A rising Filipina fashion designer has stepped onto the international stage, showcasing her talent at one of Europe’s premier platforms for emerging creatives. Hannah Barrera, a graduate of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), presented her work at the 11th edition of Fashion Graduate Italia, held at BASE Milano in Milan, Italy.
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Showcasing Filipino Heritage on a Global Stage
The annual event gathers young designers from around the world, offering a mix of runway presentations, portfolio reviews, exhibitions of student projects, and industry talks. This year’s theme, “Bridging Tribes, Building Dreams,” encouraged participants to explore cultural connections while shaping their creative visions. Barrera, 25, a magna cum laude graduate of Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program, made her first international appearance, joining peers from Italian and other global design schools.
Coming from a family with four generations in fashion, tracing back to her great-grandmother Marina Antonio, grandmother Malu Veloso, mother Vicky Veloso-Barrera, and aunt Letlet Veloso, Barrera has been immersed in design since childhood. She currently leads her own label, “love, h,” which specializes in gowns crafted from hand-painted and hand-dyed fabrics.
Her capsule graduation collection featured four floral-inspired pieces: the morning glory, the white iris, the bougainvillea, and the gumamela.
Barrera explained the deeper meaning behind the works. “Hidden in the collection are little messages in the form of concepts and designs that I would like my future self to know, so that years later I could look back at the collection and see what my 21-year-old self was trying to tell me; I am worthy, and I will spend a lifetime in fashion proving that this is true,” she wrote. “To the me of tomorrow, this is for you.”
Celebrating Craftsmanship and Inspiring Future Designers
The collection highlighted the Philippines’ rich textile heritage. The morning glory gown incorporated draped abaca cotton silk from Aklan with flower applique and cotton linen backing, while the white iris gown featured Philippine silk from La Union with a lenticular off-shoulder collar and hand-painted details. The bougainvillea gown combined vibrantly dyed abaca silk and silk organza with handmade appliques, and the red gumamela piece used wood-dyed piña silk and abaca, also hand-painted.
Roxoanne Bagano-Dizon, officer-in-charge chairperson of the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, praised Barrera’s achievement: “Hannah’s achievement underscores the caliber of Benilde’s FDM alumni and reinforces the program’s commitment to prepare graduates to compete internationally.”
Barrera was joined in Milan by her mentor Jinggay Serag, with styling by Andre Chang and shoes provided by Adanté Footwear. Her debut not only highlighted her personal artistry but also spotlighted Filipino craftsmanship on a global stage, inspiring young designers in the country and reinforcing the Philippines’ presence in the international fashion scene.
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