BYS Fashion Week wrapped up its four-day run on Sunday, October 13, with designer Martin Bautista taking center stage. For the first time in his 17-year career, Martin staged a solo showcase. And amid the flurry of fashion shows throughout the week, his runway presentation offered a moment of pause—a welcome retreat from Manila’s constant rush.
The Preview Best Filipino Fashion Designer 2024 honoree, known for his signature feminine designs, introduced a more refined and nuanced take on the female silhouette in his latest collection. He celebrated the modern woman by capturing her in moments of ease and quiet confidence. This evolved perspective came to life on the runway through effortlessly elegant pieces, including a relaxed shirt, a sequined hoodie, and his signature flowing silhouettes.
In an exclusive interview with Preview, Martin delves into the inspiration behind "Day Off," his latest collection for BYS Fashion Week 2024. Read on.
Preview Exclusive: Martin Bautista Talks About His "Day Off" Collection from BYS Fashion Week 2024
What was the experience like for you mounting your first show after 17 years in the industry?
“It was a lot of work mentally. I was more challenged mentally than making the actual pieces. [It involved] making a lot of decisions, going back and forth, and rethinking things, maybe like five times max.
“Just thinking about it now, it's pretty surreal to have a solo collection.”
Could you tell us about the concept and creative vision behind the collection? Why is it called "Day Off?"
“I knew I wanted to approach this collection with a tone of ease and quietness. Because I feel like that's also what I was looking for in my life. Parang everything's been so hectic, and I needed [that stillness]...
“This is where the title comes in, Day Off. I needed a day off, and I feel like everybody is like that. Parang the whole world wants a day off from the reality of what's happening around, especially in our society where there's so much chaos everywhere—[there’s] too much noise, too much social media, too many opinions everywhere.”
What were the influences that shaped this collection?
“[A lot of it stems from] my travels, where I got to meet a lot of women.
"You know the kind of woman that when you meet and you feel, na parang may kuryente. Almost like getting starstruck by them, [because of] how they dress, or even how they would mix their clothes, their look, like the accessory, or like the shoe, or like how a woman would tuck in her top, or roll up her sleeves, or mix her T-shirt with a skirt that feels very couture, or like, you know, something that's very intricate mixed with something as easy as a T-shirt or a hoodie.”
“That's also where the drive of the collection comes in—the mixing, the meeting of two different disciplines—which are things that can feel mundane, a lot like those casual pieces that I love to wear personally.
“Like I'm such a T-shirt person. I just love to wear a T-shirt and [a pair of] pants, like easy clothes. That's my uniform.
“You don't have to wear a ballgown every day, or like a ball gown to attend like a formal occasion. You can be in a kaftan. You can be like in a pantulog look, and you're gonna be fine.”
The first look from the collection was a simple yet striking look. Was there any specific story behind it?
“That [dress] felt like it was really the first look because it's so quiet. It's so simple, extremely simple– it’s just fabric and a cut, and volume. It really represented the easiness of the collection. I felt like that should be the beginning, because I wanted the start to be very quiet also.”
How would you say your style has evolved over the years through this collection?
"I think that the biggest growth and maturity is the way I present the girl. The technique has always been pretty much the same, but there's a new maturity to it."
What message were you hoping to convey through this collection?
"There are different ways to dress up. You don't have to follow what you see every day on the internet or how everyone else around you presents themselves. There's this beauty that comes with ease and restraint—and that restraint can be powerful also.”
Fashion by Martin Bautista
Casting by Lorenz Namalata of Fatbrain Collective
Creative direction by Andrea Ang
Portrait photography by Andrea Genota
Portrait photography assisted by Kate Ang, Kevin Gonzales, JM Avenido
Backstage photography by Alexis Dave Co
Styling by Steven Coralde of Qurator Studio
Production by Andrea Ang, Samantha Lee, Carmela Ramirez
Production assisted by Roy Macasaet
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