Filipino designer Inno Sotto shares his knowledge to the participants of Ternocon Early this year, beauty queen Maxine Medina was criticized when she wrongly attributed the invention of the terno to former First Lady Imelda Marcos. In a video shown during the preliminary round of the Miss Universe pageant, she uttered: “The terno was actually invented by our former First Lady Imelda Marcos. She invented these butterfly sleeves and they used this as covering their face. It was called terno because it’s all one piece.”

The beauty queen is probably not the only one who thinks the same way. The terno was most often associated with the former First Lady. In a way, it is not completely wrong. Marcos popularized the terno since it has been her dress of choice for state events and functions.

But no one really did invent the terno. It evolved from earlier traditional Filipino dresses─baro’t saya, the Traje de Mestiza and the balintawak, among others─that Filipino women wore before.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and Bench believe that there is a need to educate and create awareness among the young fashion designers, and everyone in general, on the terno, its history and evolution, as well as its aesthetics and design principle.

Inspired by the successful turnout of last year’s Fashioning the Terno, a mentoring program for regional designers, the CCP ad Bench partnered again this year to undertake the second phase, titled “Ternocon,” a terno-making convention and competition for young Filipino designers.

With the aim to encourage the use of the terno as a popular form of formal dress, the Ternocon connects the knowledge and skills hone at the first phase, dubbed Fashioning the Terno, to the contemporary application in terno-making.

In the first phase, the young designers learned about the history and the proper construction of terno, dubbed the “Philippine National Dress,” with great emphasis on its evolution from 1860-1960. The workshop amended the misconceptions about its history, and addressed the construction issues concerning the terno and its various components, while training the designers in discerning proportion and silhouette of the terno.

For the second phase, 30 designers who finished the first phase were selected to participate in the competition. Under the tutelage of country’s top designers such as Inno Sotto, JC Buendia, Cary Santiago and Len Cabili, each participant must design, create and execute one formal terno and one cocktail balintawak that are at par with the construction skills of senior fashion designers.

“There is a lot of real talent and genuine enthusiasm in the regions, so it is very encouraging to go the extra mile for the participants. Our goal is to propagate the use of the terno and give the participants a unique opportunity to shine on a national level,” said costume and set designer Gino Gonzales who led and facilitated the preparatory workshop for the participants held recently at the CCP.

The works by the participants will be judged based on the adherence to the tradition and competition guidelines, the craftsmanship and execution of design, the creativity of the design, and the wearability/functionality. The winners will receive cash prizes and citations.

The second phase will culminate with a fashion and cultural showcase at the CCP on November 11, 2018, featuring the country’s prominent artists and performers, and highlighting collections of new couture terno created by three preeminent fashion designers.

For more information, contact the CCP Cultural Exchange Department at 832-1125 locals 1708-1709, or email ccp.ced2014@gmail.com.

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