Brandishing its bold new identity, BYS Fashion Week is seamlessly morphing into Manila Fashion Week (MNLFW). The new shows, happening on October 16 to October 19, will have a single location – SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City.
Founded by the stylist John Lozano, MNLFW fancies itself as the ‘Philippines’ premier fashion event uniting designers, brands and cultural leaders to celebrate creativity, diversity, and innovation.”
‘If you guys didn’t know, BYS Fashion Week started out as an anniversary party for BYS Philippines. It was supposed to be a celebration of the 10 years of the cosmetics brand BYS. So, it was supposed to be a one-time thing where, you know, we do it, we celebrate, and then that’s it,’ shared Lozano at the media launch held at KMC Solutions in Makati City.
‘But because of the success, here’s a short glimpse of 2022. Because of the success of that year, we decided to do it again in 2023 and again in 2024. What we’ve always kept in mind when we were doing BYS Fashion Week, and of course, with the support of our boss, Ms. Angie Goyena, was always to push for excellence,’ said Lozano.
Lozano, the stylist for Gary Valenciano, Donny Pangilinan, James Reid, Sitti and Lea Salonga, always wanted for the shows to be as spectacular and as amazing as possible.
‘And I always say this because the Filipino designers deserve better. The Filipino designers that we have in this country, they deserve a platform where they can share their story, where they can share their vision,’ he said.
‘And now, after three years of BYS Fashion Week, I guess it’s high time we transition and convert it to a fashion week that we can all be proud of locally. And in the same breath as New York, Paris, Milan, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Bangkok, we now have Manila Fashion Week. And we’re very, very proud,’ said Lozano.
This year, MNLFW presents a dynamic and diverse roster of visionary Filipino designers, such as Andrea Tetangco, Don’t Blame The Kids (DBTK), Chris Nick, Viña Romero, OXGN, Íñigo, Randolf, and Viktor.
‘It has always been, I guess, my calling or my mantra in life. It’s to really honor and celebrate the Filipino designers. Because as a stylist, I won’t be where I am without these designers, right? So yeah, I guess, you know, BYS Fashion Week reached what it reached because I guess the people really felt the passion in the heart of the people behind it,’ Lozano noted.