ANTONINA Sees Strength in Stillness at MNL Fashion Week 2026

The columns of light fade. It’s dark and quiet—you could almost hear a pin drop without seeing it. A figure emerges in the form of Michelle Dee, snaking her way through the hay. She dons a mini dress enveloped by a tailored blazer, both rendered in flesh-toned fabric that wraps her figure like a second skin. The look finds a comfortable place somewhere between rigid and fluid, just as the rest of the collection does.

From the beginning, ANTONINA asserts its shift in direction. Colors no longer come as infrequent additions; rather, they occupy space and command attention as fearlessly as they often do in nature. Blush pink and pastel green have never felt this bold, making a statement that there is strength in softness—that rest, too, is part of the process.

As the muses continue to walk in slow motion, the pieces form a gradient, their colors gradually deepening. What was once white turns gray, eventually giving way to black. Billowing fabrics make their appearances, as do ANTONINA’s signature construction and sharp tailoring.

Preview 2025 Best Filipino Fashion Designer honoree remains consistent in her use of negative space—whether through unbuttoned shirts, asymmetrical sleeves, bare backs, evening gloves, or boat-shaped bags with long, slender straps—yet nothing feels particularly lacking. Despite the intentional emptiness carried by some of the creations, ANTONINA’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection feels full and complete.

She continued to integrate techniques that have become embedded in her eponymous label, from lace-cutting and hand-sewing to playing with texture and using delicate beads and lace to form collages. These were evident in the opening look, as well as in Marina Summers’ geometric dress midway through the show, adorned with feathers sprouting from individual points like grass from the earth.

They appeared, too, in the final look worn by Kylie Verzosa—a sculptural peplum corset with intricate beading at the exaggerated hips—and throughout the creations in between.

“This collection also grew from the Anne Curtis cover look,” Antonina says, referring to the custom piece worn by the actress on Preview’s September 2025 cover. “We took the technique we developed for that piece and pushed it further, creating new silhouettes from it.” A closer look at what appears to be abaca reveals intricate embroidery that mimics the natural fiber.

This is not to say that abaca itself was absent from the show. In partnership with the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), ANTONINA integrated local textiles into several looks. “The intention is to bridge our local textile industry, our weavers, our farmers, and our manufacturers with the design community to uplift Philippine fashion,” says Cris Angelo Pagtalunan, DOST-PTRI’s strategic linkages officer.

Among the notable materials used were fibers derived from green pineapple leaves that would normally be discarded. Actress Charlie Fleming reflects on the use of traditional Filipiniana in her current series, Master Cutter, and how ANTONINA’s creative interpretation of local materials serves as a source of pride. “From the olden days, we’ve been using pineapple, and just seeing it now in the modern looks that we have—it is so wonderful and breathtaking. It's such a good feeling to see our culture on the runway,” she tells Preview.

Charlie also takes note of the varied textures throughout the collection. “Many of the pieces weren't simple.” She continues, “They all just had different categories, textures, and looks that gave me different feelings. Some felt cloudy, some felt soft. Some, at the same time, felt sharp. It just really took my heart.” For Charlie, ANTONINA’s distinct expression of femininity was unmistakable throughout.

For Angelique Manto, Preview’s 2022 Best Dressed honoree and a frequent ANTONINA muse, the label has long established a penchant for darker tones. “It's such a surprise that she put a lot of color in. With the mix of textiles that are being used, it's such a refreshing take on what ANTONINA’s DNA is.”

Mirroring the importance of rest in a society that glorifies the grind, ANTONINA inverted some of the textiles and exposed linings that are traditionally hidden. “The way she embellished that textile is amazing to me,” Angelique shares. “It just makes you excited about fashion—that you get to make the rules for it.”

They say you must pick a day to rest, or your body will pick it for you, implying a disconnect between the mind and the body. The psyche may be longing for a pause, but the body might not know where the button is—or when to hit it. At times, what we are searching for feels impossible to pinpoint, yet equally impossible to ignore. That gray area is precisely where ANTONINA’s instincts and execution thrive.

In an era when restless hustle is worshipped, and stillness is equated with shame, moving on autopilot may seem like the efficient option, but it can also make one unknowingly lose sight of what matters. ANTONINA, however, knows just where to look—and it’s Not Here.