Is the revival of the terno only a trend?
AT A GLANCE
If you’re not convinced of the global appeal of the terno, why don’t you go back to 2008, when the sleeves so closely associated with the Philippine terno fluttered down the Chanel runway at Paris Fashion Week in 2008?
If you still think the Philippine dress, the terno, is a thing of the past, you must have been living in the past.
The Filipino formal wear isn’t even always formal anymore, and yet as formal wear, it is so unmistakably haute. Just looking at the intricate process alone to make such outfits is enough to make anyone appreciate it as the thing to wear to something special.
But for your sake, in case you think this is just some passing fancy, like the hipster movement, let’s debunk a few of the myths surrounding the iconic dress.
Wearing a terno is old-fashioned
Once upon a time, much of the imagery younger generations would associate with the terno was that it was something older people wore or something to consider to a costume party. They would imagine lolas dressed up like doñas from the Spanish era, flaunting off riches and proud of their status from the olden days. While some ternos you see around still look old-fashioned—now you call them vintage—you can’t help seeing every designer—young or old, classic or progressive—doing their bit to give the terno a new spin. Just take a look at the vibrant and playful designs presented by Lesley Mobo at last year’s Ternocon 3, where Joey Samson, drawing inspiration from Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, also brought the terno, as well as other Filipiniana, to the next level. It was as though the pages of the books came to life, except this time with the attitude of Michelle Dee and the swagger of David Licauco!
You can’t wear the terno to the movies
If you think kids like yourself consider it only suitable for formal affairs like Filipiniana-themed weddings or the State of the Nation Address or, worse still, a barrio fiesta, think again. For University of Sto. Tomas College of Fine Arts and Design graduate Rommel James de Dios, the terno can be worn as every day, everywhere. As seen from his thesis photo collection shared on Facebook, the young designer drew inspiration from famous K-Pop and P-Pop girl groups to create a casual terno look perfect for your next hangout. Who knows, maybe you’ll find these stylish modern ternos worn by the next big P-Pop group in the future? There's also Kultura's recent campaign that had some of the most inspiring women of the Philippines wearing stylish new takes on the classic dress, showcasing how it can be worn in different settings by women of various backgrounds. Then there's Yassi Pressman, standing out from the LA crowd of a Jo Koy performance, for rocking a crop top terno fit designed by Dee Javier.
Ternos only ascribe to one style.
You might think the terno only has one specific style, but it only takes a glance at the history of the outfit to learn it has gone through so many iterations over the decades, particularly over the last 10 years. Hoping to shed light on the terno’s rich history, several dresses were put on display at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde during the limited exhibition Fashion, Power, Modernity: The Ternos of the Benilde Collection, held last year. It showcased designs from four icons of Philippine fashion—Ramon Valera, Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales, and Aureo Alonzo. The exhibit had over 31 quintessential ternos and four traje de mestizas. One look at the set of 1950s ternos just from the personal wardrobe of former First Lady Luz Banzon Magsaysay by National Artist of the Philippines for Fashion Design Ramon Valera is testament enough that no two ternos are exactly alike, unless you were the Single White Female type preying on your current bestie.
Terno doesn’t have a global appeal
If that were the case, then you must have missed the Rakuten Fashion Week in Tokyo, Japan. In what is regarded as one of Japan’s most well-known fashion festival, the terno took center stage as part of a collaboration between Bench and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Much of the crowd were at awe by the terno outfits designed by Dennis Lustico, Chito Vijandre, Ricky Toledo, and Joey Samson. If Tokyo, one of the most fashionable places in Asia, could find appreciation for the terno, then it certainly does have a global appeal.
Either that or you’ve never heard of the butterfly sleeve unfurling itself on high at the Paris Fashion Week haute couture spring/summer 2022 shows, in which Samar-born, Dubai-based Michael Cinco unleashed a kaleidoscope of ternos at the American Cathedral in Paris in the presentation of the 30-piece collection of crystal-studded ball gowns and menswear he proudly described as “very Filipino.”
If you’re not convinced of the global appeal of the terno, why don’t you go back to 2008, when the sleeves so closely associated with the Philippine terno—many thanks to presidential mother, the Imeldific, Imelda Romualdez Marcos and her reign as first lady-to-watch from 1965 to 1986—fluttered down the Chanel runway at Paris Fashion Week in 2008?
