Inside the Making of Vogue Philippines’ September Issue with Bea Valdes, Jacs Sampayan, and Jann Pascua

The Vogue Philippines editorial team reflects on the making of its third-anniversary September Issue, exploring aspects of Filipino culture through powerful narratives told through the lens of fashion.

In the fashion world, September has always been regarded as the most important month of the year; a time when publications set the tone for the season ahead. At Vogue Philippines, it also marks a milestone: this year’s September Issue is the magazine’s third anniversary. For editor-in-chief Bea Valdes, managing editor Jacs Sampayan, and art director Jann Pascua, the issue has always been more than just a collection of stories. “There is always a central theme, or nucleus, with this issue and all of our issues,” Bea says, building upon stories that reinforce a message, vision, or conversations that the team would like to spark.

Vogue Philippines’ first September Issue centered around themes of identity, a love letter to the archipelago. The second marked the title’s first anniversary, with a focus on sustainability told on its own terms, followed by a second anniversary issue built around culture, featuring a cover image that celebrated both the traditional and the contemporary.

This year, the team turned the lens inward. “When I looked back at my notes for our September overview, it began with one word, kapwa,” Bea shares, referring to the Filipino philosophy that recognizes the shared self in others. But of all the images the team has created over the years, one that stands out for her isn’t a cover or an editorial shot, but a behind-the-scenes photo taken during a shoot in the wilds of Rizal.“It took us almost 40 minutes to do it and by the time we got everything in, the sun was high noon and the shadows were severe so we didn’t even get to use the dress and the image,” she recalls. Still, the moment felt symbolic of what it’s like to work together on every issue of Vogue Philippines: a collective effort, shaped by collaboration and persistence.

That feeling resulted in a September issue dedicated to the communities behind the work. “Because we felt like it takes a whole village to create an image, and for us, this issue would be the best way to say thank you to everyone,” she adds.

Chiming into the conversation, art director Jann Pascua believes that it’s through constant conversations and collaborations that will result in bringing this shared vision to life. “Honestly, it took a lot of Zoom calls and chat groups to make it all happen,” he says. “But really, when it comes down to it, I think having that constant conversation with everyone, that’s when your ideas can really flourish. People always think there is this distinct visual language that Vogue Philippines has, but really it’s a reflection of all the creatives that we work with.” 

For him, the project was also an opportunity to bring a long-held idea to life. One of the most challenging aspects of selecting a single cover is having to find one that encapsulates all the team wants to say about the issue. From Archie Geotina’s Pearls Project in Siargao, to the Catalysts shoot featuring industry pioneers, to the Creative Class series spotlighting hairstylists, makeup artists, stylists, designers, and photographers across generations of fashion. Each image highlights a different facet of the theme, from portraits of local creatives to glimpses of collaborative work in action. Together, they offer a fuller, more textured picture of the Filipino creative landscape.

And when managing editor Jacs Sampayan asks the team about their favorite cover they’ve worked on, the conversation always shifts toward the future. “Every time we’re asked that question, our favorite story or cover is always the next one,” Jann explains. And with its third anniversary issue and beyond, Vogue Philippines continues to do what it set out to do from its very first edition: to tell Filipino stories through the lens of fashion, in a way that is deeply thoughtful, rooted, and always collaborative.

By GABRIEL YAP. Photographs by ANIKEN DELA CRUZ. Digital Associate Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza. Multimedia artists: Bea Lu, Myc Priestley.