What would it take for Filipino brands to scale globally?

The FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 experts and consultants weigh in

By September Grace Mahino

As the countdown continues to the culminating exhibition of FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 in September, the program’s roster of Filipino designers is hard at work on their collections, using the insights they’re picking up from their learning sessions with international fashion experts. 

The experts for this year’s edition offer a wealth of experience in both retail and wholesale luxury fashion, and their perspectives span all aspects of the international fashion industry. From branding and supply-chain management essentials to the fundamentals of marketing positioning and creative storytelling, these specialists are guiding the 14 designers representing Philippine fashion on how to make solid headway into the highly competitive European market via Milan, all without losing their distinctly Filipino identity.

One of them is international fashion wholesale and brand consultant Marina Lyritzi. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FWS2, a Paris-based consultancy specializing in wholesale strategy and global market expansion, Lyritzi has worked with leading fashion platforms such as TRANOÏ, WHITE Milano, Jakarta Fashion Week, Riyadh Fashion Week, and Budapest Central European Fashion Week. She brings her 14 years’ worth of experience mentoring brands on commercial positioning, buyer engagement, and international showroom strategy to FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026, helping local designers finalize the collections they will present to international buyers at the program’s culmination.


(Left to right) LIT Fashion Consultancy’s Tetta Ortiz-Matera, pictured at last year’s FASHIONPhilippines in Milan exhibition, has been a key figure in envisioning, organizing, and bringing the program into reality; FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 fashion consultant Marina Lyritzi has been working in the international scene for 14 years, helping fashion brands strategize and scale for global expansion.

“I’ve always loved finding new brands, both as a customer and as a professional,” Lyritzi shared with the FASHIONPhilippines team during a video interview. “I’m always searching for something new, something fresh, something that cannot be found in luxury brands—something that makes investing in a new product or brand worth it.” 

The consultant has long been aware of the Philippines’ design scene, thanks to her exposure to the fashion scenes across different regions, and she believes that Filipino fashion will have a very good impact in Europe. Although buyers may expect resortwear-style pieces from the program participants due to their lack of familiarity with the Philippines, Lyritzi believes they’ll be pleasantly surprised by what they’ll see come September. “I’m super happy and excited to show them that Filipino designers can create international collections. It will also be an opportunity for local brands to evolve and create collections for fall/winter.” 

Adaptability required for international expansion

With the international market looking for brands that not only meet global tastes but also wholesale demands, the business development sessions for FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 have been set up to equip the designers with practical know-how on production scaling and competitive pricing. Lyritzi thus advised the program’s participants—any Filipino brand, in fact, that wishes to expand into exporting—to be open to professional guidance so they can modify their business strategy appropriately. “Sometimes, designers can take critiques personally, because when a consultant comments on their collection, they think it’s a critique of their design, which is not the case,” she said. “Consultants like me are here to help them continue their creative practice, but in a way that can be commercial and sellable to different customers. The key point is to be adaptable and open to listening.”

Tetta Ortiz-Matera of LIT Consultancy, a supporting organization behind FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026, also shared sound advice for Filipino designers during the interview. A former model, a lifestyle writer, and, more importantly, a long-time champion of Philippine fashion, Ortiz-Matera has been instrumental in the program’s organization, serving as the bridge between local industry names and international fashion experts and stakeholders. She also serves as the de facto “godmother” of the participating designers, all of whom she personally knows. 

“As someone who has worked with different brands throughout the years and learned what it takes to break into the market, I say the first and foremost requirement is discipline,” she stated. “When a designer commits—to a showroom, a buyer, a PR agency, or whomever—they have to fulfill that commitment; no excuses. I always remind the designers of this, because they get only one chance.” 

She also advised designers to be willing to shift their mindset, saying, “Right now, except for a few, most of them have only had direct-to-consumer business models but not wholesale. They need to adapt from a local way of doing business to putting together a collection with an international mindset, keeping in mind that the price points, the silhouettes, and the clients will be completely different.”

