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Inside the glass walls of the Yuchengco Museum, where light can graze portraits of Philippine history, ten silhouettes emerged, familiar yet utterly new. The shapes were recognizably Filipiniana. And yet, there they were, reborn.
These were the first ten looks from Filipiniana Is Forever—the one hundred-piece collection by the Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion, Patis Tesoro. Presented in an intimate preview before the show’s official debut this November 4 at the Hyatt BGC, the looks stood as extensions of Tesoro’s restless creativity. The essence was her refusal to let the heritage she helped revive become ornamental.
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The upcoming event, to be presented by the Zonta Club of Alabang, is a fundraiser full of empowering causes that align seamlessly with the designer’s lifelong advocacy. Because for over five decades, Tesoro has also employed, taught, and uplifted her fellow women.
The Ten That Spoke For A Hundred
Fearless in vision, the ten pieces unveiled in Makati hinted at the vastness of Tesoro’s project. Dasters, comfortable house dresses and symbols of domesticity, reappeared as handwoven art pieces, elevated by delicate embroidery and tropical color. Kimono-style jackets nodded to the fluidity of gender and global inspiration. The showstoppers were translucent baros painted and beaded entirely by hand, shimmering under the museum lights.
Everything about the preview carried Tesoro’s signature maximalism. It’s a visual language she speaks fluently.
To talk about Tesoro is to talk about the evolution of Philippine fashion itself. Long before “slow fashion” and “cultural sustainability” became buzzwords, she was already reviving piña, natural dyes, and regional weaves. Her work preserved endangered crafts. And through it all, she has done what few designers can claim: create an ecosystem of women who sustain the work.
That’s where the Zonta Club of Alabang comes in. Their collaboration is kinship, forged under a shared purpose. Tesoro’s work is composed of women dedicated to their craft; Zonta’s initiatives, like ‘Nanay for Healthy Livers Para Kay Baby’ and ‘Dibdib Ko, Alaga Ko,’ ensure those women thrive in all aspects of life.
Human Things and Human Hands
With AI and fast-fashion burrowing its way into the industry, Tesoro’s philosophy is quite radical. “What if we return to handmade things?” she muses. “Everything is changing so fast now because of technology. But there is a movement of people making technology secondary. They are returning to nature and things made by hand. It’s something that AI can’t touch.”
To Tesoro, every handwoven fabric, every embroidered edge, and every bead is proof of artistry that refuses to be automated. It is the beauty of human persistence. The clothing resists disposability by carrying the fingerprints of its makers. And during the exclusive show, guests leaned close to examine those fingerprints. One could see the hours in the beadwork, and the movement of lives behind the garments.
When the preview ended at the Yuchengco Museum, the audience was left with the thoughtful impression of Patis Tesoro’s continuity. For every piece she sent down the runway, there was a woman behind it—be it a weaver in Aklan, a seamstress in Laguna, or a young artist in training. And for every thread she revives, there’s a future being stitched together where tradition remains alive.
“Filipiniana is Forever,” she says, “for as long as we have a country called the Philippines.”
Patis Tesoro’s Filipiniana is Forever will be presented by the Zonta Club of Alabang at the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt BGC on November 4, 2025. Tickets are available at qlickpass.com.
Photos courtesy of PATIS TESORO
Photographed by JAKE VERSOZA
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