TernoCon Starts Its 2027 Cycle With 15 Emerging Designers
Photographed by Kim Angela Santos
The terno-making convention marks its 10th anniversary with a weeklong mentorship led by some of the country’s most celebrated designers.
For an emerging fashion designer, it’s make-or-break season once again. TernoCon returns with its mentorship workshop for the 2027 edition, bringing together 15 aspiring designers from across the country to learn from some of the industry’s leading names as they lay the groundwork for their collections.
Designed as a platform for emerging designers, TernoCon is a terno-making convention and competition organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in partnership with Bench. The program seeks to ensure the terno’s continued evolution as a contemporary form of dress while nurturing a new generation of designers committed to craftsmanship and innovation. Beyond the competition, it also fosters dialogue on the Philippine dress and the importance of preserving its legacy. The first cycle of this year’s program is currently underway, with its lock-in mentoring workshop taking place at the Clark Events and Conference Center in Pampanga from August 4 to 8, 2026.
Following the theme “An Ode to Nature,” the fifth edition of TernoCon marks the program’s 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of fostering greater awareness and appreciation of the terno, particularly among younger generations. This year’s mentors are led by fashion designer Inno Sotto, who has served as chief mentor since 2018. He is joined by fashion designers Josie Natori, Randy Ortiz, and Jojie Lloren, along with TernoCon founding artistic director Gino Gonzales and incumbent artistic director Ricardo Eric Cruz.
The next lock-in workshop will take place from January 27 to 31, 2027. The competition and culminating cultural show are scheduled for March 14, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
TernoCon is a terno-making convention and competition organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in partnership with Bench. Through mentorship, workshops, and a design competition, it aims to encourage a new generation of Filipino designers to reinterpret and preserve the terno.
The theme for the fifth edition of TernoCon is “An Ode to Nature.” Participants are invited to draw inspiration from the natural world as they develop their terno collections for the 2027 competition.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines and Bench launched TernoCon in 2018 to preserve and promote the Philippine dress while nurturing emerging Filipino fashion designers. The 2027 edition marks the program’s fifth cycle and its 10th anniversary.
Inno Sotto is a Filipino fashion designer and TernoCon’s chief mentor, a role he has held since 2018. Known for his refined approach to couture and modern interpretations of Filipino dress, he guides participants throughout the mentorship program.
Alongside Inno Sotto, this year’s mentors include renowned fashion designers Josie Natori, Randy Ortiz, and Jojie Lloren. They are joined by TernoCon founding artistic director Gino Gonzales and incumbent artistic director Ricardo Eric Cruz, who also help mentor the participants.