Both Lyritzi and Ortiz-Matera hope that the FASHIONPhilippines in Milan program will have longevity, the better to strengthen Filipino fashion’s positioning internationally. They equally agree that seeing positive, long-lasting results will take time—although a Filipino brand gaining representation in a European showroom is definitely a development worth celebrating—and that the program would have to evolve along with the changing global market. As Ortiz-Matera declared, “It would be such a pity if all of this creativity in Philippine fashion cannot be exposed internationally. Now that we have this chance, we’re running with it.”  

Here are the rest of the FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 international fashion specialists:


Sara Sozzani Maino

Sara Sozzani Maino is a globally renowned fashion curator, creative consultant, and advocate for emerging designers. As Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani and founder of Vogue Talents, she has spent over two decades discovering and mentoring the next generation of global fashion talent. She serves on the advisory boards and juries of leading international fashion initiatives, including Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Fashion Trust Arabia, the LVMH Prize, and the Woolmark Prize, championing innovation, sustainability, and responsible fashion.


Helena Boissonnas

Helena Boissonnas is a fashion buyer and retail specialist at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, the iconic Parisian department store under the LVMH Group. With experience in luxury buying, trend forecasting, brand sourcing, and exhibition curation, she has helped introduce emerging designers to one of the world's most prestigious retail destinations while leading major commercial and editorial projects. She mentors brands on retail readiness, wholesale strategy, and buyer expectations.

Silvia Bertocchi

With more than 30 years of experience in luxury retail, fashion buying, and merchandising, Silvia Bertocchi has played a key role in shaping the global identity of the iconic 10 Corso Como. She currently leads the Cultural Programs of Fondazione Sozzani and collaborates with Dover Street Market Paris on fashion brand selection, mentoring emerging designers in brand positioning, merchandising, and international retail strategy.

Veronica Bertozzi

Veronica Bertozzi is a senior fashion executive with more than three decades of international experience in luxury fashion retail and wholesale. She has held executive leadership positions with globally renowned brands such as Stella McCartney, Burberry, and MSGM, where she led international wholesale expansion, merchandising, retail operations, and business strategy across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. She currently serves as Project Director of HIMco, overseeing licensing and production for leading international fashion brands such as Jacquemus, JW Anderson, Victoria Beckham, and Coperni.


Matteo Del Cherico

Matteo Del Cherico is a fashion business advisor and the founder of MDC Showroom, an international showroom operating between Milan and Paris. With over 20 years of experience in product development, wholesale distribution, and brand strategy, he has guided both emerging and established fashion brands in strengthening their commercial growth, market positioning, and international expansion.

Marzia Narduzzi

Marzia Narduzzi is a fashion industry executive with over 26 years of experience working with international luxury brands in Italy and abroad. Her expertise spans product development, collection planning, production management, and brand positioning. She has worked closely with top management teams to build globally competitive fashion businesses while fostering innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.

Riccardo Terzzo

Riccardo Terzo is a fashion editor, stylist, and creative consultant who has worked with luxury labels Gucci and Moncler, as well as legacy media company Condé Nast. As the former Fashion Editor of Vogue Talents, he collaborated with leading photographers, designers, and publishers worldwide. Today, he continues to shape contemporary fashion through editorial direction, styling, and education, specializing in visual storytelling and creative research.

 

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Learn more about FASHIONPhilippines in Milan 2026 here.

FASHIONPhilippines is the country’s banner program for marketing local fashion enterprises internationally. With CITEM at the helm, the program has brought local brands to top international trade shows and exhibitions in Paris, New York, Las Vegas, Singapore, and Hong Kong. FASHIONPhilippines Milan is in collaboration with the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) and the Philippine Consulate General in Milan. It is implemented with the support of the Philippine Fashion Coalition (PFC), Fondazione Sozzani, and LIT Fashion Consultancy.

Going to Milan this September? Register your visit to the Philippine showcase in Milan here.