Ternocon 3 pays homage to the country version of the formal, regal terno
Ternocon 3, the third iteration of the popular annual terno conference, returns after a pandemic hiatus with a preview (pasinaya) on Oct. 21. The brainchild of retail maverick Ben Chan and Gino Gonzales was sorely missed by the Manila social and fashion scene the last two years and its comeback did not disappoint.
Chan’s advocacy to embrace, celebrate, and raise awareness on Filipino heritage and the cultural significance of the terno is set to ignite interest in its laidback sister.
This time, the spotlight is placed on the Balintawak, the country version of the formal and regal terno. The Balintawak is a flowier, more relaxed version which was often worn in the rural areas of the Philippines. It features a soft kerchief called an alampay and a strip of cloth wrapped around the waist called a tapis.
The Balintawak captures the zeitgeist of the last two years. Plagued (pun totally intended) by the trappings of living through a pandemic, a lot of people decided to move from the city to the countryside. Longing for a more idyllic life – carefree, relaxed, rustic. Much like the Balintawak which was worn mostly by Filipino women in the 1930s for their outdoor activities such as picnics.
At the Pasinaya held at The Curve in Bonifacio Global City, the 12 finalists who all went through a stringent selection process and mentorship program from some of the country’s best couturiers were introduced to the press. Amor Albano (Ilocos Norte), Glyn Alley Magtibay (Oriental Mindoro), Bon Hansen Reyes (Rizal), and Gabbie Sarenas (Rizal) from Luzon; Bree Esplanada (Cebu), Karl Nadales (Iloilo), Al Rey Rosano (Negros Oriental), and Marc Carcillar (Iloilo) from Visayas; Glady Rose Pantua (Zamboanga) from Mindanao; Yssa Inumerable (Parañaque), Cheetah Rivera (Quezon City), and Dee Javier (Manila) from the National Capital Region (NCR); and semifinalist Geom Hernandez (Batangas).
Mentors Joey Samson, Chito Vijandre, Ricky Toledo, and Dennis Lustico presented their terno pieces in a fashion show attended by the press and some of the country’s most ardent supporters of culture. Samson, known for his tailored approach graced us with his “Tuxedo Terno.” According to a Ternocon post, he reinterpreted the alampay through “a cluster of bow ties, cravats, and neckties”, most of them undone and draped over the chest. The tapis, “a lace panel suspended from a cummerbund.”
Vijandre and Toledo, known for their maximalist leanings, reimagined the silhouette of the Balintawak with a green tulle bustle. The butterfly sleeves were adorned by vintage doilies while the alampay is worn as a sheer veil over a hat. In front, an apron for the tapis embroidered with a gilded, handheld mirror bearing the message “Who’s the most beautiful?”
On that day, it truly was the various versions of the Balintawak and the Filipino women donning them.
Another Vijandre and Toledo collaboration featured an elaborate peplum as a tapis worn over a pencil skirt. The layered textures and exquisite embroidery gave it so much flair without losing even a bit of its elegance.
Lustico’s black and hot pink piece is a masterclass on how to softly make a statement. The colors may be loud but the sophisticated cuts and the smooth transition of textures was a joy to see.
The Balintawak captures the zeitgeist of the last two years.
Ternocon 2 winners Hannah Adrias, Jaggy Glarino, and Dinnes Obusan also presented their terno pieces along with a couple of Ternocon 3 finalists – Bon Hansen Reyes and Cheetah Rivera. Adrias went back to her dystopian aesthetic, using a distressed scarf for an alampay in one of her designs, sticking to the familiar with dark and earthy hues.
The final competition is set on Jan. 28, 2023 at the new CCP Black Box Theater or Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Each finalist will present two Balintawaks at the finale. Mentors Samson, Lustico, Vijandre, Toledo will present their terno collections along with Adrias who took home gold medal home during Ternocon 2.
Ternocon 3 is a collaboration project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), led by its president Margarita “Margie” Moran, and Bench in cooperation with SyCip Gorres Velayo & Company, secretary to the city mayor of Batangas City Reginald Dimacuha, The Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation Inc., and Mint College.