The Story Behind the "Crumpled" Terno Spotted on Julia Barretto and Michelle Dee

Designer Dee Javier interprets the Filipiniana as an unsent love letter.

Published on Jul 28, 2025

The resurgence of the terno in today's sartorial conversation signals a redefined understanding of Filipino identity and style. Nowadays, the arched sleeves make appearances in settings removed from traditional norms. They can be cropped in different lengths or fabricated in varying textiles.

For young designers such as Dee Javier, the balintawak serves as a blank canvas to express their generation's longings. At the 2023 edition of the annual Ternocon—an event that seeks to provide a platform for renewed perspectives on the historic attire—Dee utilized the silhouette to communicate their most earnest thoughts. Such words have since been donned by Julia Barretto and Michelle Dee, women who personify Dee's contemporary approach to the heritage wear.

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Dee Javier on the "Crumpled" Love Letter Terno

For the convention, Dee debuted two looks that infused the Filipiniana with their personal romantic experiences. One of the two dresses that walked down the runway was a mid-length dress that appeared to be made of crumpled and tear-stained paper. "This look in particular is the fall of a bond and built trust," Dee tells Preview in an exclusive interview.

According to them, the frock takes inspiration from a love letter doused in tears and never sent. While adhering to the competition's theme, the designer sought to keep their entries "personal and relatable" in order to make a connection with audiences.

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Dee Javier at Ternocon 2023. PHOTOS: Instagram/ddeejavier

The dress went through several revisions before Dee settled on its intentionally raw and deconstructed finish. Under the guidance of their mentors Gino Gonzales and Inno Sotto, Dee forewent polish and perfection for something that felt more genuine and straightforward.

Inscribed throughout the piece are words from Francisco Balagtas' Florante at Laura. The unbridaled romance of the story and how it represents the time-honored tradition of courtship became touchstones for Dee's design. "It's a beautiful love story with a happy ending to it," they explain. They interpreted each line from the epic as words they wish they could've told a lover. In the end, such words were stained with tears, discarded, and "worn" as a symbol of what could've been.

The making of the "crumpled" terno. PHOTOS: Courtesy of Dee Javier

Feuled by intention, Dee crafted the piece by tea-dying raw muslin, which resulted in a vintage-looking ivory hue. The real labor of love were each word etched on the fabric, which were all written by hand. Layers of fabric were pleated unto certain areas to emulate the look of crumpled pad paper.

"The tapis and alampay were suggested on its left shoulder and draped bottom area. I also wanted to lower and widen neckline in the spirit of Filipino women’s liberation as per our lectures with the mentors," Dee shares of the process. There was a prototype of the dress that had a more traditional balintawak shape as a base, which Dee's mentors suggested they submit to the competition. However, the aspiring designer decided to refine the final design while still keeping its raw edge.

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PHOTO: Instagram/ddeejavier.

The pair of butterfly sleeves, the component that identifies the dress as a terno, were done in slightly larger proportions. "Personally, I believe that the bigger the sleeves are, the prouder you are of your heritage," Dee states.

Since being modelled at Ternocon, the crumpled love letter has been given new life by Filipina muses. Julia Barretto recently wore the piece to the 8th EDDY Awards, exuding a contemporary brand of glamor. Meanwhile, beauty queens Michelle Dee and Nicole Cordoves have donned the frock for moments they required a modern Filipina touch. These ladies embody the person Dee envisions to be representatives of their work. "It could be worn at any event that could represent the wearer’s individual taste and style," they say.

Get in touch with Dee through their Instagram account @ddeejavier.

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PHOTOS: Instagram/styledbycath, ryujishiomitsu, binibiningnicolecordoves

Em is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're Preview's associate entertainment editor who's often spotted in cowboy boots and lemon-tinted sunnies.