show—they kicked off a movement.
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Joan—“Anj” to some—first stumbled into the literary world through Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. From then on, she knew she wanted to tell stories—for everyone to read or perhaps simply for her older self to find again someday.
In high school, her love for writing intertwined with her passion for media and entertainment, drawing her to the glossy pages of magazines and online features about her favourite British boyband and Canadian singer. By college, she had found her rhythm in article writing and never stopped chasing stories worth sharing.
As Social Media Officer for Tatler Philippines, she shapes stories that capture moments in entertainment, culture and society. For leads or inquiries, feel free to reach her via joan.chan@tatlerasia.com or @joanntrc on Instagram.
