Propaganda, the First Beauty Collective in the Philippines, Shares Their Advice for a New Generation of Creatives

At Vogue Threads Manila 2025, beauty editor Joyce Oreña moderates a talk with Propaganda, the first fashion and beauty collective of its kind in the Philippines.

Back in the ’90s, the fashion and beauty industry in the Philippines was a completely different scene. With the turn of the millennium approaching, young creatives pushed out fresh ideas and stories. In the pages of Vogue Philippines’ September 2025 Issue, Propaganda founding members recall their memories from the era. At Vogue Threads Manila 2025, Propaganda’s Marlon Rivera, Jing Monis, Ting Duque, Jay Lozada, and Juan Sarte reunite to share their stories, insights, and experiences with a new generation of creatives.

In a talk entitled “Pioneers in the Philippine Creative Scene,” the fashion and beauty collective faces the crowd of aspiring creatives with a conversation that spans the collective’s history, challenges, and how they helped shape the fashion and beauty industry as we know it today.

As they chronicle their experiences, they detail the challenges they frequently encountered at the time: having to make do with what they had, scouring random locations for specific beauty products, getting their hands on the latest beauty magazines, and, of course, the constant challenge of creating picture-perfect beauty looks. “I felt at the time I really had to double down to prove myself,” shares Duque, who began her career in the Philippines after moving from New York City.

Vogue Philippines beauty editor Joyce Oreña, the masterclass moderator, asks how they managed to remain relevant after a lengthy career in the industry. “I try to connect with young people,” Duque answers. While her eager mentees expect to learn the most from her, the makeup artist shares, their conversations can be just as beneficial for her as they are for them. “I learn so much. I like the fresh eyes.”

Lozada is quick to jump into the same topic of learning. “Don’t be afraid to jump on something that you don’t know. Eventually, you will learn something out of it. You have to keep your mind really wide just to keep on learning other things.”

Sarte, on the other hand, highlights the importance of connecting with the people you work with. “You build relationships with [them]. At the end of the day, no matter how good you are, if you’re not their type, they won’t hire you. You have to be quick at work. You have to be happy with them. It’s really keeping relationships with the people you work with.”

Wrapping up the panel discussion, Rivera urges aspiring creatives to stay connected to their culture. “You have to be attuned to the cultural context. You have to have a cultural passion in everything that you do. Because it’s the only way to move forward in the global market.”

“I’m hoping that when you do photography [shoots], [or] whatever you’re doing in fashion, you are sensitive to your cultural roots,” he continues. “Because I think that’s going to be the way forward for us to try to speak to people: community and cultural context.”

Adding to Rivera’s sentiment, Duque shares her hope for the Philippine beauty scene. “My hope [is] that we find our own identity. What does Filipino makeup look like?” she says, observing how the current beauty trends come from other countries such as Korea and China. “It’s okay to be inspired. But my hope is that we find our own voice soon.”

By DAPHNE SAGUN. Photographs by GABRIEL VILLAREAL. Digital Associate Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza. Multimedia artists: Bea Lu, Myc Priestley.