Filipinxt takes on New york Fashion Week with natural textiles and local florals
New York Fashion Week may have just wrapped up with the spring/summer 2025 show, but Filipinxt is only getting started. A platform born out of a shared desire to champion Filipino craftsmanship on a global stage, Bessie Besana explains, “Filipinxt really revolves around the idea of bringing the Filipino talent to New York, and New York being a fashion capital of the world.”
Besana, based between Quezon City and New York City, is one of the designers and the brains behind Filipinxt. “I think this is the best platform for all of the designers that are talented from the Philippines to be able to showcase what the Filipino talent could really deliver,” he says.
In line with the NYFW trend of shifting to wearable occasionwear, Besana’s four-piece capsule collection highlights modern bridal. NiñoFranco by Wilson Limon showcased colorful barongs for men and women. Tagpi, a pandemic passion project-turned-social enterprise for local artisans by Gabby Garcia, played with applique and Filipino weaves. Menswear brand Llamanzares Barongs, straight from Lumban, the “Embroidery Capital of the Philippines,” modernized the barong Tagalog, showing that embroidery, once perceived as a dying art, is alive, well, and more than capable of keeping up with contemporary fashion on a global stage.
Three Filipina designers head the main show directed by Yancy Trinidad. Adrienne Charuel of sustainable line Maison Métisse explored new silhouettes showcasing fabrics and dyes. Chynna Mamawal channeled Saint Tropez glamor modeled by her muses, Miss Universe 2022 and fashion designer R’Booney Nola and actor, model and professional 3x3 basketball player Cole Micek. Andrea Tetangco, known locally for her contemporary bridal and eveningwear, showcased ethereal RTW for NYFW.
More than a showcase, Filipinxt launches its e-commerce platform, filipinxt.com. “We are really pushing forward where we are supporting our designers,” explains Besana. “We want them to create more markets outside the Philippines and we want them to touch base with other buyers, with other stores around the world, not only within the Philippine community.” Watch out as the site goes live next month.
* * *
For updates, follow @filipinxt.show on Instagram or email [email protected].
- Latest
