SOCIAL SET

Eastern vanguard

The elite creative crossroads brought together visionary designers from across Asia to champion regional artistry, ignite cross-border collaborations and rewrite the modern fashion narrative.

Luis Espiritu · Oct 26, 2026, 3:32 AM

THE pioneers and visionaries of the premiere edition of Fashion Week Asia 2026. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

The inaugural Fashion Week Asia 2026 successfully launched in Manila, positioning the continent’s diverse creative ecosystem squarely on the global style map.

Organized by the premier media and lifestyle powerhouse AGC Power Holdings Corp., the landmark five-day event kicked off with a dazzling celebration at Casa Buenas in Newport World Resorts. The elite creative crossroads, supported by international media partner The Business of Fashion (BoF), brought together visionary designers from across Asia to champion regional artistry, ignite cross-border collaborations and rewrite the modern fashion narrative.

It was a historic fashion breakthrough where regional heritage met absolute modernism, led by media visionary and AGC Power Holdings Corp. founder, chairman, and CEO Archie G. Carrasco alongside the ever-luminous co-founder and co-chair Apples Aberin.

FOUNDER and chairman of Fashion Week Asia Archie Carrasco with co-founder and co-chairman Apples Aberin. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

Orchestrating the event’s immaculate, seamless execution was executive partner and chief business officer Randolf Palanca, working in tandem with crucial public and private sector pillars like Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) chief operating officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, who powerfully championed the integration of authentic heritage into the mainstream cultural conversation.

TOURISM Promotions Board Philippines chief operating officer Marga Nograles (left), designer icon Sophie Hong (middle) from Taiwan and Rodolfo Palanca Jr. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

The debut season unveiled a formidable vanguard of 12 regional visionaries, weaving a brilliant narrative across Asian design with PLAZÄ (Malaysia), Duc Studio and Kilomet109 (Vietnam), TOTON (Indonesia), Bajuyo (South Korea), Ponder.er (Hong Kong), Sophie Hong (Taiwan) and Wisharawish (Thailand).

DESIGNER Thao Vu of KILOMET109 from Vietnam. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

DESIGNER Darni Park of South Korea’s BAJUYO. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

DESIGNER Toton Januar of TOTON from Indonesia with WWD Korea’s Marco Kim. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

Fiercely holding their own on the global stage, homegrown sartorial artists Kelvin Morales, Rosanna Ocampo, Maligaya and Novél beautifully reinterpreted contemporary Filipino identity, while legendary master Rajo Laurel anchored the momentous affair as the featured gala designer.

DESIGNER Rosanna Ocampo. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

With its resounding premier success, Fashion Week Asia has firmly established Manila as a vibrant capital of commerce, creativity and shared cultural pride.

VOGUE Singapore EIC Desmond Lim. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

PLAZÄ founder and creative director Anisah Farid from Malaysia. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

HONG Kong designers and founders Alex Po (left) and Derek Cheng (middle) of PONDER.ER, co-founder and designer of handbag brand PabePabe Logan Chan. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia

GLAM (Malaysia) creative director Aizat Aidid, SVP for Marketing, Travellers International Hotel Group Newport World Resorts Mitch Hernandez Suarez and DAILY TRIBUNE’s Luis Espiritu. — Photographs courtesy of Fashion Week Asia