In Pursuit of Eternity

In the “Filipiniana is Forever” benefit fashion show, veteran designer Patis Tesoro weaves the fabric of Filipino culture into couture that can withstand the test of time.

Words Marc Nathaniel Servo
Photo courtesy of Zonta Club of Alabang
October 22, 2025

A lasting legacy. 

Filipiniana designer Patis Tesoro saw potential within the Filipiniana—and beyond that, in the Filipino fashion industry, which is marked by light clothing, maximalist design, and wearable art.

Just as she once revived the piña fabric, Tesoro now longs to rekindle the fading local fashion scene, highlighting the potential of Filipino couture as a form of self-expression and identity in a world where everything looks the same.

On November 4, the Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion will unveil her 100-piece collection at the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt in Bonifacio Global City, a bold testament titled “Filipiniana is Forever.” The collection will feature the national dress, dasters (or house dresses), and everyday garments elevated with handwoven details, patchwork, and embroideries or borloloys, as she calls them, embodying the maximalist culture of the Philippines.

Continuing the Legacy

For the past two years, Patis has been wanting to do a fashion show but to no avail, “Everytime I would get started, my creations would immediately get sold. So for a while, it was hard for me to actually get a full collection together. Even then, I began building the black and white pavilion on my property where I envisioned doing a show.”

Patis Tesoro with ZTA Kathleen Liechtenstein and Annie Tangco

So when the Zonta Club of Alabang (ZCA) knew of her plans for a fashion show in her home in San Pablo, they offered to produce. They felt it’s only natural—after all, throughout her five-decade long career,  Tesoro has made a significant impact on Philippine fashion and to Filipinas. 

Dubbed the “Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion,” Tesoro’s legacy is sewn with remarkable stories. Aside from her career built upon Filipiniana masterworks, her dedication to the resurgence of Piña fabric in 1986 proved that the local industry has its own crafts unique to itself—a potential that bred the revival of other crafts like natural dyes, hand weaving of Philippine tropical fabrics, and the preservation of local embroidery and needleworks. 

“In all her endeavors, Patis has also contributed to empowering women from artisanal communities. Her team, for example, is made up of 90% women. This was an apparent common ground that we started from,” Kathleen Liechtenstein, President of ZCA shared. “These are the hallmarks of empowerment. Her work is meaningful because she brings Filipino artistry, craft, and techniques to the next generation, ensuring that it will live on.”

Now, with Filipiniana is Forever, Tesoro will further sew the seams of her legacy within the tapestry of the Philippine fashion industry.

Halik sa Batok

The fashion show concept began from an old tale of Filipino romance: the way a woman's batok (nape) subtly peeks from behind her baro or lightweight blouse invitingly, and how their partners lean over and kiss to show their endearment. 

“When you are Filipino, you are attractive when you wear the baro’t saya. Characteristically, it is folded at the back to show the nape. It’s very sensual. It is also an evolving, wearable piece of art,” Patis said. 

In her studio, one question lingers amid the noise of art in motion: What is the Filipiniana today? She knows the answer as her hands tirelessly hand wove fabrics and pile layers upon layers of details as she lets her design instincts take over—the Filipino maximalist spirit taking over. Each clothing is unique in the way its embroideries loom, just like how Patis wanted: an individual flavor in a world of similarities.

“As humans, we are naturally drawn to beautiful things and that includes fashion. We are becoming so globalized. When you look at how everyone dresses on an ordinary day, everyone looks the same!” she shared, citing how this fashion trend blurs the line for cultural identity. “We express our identity, and even status, through clothing.”

The Filipiniana is Forever collection, while focusing on the beauty of a Filipiniana, will also showcase elevated everyday garments. A highlight of the runway is the Maria Clara gowns, a formal version of baro’t saya, alongside Freddie Mercury-inspired Kimono jackets and handpainted barongs. 

These garments, according to Tesoro, are meant to emphasize the beauty of handmade things. 95% of the collection is handmade—with each fabric handwoven, hand painted, hand embroidered, and hand beaded. 

“What if we return to handmade things? Everything is changing so fast now because of technology. And there is a movement of people making technology secondary. They are returning to nature and things made by hand—something that AI can’t touch,” she explained, emphasizing her craft. 

Filipiniana now and forever

In weaving a fashion industry that could endure the testament of time, Patis wanted to prove that Filipiniana could morph to fit the times, while also stressing how deeply entwined fashion is on our national identity. 

In Filipiniana is Forever, it isn’t merely a showcase of garments that could last generations—but a renaissance of an industry that has been sidelined with the rise of foreign fashion. For Tesoro, the fabric she made is essentially what the Filipino will only want and need: a lightweight, fashionable art.

“All Filipinos aspire to dress in a sheet handwoven piña or what resembles it. Our climate and environment necessitates this mode of dress. I wanted to show daily wear to formal wear, focusing on the craftsmanship and artistry of our people,” she reflected.

As a benefit fashion show, all proceeds will be dedicated to various projects and initiatives of the Zonta Club of Alabang, including Nanay for Healthy Livers Para kay Baby, Saddle Up, Pagpapahalaga sa Sarili, 14 Days of Activism, Ballet Brigade, Dibdib Ko Alaga Ko, Gift Giving for Tondo School of Joy, and Monthly Food Drive for Pre School Kids of Tondo School of JOy. 

This is in line with Patis’ body of work—one that beyond fashion, puts women empowerment in the center stage. Her life and work have created impact for countless women artisans and communities not only within her sphere of influence but also beyond, so truly, the Filipiniana is Forever benefit fashion show is a culmination of her grand legacy in reviving cultures and making the world better for women.