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Benilde Fashion Museum

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Benilde Fashion Museum

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Benilde Fashion Museum, Museum, 950 P. Ocampo Street , Malate, Manila.

The Benilde Fashion Museum preserves, studies, and exhibits Philippine fashion heritage through a growing collection of more than 1,000 garments, offering an educational resource for students, researchers, and the public.

23/08/2026

| Arturo Cruz was a Filipino couturier of the mid-20th century, a contemporary of designers like Ben Farrales, Aureo Alonzo, and Pitoy Moreno.

Cruz designed under Rosevale, a fashion brand founded by Rosario “Rosa” Valle. He was among the top couturiers of his time, notably as a founding member of the Philippine Couture Association. Cruz was a frequent figure in fashion shows; some of his notable presentations included the Karilagan fashion shows in the 60s, which toured the Philippines and abroad.

Rosevale was known to provide Manila’s fashionable circles with elegant attires for formal events such as debuts and formal dinners. An example of their sophisticated creations is this gown worn by former First Lady Leonila “Inday” Garcia, dated from around the 1950s to the 1960s. It is a mermaid-cut ivory brocade terno embellished with scroll-motif beaded appliqués and a large brocade bow.

This terno was donated by Leonila Garcia’s grandson, Carlos Garcia Campos. It is also the first and only creation of Arturo Cruz in the Benilde Fashion Museum’s collection.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

20/08/2026

| Last August 9, spent a rainy afternoon tete-a-tete with Mark Higgins and Vogue Philippines EIC Trickie Lopa, talking about fashion conservation, the museum, and potential collaborations in the future.

- Ar. Gerry Torres
Director, Benilde Fashion Museum

17/08/2026

| The photo shows some of the attendees from the birthday celebration of First Lady Leonila "Inday" Dimataga Garcia, wife of President Carlos P. Garcia. Dated 1959, it showcases popular formal wear of the late 1950s, all styled after Filipino traditional attire.

From the left: Aida Pendatun, wife of Congressman Salipada Pendatun, wearing a Maria Clara designed by her brother Ben Farrales; Senator Pacita Madrigal Gonzales in a modernized patadyong by Ramon Valera; Rosie Osmeña Valencia, wife of Secretary of Health Elpidio Valencia, wearing a terno by Bert Hernandez; Mrs. Leuterio, wife of Philippine minister to New York Raul Leuterio, in a terno, designer unnamed; Julie Rufino in a Thai silk balintawak by Tres Chic; and Mrs. Dolores Tinio Nable, wife of Press Secretary Jose Nable, in a terno, designer also unnamed.

Several gowns of Mrs. Garcia were donated to the Benilde Fashion Museum by her grandson, Carlos Garcia Campos, designed by notable designers such as Ramon Valera, Salvacion Lim Higgins, and Arturo Cruz of Rosevale.

Source: The Benilde Fashion Museum archives.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

15/08/2026

| Although Jose “Pitoy” Moreno is most remembered for championing the use of Filipino indigenous textiles, he also took creative inspiration from other cultures, most notably from Japan. He is noted to have used the fabric of the Japanese obi, which is traditionally used as a sash for the kimono. He also incorporated Japanese art motifs and elements in his designs. Moreno’s integration of Japanese culture in his works reflects the growing interest of Filipino artists of his time in exploring their art from a globalized perspective, something that has been evident in the early years of Philippine independence.

An early creation by Moreno which also shows his Japanese inspirations, is this dress worn by Linda Garcia Campos, daughter of former president Carlos P. Garcia and an influential figure in post-war Philippine society. It is a sleeveless cream dress embellished with metallic floral appliqués and hand-beaded, embroidered crane motifs in orange and gold tones. The dress exemplifies how Moreno incorporated Japanese art motifs through the use of crane embellishments.

The dress was donated to the Benilde Fashion Museum by Carlos Campos, son of Linda Garcia Campos.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

14/08/2026

Today, we celebrate the 82nd birth anniversary of Filipino fashion designer Augusto “Auggie” Cordero.

Born in 1944, Cordero took up Commerce at Far Eastern University with the goal of opening his own fashion business. In the 1960s, he became an apprentice of dressmaker Emma Crisologo until he opened his own shop in 1970, in Pedro Gil, Manila, where his clients were students looking for gowns for social events. The shop relocated to Alonzo Street, Malate, a few years later.

Cordero ventured into fashion shows when he met Consuelo “Chito” Madrigal Collantes, the director of the Hyatt Manila Hotel. This was the time in the 70s when luncheon shows in hotels were the most sought-after events by fashion enthusiasts and the public. This exposed Cordero to local fashion events and clients.

Cordero dressed notable women; among them was former president Corazon Aquino, who favored his straightforward and professional designs. He also designed the winning gown of Miss Universe 1973, Margie Moran, which featured his signature cabbage rose design. He was also close with Asia’s first supermodel, Anna Bayle, who walked ramps in his creations during her early days as a model.

