What Defines Filipino Gen Z Fashion Today?

In a world where trends come and go, how do the youth establish who they are?

Published on May 27, 2025

Fashion is one of the many ways a generation makes a mark and leaves a legacy. Baby boomers made bell-bottoms, fringe vests, and leather jackets iconic, styles shaped by Hollywood and the rise of rock ’n’ roll. Generation X embraced androgyny as tailored suits defined power-dressing, while loud prints and metallics added pop culture flair. The millennials followed this with the dawn of Y2K, paving the way for low-rise jeans and designer logos. Youthfulness and comfort merged, and athleisure became an enduring trend.

Given the clear sartorial zeitgeist of the past, this leads us to the question: What defines Gen Z fashion today?

How does a generation, powered by both singularity and social consciousness, develop its style in a world where trends come as fast as they go? We invited six stylish young individuals to a night in Poblacion, Makati, with our only instruction being "come as you are." With that, they offered glimpses into the generation’s overarching style philosophies.

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PHOTOS: GAB VILLAREL.

Tommi, 19

As a model, Tommi has donned just about anything and everything—it’s no surprise that her style was formed through mixing and matching. Tommi's look was a playful combination of textures and patterns, with both vertical and horizontal stripes adorning her pieces. She topped it off with a polka-dotted headband, offering her take on print-on-print styling.

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Tommi. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Tommi. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

Kyleaux, 17

Kyleaux is heavily inspired by streetwear from Japan and Los Angeles, having shown up in a mesh tank top, a blazer, and a pair of wide trousers. At only 17, he has developed a liking for the arts—from posing for photos to producing music and performing in crowds.

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Kyleaux. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Kyleaux. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

Annika, 23

Annika is a multi-hyphenate—photographer, DJ, and model—and always on the move. Her style reflects this energy: she arrived wearing a pleated top, a pair of shorts, an oversized jacket, and striking boots. Most of these pieces were gifts from loved ones, a reminder that personal style is a true reflection of who you are.

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Annika. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Annika. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

Venus, 20

Draped in a cerulean Issey Miyake poncho, matched with an embellished choker and Vivienne Westwood heels, Venus embodies her signature fluid and eclectic style, defined by her penchant for pleated detailing and rare designer finds. This also reflects in the pop-up events organized by the 20-year-old herself.

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Venus. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Venus. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

Ruzzian, 21

As a stylist, Ruzzian is nothing less than proficient in fusing various elements and finding harmony among them. The 21-year-old arrived in an ensemble that combines utilitarian pieces and oversized silhouettes, resulting in edgy streetwear.

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Ruzzian. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Ruzzian. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

Yana, 25

Yana makes maximalism work with minimal fabric. She’s already honed a bold and distinctive sense of style—one that also shines through in her work as a fashion designer and stylist. From layering clothes to stacking accessories, she knows how to create looks that are both striking and cohesive.

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Yana. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

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Yana. PHOTOS BY GAB VILLAREAL

An Ever-Evolving Process

It’s easy for social media to tell you who you should be, how you should dress, and where you should get your clothes from. Gen Z, being the discerning digital natives that they are, has a clear understanding that there is no one style that suits every individual. Taste can be taught according to Annika, who is a breathing testament of that thought, and yet it still took a lot of trial and error to get to where she is today. “I’m such a firm believer that it takes a conscious effort to build a defined style,” shared the photographer.

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Annika. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

The sentiment echoes for Tommi, who expressed that “At first, I don't really know what to wear, but then once I start it, it eventually [comes] into place.”

Similarly, Kyleaux now has a clear process for constructing an outfit that he feels confident in, but arriving at that destination means going through a sartorial journey beforehand. “I love to take risks, I love to do things that I'm not really [comfortable] with. Once I get the hang of it, then I'll end up doing it a lot.”

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Kyleaux. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

As a designer and stylist, Yana also knows a thing or two about building up. Her undertaking of the practice starts with focusing on one item of clothing. “If I had a printed shirt, I'm going to look for the colors inside of that printed shirt, tapos I’ll [incorporate] it in the form of shoes or shorts, maybe [by adding] a hat too.” Much like getting to know yourself, establishing your style needs time and effort—add in a dash of risk and personality, too.

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Yana. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

A Bridge Between Nostalgia and Newness

If there’s one thing Gen Z loves to do, it’s to reference the past while looking into the future. Media and pop culture are significant contributors to the way the generation dresses today. Venus observed that many take inspiration from the characters of shows like Sex and the City, and Tommi feels the same about movies from the 2000s and the 2020s.

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Tommi. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

As for Ruzzian, pop music is an abundant source of ideas. He particularly credits Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson for introducing edgy, monochromatic looks into his wardrobe. Annika, given her alter ego as a DJ, highlighted how fashion has numerous categories just like music, saying, “It's so easy to subconsciously sample things that you like from different sub-genres of fashion and absorb what resonates and sits best with you.”

The Plurality of Style

In an era fueled by TikTok trends, Pinterest boards, and Instagram Reels, fashion moves at breakneck speed. Aesthetics flare up overnight and vanish just as quickly, cycling through relevance faster than ever. This rapid churn can give the impression of sameness—outfits echoing each other across digital spaces with algorithmic precision.

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Ruzzian. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

Yet, amid this visual repetition, young people are treating fashion as a deeply personal form of communication. They pull from a wide spectrum of references—archival imagery, childhood nostalgia, pop culture, subcultures—and craft looks that reflect who they are.

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Venus. PHOTO BY GAB VILLAREAL.

The voices featured in this story embody that spirit. Annika translates her love for music into charm belts and curated accessories. Venus realizes her femininity through rare vintage finds, hunting down archival pieces through thrift shops in the metro. Ruzzian leans into utilitarianism, favoring oversized silhouettes with structure and ease. Yana embraces sensuality through her maximalist, skin-baring wardrobe. Tommi channels the grunge aesthetic of the Tumblr era, while Kyleaux reinterprets Japanese streetwear in his own way. Each one approaches dressing as an intentional act—a visual expression of identity, rather than a response to fleeting trends.

Clothing, for this generation, isn’t prescriptive. It's a visual narrative deeply entwined with their distinct identities. Each outfit offers a glimpse into their evolving sense of self—where they’ve been, what they value, and who they’re becoming.

Amid the constant churn of what’s “in,” these young voices capture how style can carry emotional weight, and that authenticity, thoughtfully expressed through fashion, leaves a lasting mark on the world around them. In their hands, style becomes a language of presence. A way of telling the world: "This is who I am."

Produced by the Preview Team

Editor-in-Chief: Marj Ramos-Clemente
Creative Director: Bacs Arcebal
Managing Editor: Reg Rodriguez
Producers and Writers: Kyla Villena and Paulina Singh
Assoc. Multimedia Director: Jana Jodloman

Photographed by Gab Villareal. Video direction by Jana Jodloman, shot by Miggy Dimaiwat. Special thanks to Ugly Duck Rooftop Bar & Kitchen.

Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.

Pau is Preview’s go-to fashion girl. On most days, you’ll find her with headphones on, coffee in hand, and likely dressed in an oversized blazer and floor-grazing jeans.