Are Filipino fashion brands finally ready for the world stage?
They must be. They are taking one significant step: for FASHIONPhilippines Milan Spring Summer 2027 collection, 13 brands, including seven returning from last year and six selected by European fashion experts, are now finalizing their collections.
The back story:
My esteemed friend, the renowned 1980s top model, Tetta Ortiz-Matera, approached me with an innovative project initially conceived with a top Italian fashion magazine. Fast forward to December 2024, I presented this concept to the Center for Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) executive director Leah Pulido-Ocampo and International trade manager Anna Marie Alzona. To my immense delight, approval was granted to this initiative, giving birth to FASHIONPhilippines Milan. CITEM, with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), the Philippine Fashion Coalition (PFC), LIT Fashion Consultancy, and Fondazione Sozzani Milan, created a business development program and exhibition for 15 Filipino brands.
Following months of local brand development sessions, 11 of those brands made it to Fondazione Sozzani in Milan in September 2025, during Milan Fashion Week, where they were fortunate to receive professional guidance from European fashion experts.
To our surprise, given that it was FASHIONPhilippines Milan’s inaugural exhibition, two brands were able to secure representation from two Paris-based showrooms. Bagasáo was selected by Tora Tora, and Renz Reyes will now be represented by Vetemaze. This serves as inspiration for proof of concept, and to continue the program as a preliminary step in positioning Filipino brands for competitiveness in the global market.
Director Pulido Ocampo reiterates, “Our experience from the inaugural run affirmed the global potential of Filipino fashion, while highlighting the need to further strengthen our brands’ readiness to compete internationally.”
Costume, or better yet fashion, has consistently been integral in any civilization, serving as visual reference for cultural identity and historical narrative. As civilizations evolved, the outfit of the day mirrored shifts in political dynamics, gender roles, and the psychology of the era, as well as economic climate.
In history, dress has served as active instrument of communication rather than merely everyday clothing.
Fashion has served societies in maintaining order, defining social celebrations, enforcing religious convictions, and embodying collective memory. The fashion industry functions as gatekeeper of social status, and becomes as art form and legitimate means of creative expression.
The significance of fashion initiatives is proved in their pivotal role in mitigating the environmental and ethical challenges faced by the industry. They catalyze a transformative shift towards the adoption of eco-friendly materials and circular economy principles.
Notably, fashion facilitates the identification of emerging talent, providing them a platform to establish themselves in a competitive yet inclusive global market.
That is the historical context of why we’re in the thick of preparations for the Philippine representation in Milan.
From left, PFC’s Jackie C. Aquino, Carissa Cruz-Evangelista, Carmina Sanchez-Jacob, renowned Italian gallerist, magazine editor, and businesswoman Carla Sozzani, CITEM executive director Leah Pulido-Ocampo, and international trade manager Anna Marie Alzona
The 2025 Philippine delegation with the chairman and president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (National Chamber of Italian Fashion) Carlo Capasa, Sara Sozzani Maino, Carla Sozzani, CITEM executive director Leah Pulido-Ocampo, and mentors
Fondazione Sozzani Milan where exhibits are held
Philippine Consul General (Milan) Jim Tito San Agustin and CITEM executive director Leah Pulido-Ocampo
Arman Victoria, VP for operations of PhilExport
Officer and founding member of PFC and SoFA Fashion Institute Amina Aranaz-Alunan on Export 101
For the FASHIONPhilippines Milan Spring Summer 2027 collection, 13 brands, including seven from last year and six selected by European fashion experts, are now finalizing their collections. To enhance their readiness, the program has been expanded. Notably, the inaugural face-to-face session with Helena Boissonnas, buyer for womenswear and accessories at Le Bon Marché-Paris, was held last April.
The inaugural face-to-face session with Helena Boissonnas, buyer for Le Bon Marché-Paris, was held last April
Following this, the Import/Export 101 session at the SoFA Fashion Institute featured esteemed guest speakers, including Armand Victoria, vice president of operations at PhilExport and a globally recognized bag designer, and Amina Aranaz-Alunan, an officer and founding member of PFC and SoFA Fashion Institute.
Brand development session online with Veronica Bertozzi
Subsequently, individual online sessions were conducted, facilitated by Ms. Boissonnas and Veronica Bertozzi, Lotuslux VP for sales and merchandising, where participants collaborated on crafting their professional line sheets and look books, which serve as the essential sales kit for buyers.
DOST-PTRI hosted a session on Textile 101. A robust textile industry serves as foundation of any fashion industry, contributing approximately 80 percent of a garment’s visual and tactile characteristics. Emerging economies should prioritize competitive textile industries by shifting their focus away from low-cost, mass-market apparel manufacturing and toward high-value, technologically advanced sectors.
As the global market shifts toward environmentally conscious models, the emphasis has moved to textile recycling, upcycling, and reducing textile waste. Exploring sustainable fabrics and prioritizing research and development (R&D) to develop high- performance materials is pivotal for the future of fashion.
As the global market shifts toward environmentally conscious models, the emphasis has moved to textile recycling, upcycling, and reducing textile waste
This August, all brands will have individual and group sessions with Marina Lyritzi, wholesale manager and brand consultant, and Sara Sozzani Maino, creative director of Fondazione Sozzani and International/New Talent and brand ambassador of Milan Fashion Week.
The Philippine Consulate General in Milan will host online sessions with European experts to explore European Business Culture 101. These sessions will provide valuable insights into the European fashion landscape and the evolving market dynamics during the purchasing season.
PTRI director IV Dr. Luis Leaño with the 2026 Milan delegation
All roads lead to Milan this September, where the 13 brands will undergo comprehensive brand development sessions with the European experts. Also in the panel are Silvia Bertocchi, head of cultural programs at Fondazione Sozzani, fashion stylist Riccardo Terzo, fashion consultant and product development manager for Milan runway productions Marcia Natduzzi, and Matteo Del Cherico, founder and managing director of MDC Showroom.
The highlight of FASHIONPhilippines Milan 2026 will be a three-day exhibition, Sept. 22 to 24, 2026, at Fondazione Sozzani, Via Enrico Tazzoli. The Philippine Consulate General in Milan will host the opening reception on Sept. 22, 2026.
We eagerly anticipate the continuation of this exhibition. With the support of our European partners, we are confident that it will garner the continued support of the Milan Fashion Week audience and buyers, as it did last year.
As we embark on this adventure, we are optimistic about the potential of sustainable fashion for Filipino brands: Hand Made In The Philiipines by Adam Pereyra, Bagasáo, Calli, Ched Studio, Idyllic Summers, Iñigo, Jun Escario, Orias, Palengke, Renz Reyes, Tagpi, Viña Romero, and Ziv Rei Alexi.
We face a promising journey ahead. To create a favorable economic environment for the Philippine fashion industry, we must collaborate as the unifying and driving force behind this endeavor.
By doing so, we can aspire to transform the industry into a prominent and competitive player in the global fashion landscape.
