ANTONINA closed the third night of MNL FASHION WEEK 2026 at SMX Aura with “Not Here,” a Spring/Summer 2027 collection inspired by the designer’s deeply personal desire to pause, disconnect, and make space for reflection.
“Not Here Spring Summer 2027 came from a very personal need to pause,” the designer shared. The collection explores the idea that stepping away from constant movement and the pressure of what comes next can create room to rethink, rest, and discover a new direction.
The collection also marks a significant milestone for the label, serving as its first full collection since the designer’s debut in 2018. In many ways, “Not Here” represents both a pause and a fresh beginning for ANTONINA.
A New Lens For ANTONINA
“Not Here” signals a shift in the brand’s creative direction, exploring new silhouettes, techniques, colors, and more understated forms of expression while retaining the label’s distinctive identity.
One of the biggest changes is the collection’s use of color. Moving beyond the black and largely colorless pieces that have defined much of the brand’s previous work, the designer drew inspiration from flowers, landscapes, and the natural tones surrounding us—a direction the label has not explored extensively since 2019.
The collection remains grounded in ANTONINA’s signature craftsmanship, incorporating lace cutting, hand sewing, texture play, and collages made from cutout beads and lace. It also builds on a technique previously developed for an Anne Curtis cover look, pushing the method further into new silhouettes.
As her largest collection to date, “Not Here” required the designer and her team to work with unfamiliar fabrics, hard-to-source trims, and new production processes. Despite the challenges of financing and producing an entire collection, she emphasized the importance of giving the project the time and effort it deserved.
A Collection Rooted In Personal Experience
For the designer, fashion has always been a personal practice shaped by her feelings, experiences, and beliefs. Each collection serves as a way to transform those thoughts into something tangible.
With “Not Here,” that approach becomes a message about embracing pauses and changes in direction. “Changing direction or taking a pause doesn’t mean you’re not moving forward,” she said, emphasizing that rest can also be a form of progress.
The ANTONINA show featured muses Marina Summers and Michelle Dee, with Charlie Fleming, David Guison, Angelique Manto, Donny Pangilinan, Toptap, Minlee, Helen Hiu, Cissylia, Linh Chau, and Ba Tung among those spotted at the event.
Thai actor Boss Chaikamon Sermsongwittaya was also in Manila for MNL FASHION WEEK 2026, which concludes on September 6 at SMX Aura.
For ANTONINA, “Not Here” ultimately leaves audiences with a simple reminder: sometimes, slowing down, breathing, and giving yourself room to pause can be its own form of moving forward.