Carla Gem Buyo

Metro Exclusive: Your First Look at the Stories Behind This Year’s MNL Fashion Week Collections

Article (news)

<p>This year, a lineup of Filipino designers are bringing their own world to <strong>MNL Fashion Week</strong>, drawing from Filipino street culture, personal memories, and the freedom to rethink fashion rules. Returning designers such as <strong>Randolf</strong> and <strong>Charlotte Folk</strong> are painting the town red with their new collections, while a trio showcase featuring promising Filipino talents <strong>Yana Kalaw</strong>, <strong>Lilah Roche</strong>, and<strong> Killjoy Studios</strong> are making their MNL Fashion Week debut. The guest lineup adds an international dimension, with notable names from across Southeast Asia attending the shows this year, including Thai stars Boss, Ngern, Oat, Sonya, Lookmhe, Min, New, and Toptap, alongside Vietnam’s Diep Linh Chau and Bá Tùng “Tyler,” and Indonesia’s Cissy Lia and Helen Hiuu.</p><div><br/></div><p>Discover MNL Fashion Week&#x27;s 2026 line-up ahead of the shows and don&#x27;t forget to mark your calendars on September 3 to 6!</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Antonina</strong><strong></strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17874999967621.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p>Antonina is taking a breather. Her collection grew from what she describes as “a chance to pause”, marking a softer shift from her usual direction and making space for a slower, more reflective mood.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Charlotte Folk</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875000418632.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Charlotte Folk puts diversity and individuality at the heart of its latest collection, drawing inspiration from her travels, the people she met, local culture, and even the realities of dressing in a tropical climate. The idea is to present a wardrobe built around pieces that feel effortless, versatile, and open to interpretation.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Ha.Mu</strong></div><div style="text-align:left"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875001139033.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></div><p>HA.MÜ is marking its 10th anniversary with <em>HA? HA.MU</em>, a collection about the invisible forces that shape who we become. Told in three acts, it moves from beginnings to commitment before arriving at I Do, Do I?, a final chapter that turns the idea of commitment inward, toward creativity, community, and the life we choose for ourselves.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Killjoy Studios</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875002646834.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Killjoy Studios takes a trip down memory lane, bringing together references from Filipino streets, public transportation, films, and the designer’s own creative history. It continues the story of his thesis collection while giving different techniques and ideas he has picked up along the way in a place in the same world.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Lilah Roche</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875003279046.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p>Lilah Roché is bringing Manila Noir to the runway. Inspired by late 1960s to early 1980s Philippine action films and figures like the late Fernando Poe Jr.  and Rudy Fernandez, <em>Sampaguita Queenpin</em> imagines what happens when the familiar <em></em><em>sampaguita</em><em></em> girl steps into the world of a queenpin.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Lorico</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875003635835.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Jerome Lorico wants to take us out of the city for a moment. His collection looks back to the nature he grew up around, offering a quieter take on fashion and a reminder of what can get lost in the noise and pace of urban life.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Nicolo</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875004199838.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Nicolò is turning the runway into a study of ambition with <em>Flow State</em>. The collection unfolds in three chapters, moving through utilitarian tailoring, sheer layers, fluid shapes, sculptural silhouettes, and richer textures. At its heart is a simple question: what if the process becomes more rewarding than the goal itself?</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Proudrace</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875005283447.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Proudrace is pushing its signature deconstruction and rework further this season, with more tailoring, draping, and unconventional silhouettes. Inspired by the Filipino slang “<em>kukur</em>” (or <em>kukurtinahin</em>), used by older relatives to describe something unusual or out of the norm, the collection leans into exactly that attitude.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Randolf</strong></div><div style="text-align:left"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178750058780610.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">For RANDOLF, <em>The Waiting Room</em> comes from a very personal in between. Inspired by losing his grandfather just days before his niece was born, the collection sits with that strange space between an ending and a beginning.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Yana Kalaw</strong></div><div style="text-align:left"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17875006307869.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></div><p>Yana Kalaw goes back to <em>Queer Notes</em> with a new chapter shaped by her experiences growing up as a queer woman. This time, the collection looks at femininity on her own terms and the freedom that comes with letting go of expectations placed on queer women.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong>Yong Studio</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178750066192411.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo by Dominic Dimagmaliw for Metro</span></span></span></strong></div><p style="text-align:left">Yong Studio wants us to look at the Earth a little differently. Starting with its colors, textures, and abundance, the collection moves from vibrant colors to dry earth tones drawn from the effects of El Niño. Rather than spelling out a message, the collection leaves room for the viewer to think about our relationship with the world around us.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Stay tuned on Metro.Style for more MNL Fashion Week stories.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Models from Luminary Models</p>

<p>Hear from the designers themselves as they reveal glimpses of their collection this year!</p>

Hear from the designers themselves as they reveal glimpses of their collection this year!

Metro Exclusive: Your In-Depth Look at the Designers of This Year’s MNL Fashion Week

People

Fashion

Beauty

Wellness

Travel

Culture

Living

Food

Weddings

Fashion

Metro Exclusive: Your In-Depth Look at the Designers of This Year’s MNL Fashion Week

Zoe Althea Agnes

Published August 24, 2026 08:00 AM PHT

|

Updated August 24, 2026 12:05 PM PHT

Read More:

mnl fashion week 2026

filipino fashion designers

filipino fashion

runway

antonina

charlotte folk

hamu

killjoy studios

lilah roche

lorico

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription.

Metro.Style is your go-to destination for all things chic and stylish—featuring the latest in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, celebrity news, and inspiring stories. It's your curated guide to living your best life.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.