Andrea Tetangco and Viktor led the first night with contrasting visions of femininity and grit.
Manila Fashion Week officially opened last October 16 at SM Aura, kicking off four days of runway shows that celebrated Filipino talent and creativity until October 19. Formerly known as BYS Fashion Week, the event returned with a new name and a bigger goal: to bring local fashion to a global stage.
Across the Fashion Tent and Samsung Hall, designers presented collections that highlighted both tradition and modern design. Opening night featured Andrea Tetangco and Viktor, two designers whose shows captured the range of today’s fashion: soft and romantic on one end, bold and edgy on the other.
Andrea Tetangco’s strength in softness
Andrea Tetangco opened the show with a romantic, architectural collection that explored the idea of feminine power.
Known for her refined, feminine aesthetic, Tetangco has shown collections abroad, including New York Fashion Week, where she debuted her Spring/Summer 2025 line earlier this year. Just weeks after that, she spoke to The POST about launching her own Atelier Andrea Tetangco in Rockwell and expanding into ready-to-wear, a move that reflects her commitment to making her designs more accessible while staying true to her timeless style.
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“Women have always been at the heart of my creative process,” Tetangco said. “Every piece I design is a love letter to them. A way of inspiring confidence, grace, and strength through clothing.”
Her Manila Fashion Week debut was intimate and deliberate. Against a minimalist black runway, the clothes commanded attention without excess. Each piece from sculpted gowns to fluid separates balanced softness and structure.
“For this collection, I wanted to explore the idea of purity and femininity reimagined. Something dreamy and futuristic, yet timeless and grounded in reality,” she explained. “It felt right to debut this collection for the inaugural season of MNL Fashion Week. A moment that celebrates both new beginnings and the evolution of Filipino fashion. This collection represents that balance: ethereal yet modern, delicate yet powerful.”
Her vision is a modern Filipina who embraces softness as strength. “I hope the audience walks away feeling inspired. Reminded of the power of softness, and how femininity can be both delicate and strong. I want them to feel transported into a dreamlike world where beauty, confidence, and emotion coexist. More than just seeing clothes, I want them to feel something: that quiet kind of empowerment that lingers even after the show ends,” she said.
Viktor’s futuristic rebellion
Later that night at Samsung Hall, Viktor delivered contrasting energy: dark, cinematic, and charged with attitude. Their show unfolded like a film sequence, capturing what they describe as “what people would wear in a dystopian world.”
Run by longtime collaborators Ino Caluza and Will Mueco, Viktor first made its name through custom jeans and jackets before moving toward more experimental designs. The duo presented a collection inspired by Blade Runner 2049. Using denim, leather, vegan leather, wool, and locally made fabrics from DOST-PTRI, they imagined what people might wear in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world.
“We were inspired watching Blade Runner 2049,” they said. “So from there, we thought: what would people wear in this dystopian world and, of course, people would still be fashionable. We played on denim, leather, vegan leather, and wool as well as locally produced fabric. We wanted to showcase these since we are known for our custom-made jeans and jackets. This collection will showcase the range of what Viktor can offer to this growing market.”
Their presentation balanced tailoring and street-inspired grit with crisp, futuristic outerwear layered over sculptural tops, distressed denim reworked into statement pieces, and flashes of metallics. The palette was largely dark too,
“With Manila Fashion Week giving us a platform to show what Filipino brands can offer either locally or globally, we hope that our viewers will support more local designers since we are very competitive when it comes to design and quality as well,” the duo said.
Manila Fashion Week also featured shows by OXGN, Chris Nick, Iñigo, DBTK, Viña Romero, and Randolf. More MFW to come from The POST.
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