Cordero is remembered for his works that echo the elegance of classic Hollywood films. An example is this creation from the 1990s: a long-sleeved gray jacquard gown with a square neckline, embellished with beaded floral appliqués. The skirt with a bustle at the back extends into a sweep train, lined with dotted pink taffeta. This gown was recently exhibited in the Benilde Fashion Museum Corner at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Design + Arts Campus.

His timeless legacy is being preserved in the Benilde Fashion Museum which holds the largest collection of his works in the country.

10/08/2026

| A page from Women’s Magazine, 1950, featuring Barbara Perez modelling a dress by Ben Farrales.

Perez is a prominent actress who began her career in the 1950s. Equipped with an elegant countenance, as evident in the photos, the press likened her to Audrey Hepburn, with designers such as Ben Farrales and Ramon Valera favoring her to model their creations. In 1966, she won a FAMAS Best Actress award for the movie “Ang Daigdig ng Mga Api,” where she starred alongside her late husband, actor Robert Arevalo. Her career spanned seven decades, with her last project being the 2016 ABS-CBN series, “Tubig at Langis.”

The Benilde Fashion Museum currently preserves the works of Ben Farrales, which became the founding collection of the museum when they were donated by the Farrales family in 2022.

Source: The Benilde Fashion Museum archives.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

08/08/2026

| This gown by Aureo Alonzo was worn by Joy Sta. Ana-Buenaventura for her debut in 1991, as seen in the photograph from her personal collection.

It features a drop-waist and a bodice fully embellished with a diamond grid of beads and sequins, and a layered pink and white dotted tulle skirt with sequined lace appliqués.

As Alonzo was known for a classically timeless appeal in his designs, this gown echoes this signature of his, which emphasizes the elegance of a young lady in one of the important moments of her life. The intricate embellishments and light colors of pink and white add a sophisticated touch to the garment.

The gown was donated to Benilde Fashion Museum by Buenaventura through Dennis Martin, who then turned it over to Jontie Martinez, a faculty member of the Fashion Design and Merchandising program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

05/08/2026

Last July 30, 2026, the Benilde Fashion Museum welcomed guests to an afternoon of meaningful conversations on the mission, vision, and commitment to preserving Philippine fashion heritage. The museum shared its work on collecting, conversing, exhibiting, education, and the vision for the museum's future home.

As the first of many gatherings to come, we thank everyone who joined us and look forward to building more partnerships in preserving and celebrating Philippine fashion heritage.

03/08/2026

| The "Filipiniana Fashion Show" was a fashion and cultural presentation held at the Manila Hotel’s Fiesta Pavilion on September 6, 1959. The program incorporated a fashion show of Filipino-inspired clothing made from local fabrics and performances of traditional Filipino dances by the Far Eastern University Folk Dance Group. The show then toured in Japan and Europe.

Technical consultants and fashion supervisors for the event were Conchita Sunico, Chona Kasten, Elvira Manahan, Mary Prieto, and Ramon Valera. The participating designers were Casimiro Abad, Aureo Alonzo, Karlos Burgos, Arturo Cruz of Rosevale, Ben Farrales, Pitoy Moreno, and Jay Romero.

In the photo are Josephine Jereza and Norma Serafica modeling the creations of Ben Farrales.

The Benilde Fashion Museum currently has works of Ramon Valera, and those of Casimiro Abad, Aureo Alonzo, Arturo Cruz, Ben Farrales, and Pitoy Moreno.

Source: The Benilde Fashion Museum archives of Ben Farrales, donated by the Farrales family.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

02/08/2026

| This wedding gown worn by Joji Bernabe Tamano is a distinctive creation of Pitoy Moreno. Her marriage with her husband Adib Tamano in 1988 was observed under Filipino-Muslim rites and Moreno incorporated Islamic and contemporary elements in the gown.

The white gown has a skirt adorned with embellished abaniko-inspired layered sheer organza, paired with a detachable shoulder cape train, accented with intricate beadwork and bow appliqués. It is accompanied by a kupya or headdress and veil. Moreno worked with the customs of Islam wedding garments, but also weaved in his own artistry through the delicate details on the gown and headdress.

The Tamano couple’s wedding was featured in Moreno’s book “Kasalan” which was published in 1990 and is a compilation of Filipino wedding garments. The gown is also the first wedding attire by Moreno in the Benilde Fashion Museum collection. It is loaned by Tamano to the museum for further study and documentation.

BFM From the Collection is a weekly spotlight on garments by Filipino designers that form part of the Benilde Fashion Museum Collection.

© 2026 Benilde Fashion Museum. Our photos are for educational and research purposes. We discourage reproduction or reposting without permission.

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950 P. Ocampo Street , Malate
Manila
1004

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