Ternocon 2025: A dialogue between fashion & art

“We find the continuation of an ongoing conversation as their collections, alongside those of their mentors, create an intergenerational narrative on the runway,” said Kaye Tinga, president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), which has been partnering with Bench for Ternocon from its inception in 2018. The mentors this year are renowned designers Rhett Eala, Lulu Tan Gan and Ezra Santos, together with chief mentor Inno Sotto, founding artistic director Gino Gonzales and artistic director Ricardo Eric Cruz.

A diverse mix of guests, who included government officials and diplomatic corps, industry leaders, celebrities, socialites, designers, artists, influencers, and students, came in some splendid ternos and barongs, filling the cavernous Reception Hall to full capacity–a testament to how Ternocon has grown in stature and relevance and how our national dress has evolved into chic, contemporary wear that is a source of Filipino identity and pride.

It was a showcase of Filipino creativity and artisanal craftsmanship through the lens of our modern masters. Signature motifs were ubiquitous, from H.R. Ocampo’s geometrics that Geom Ocampo of Batangas turned into stained glass-looking inserts and Vicente Manansala’s cubism that La Union’s Jema Gamer reassembled, to the circles of Nena Saguil reincarnating as ribbon-wrapped discs embellishing the pieces of Jared Servano, a half-T’Boli native from Cotabato whose daughter actually did the weaving of the textiles used. Tarlac’s Patrick Lazol transformed the brush strokes and vivid palette of Jose Joya.

The glass sculptures of Ramon Orlina and Impy Pilapil were simulated through the entries of Capiz’s Lexter Badana and Quezon City’s Nina Gatan, respectively. Lexter made his own sculptural accents with resin-infused organza while Nina translated Pilapil’s curves in fabric. Turning to the realm of the psyche were Koko Gonzales from Mandaluyong doing his own assemblages from Onib Olmedo’s imaginings, and Negros Occidental’s Irene Subang channeling the dislocation of BenCab’s “Sabel” with flattened cans dangling from tapis hems.

Ultimately, it was Peach Garde’s distillation of National Artist Leandro Locsin’s architectural designs that won the judges’ nod to receive the top Pacita Longos Medal gold award. The Capiz native was on the verge of tears since this was his third time to join Ternocon after two unsuccessful attempts to even make it as a finalist.

It was his mentors in Iloilo, where he is based, who kept pushing him to join contests, with his efforts rewarded this year when he also joined the Bench Design Awards where he is also a finalist. It was a long journey from the time he was at SM Iloilo for eight years, juggling work and school. After completing a Slim’s Bespoke Tailoring course online, he was finally able to open a shop.

He chose Locsin because he knows the PICC so well, having spent time there for two National Streetwear Competitions where he mentored his students from the state university. The theme of the second competition also happened to be Brutalism, which Locsin is known for, so he researched further on other works of the National Artist including his buildings in UP Los Baños, where the moss on the structures dictated the colors, and the tall Rizal Centenary Carillon echoed in the cutouts where the pañuelo was inserted. Locsin’s floating volumes at PICC inspired him to make his kimona sleeves cantilevered, layered over a grid bodice that recalls its coffered ceilings. His balintawak’s skirt is bookleafed but with the crenellated indentions that he saw at CCP. He also innovated on the butterfly sleeves, making them boxy. 

He is grateful for the mentoring from Rhett, as well as Inno, Gino and Eric: “Piniga nila talaga ako, and it helped evolve my design. But at one point, I decided to just filter their suggestions and just be true to myself as a designer.”

Bryan Peralta, the Pura Escurdia silver medalist, also credits his mentors. “I feel my aesthetic matches Lulu’s aesthetic so it was a great match.” He was attracted to Jose Joya’s works during their group tour to the National Museum but did more research and bought the artist’s book to concentrate on his line drawings. He innovated on butterfly sleeves by 3-D printing them, resulting in a totally modern look matched with fringed columnar gowns that he dyed, embroidered and appliqued with geometrics.

In contrast, Ram Silva, the Ramon Valera bronze medalist, evoked the romance of Fernando Amorsolo’s bucolic paintings and the serenity of farm life in his native Iloilo through piña pieces dyed in earth tones of turmeric and indigo accented by beaded dragonflies matched with patadyongs of tiered raffia fringe that recall the palay stacks in the National Artist’s landscapes.

Windell Madis, who received the Joe Salazar Chief Mentor’s Award, epitomized the art theme for his clean looks in cream caladoed piña that looked like unfinished canvases with the signature geometric abstractions of H.R. Ocampo appearing as an alampay and tapis which he handpainted and beaded.

Yssa Inumerable, last edition’s gold medalist, showed what made her a winner through soft silhouettes that referenced the hardworking women in Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s works. The painter’s colors and brush strokes were simulated through iridescent silks, dyed piña and handpainted layers of organza that evoked the grace of the painter’s sisterhood. “It gave me goosebumps,” said Doris Magsaysay-Ho who reminisced about her mother.

Rhett Eala opened the mentors’ suites with his take on Lao Lianben, replicating the iconic Zen circles through handpainting and beading in layers of fabric that simulated translucence. He achieved the artist’s dripping motif through painstaking couture techniques like piping used as fringes. Princess-cut ternos were balanced with a subtle mannish edge through top hats in tulle, while columnar ternos looked thoroughly modern with pañuelos in cutout drippings.

Ang Kiu Kok’s anguish is the last thing you would associate with Lulu Tan Gan so she referenced his brilliant colors instead through her signature relaxed piña pieces with handblocked prints of the artist’s cubist elements which were also utilized in the layering of geometric cuts of fabric for the saya and tapis and in accordion-pleated alampays.

The finale was Ezra Santos who flew in with his collection from Dubai, reflecting all the opulence from his home base through the lens of National Artist Abdulmari Imao whose Sarimanok and okir motifs embellished rose gold bustiers and headdresses to match flowing draped ternos with trains and capes befitting princesses of the Royal Sultanate of Sulu.

After the well-applauded show, we spotted Peach who was still processing his winnings and asked him what his plans were for the future. “Sana makarepresent ng Pilipinas sa international competition and also the thought na if I’m winning, I can also make my angels win rin, makapagprovide ng kabuhayan at trabaho sa aking mga students.”

Peach’s story and his victory after all the trials was quite moving and was a fitting end to a successful edition.

Ben found it difficult to hold back tears that evening when he also waxed nostalgic about how Ternocon holds a sentimental meaning for him and his family led by Nenita Lim and her husband Virgilio Lim. “This event is close to our hearts as this is also in honor of our parents, Chan Lib and See Ying, whose legacy is etched in the drawing of a Filipina wearing a terno on the packaging of the humble gawgaw that is used to preserve the terno. It is a business they established in 1946 in our country, emerging from the ruins of war. They named it Liwayway, meaning dawn, to symbolize the start of a new day and a new hope for our country. May this gathering tonight ignite within us the same spirit of hope, of love for country, and pride in our culture.”