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Article (news)

Jenny Mercado Ortega

Josh Mercado

<p>Known for her well-embellished modern Filipiniana clothing, Pinay designer Jenny Mercado Ortega recently showcased her latest collection &quot;Diwang Filipina Couture&quot; at the Sketchpad 3 Fashion Show, translating folklore symbols into hand-painted modern evening wear.</p><p>Ortega described the collection as a vibrant bridge between Philippine mythology, traditional dance, and contemporary fashion, making art wearable while also including designs and color to appeal to a younger audience.</p><p>She also used her experience as a visual artist and former member of the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe to design outfits that feel more like rhythmic storytelling than costumes.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774578143892image0 (9).jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-dragging"/><span class="fr-inner">Jenny Mercado Ortega introduces new collection. <em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>While the butterfly sleeve is still a symbol of Filipino identity, her modern Filipina party dress idea broke new ground. The collection incorporated hand-painted textiles on indigenous materials like piña and banaca, transforming cocktail-length shapes and sophisticated evening wear into canvases.</p><p>While thanking her fashion mentor,John Guarnes, the Pinay designer stated, &quot;My new collection is a series of wearable art pieces expressing my pride as a Filipina through contemporary Filipiniana dresses.&quot;</p><p>Ortega&#x27;s goal was to push the boundaries of what &quot;Filipiniana&quot; means in a modern social setting, reimagining tradition beyond the usual sleeves with hand-painted symbols like the vinta, sarimanok, and salakot, as well as figures of Filipinas in traditional attire and dances like the singkil.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774578185772image1.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner"> A peek at Jenny Mercado Ortega&#x27;s couture creations with handpainted details. Photos from Jenny Mercado Ortega. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774578204153image2.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner"> A peek at Jenny Mercado Ortega&#x27;s couture creations with handpainted details. Photos from Jenny Mercado Ortega. </span></span></span></div><p>&quot;The collection acknowledges Filipino heritage while demonstrating that culture can endure, change, and be proudly portrayed via modern design by fusing modern silhouettes with artwork inspired by Filipiniana,” she told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>Her 11 unique pieces — such as &quot;Kay Ganda ng Musika,&quot; which celebrated the harmony between music and movement; &quot;Patria Filipina,&quot; which honored the enduring spirit of the Filipina as the nation&#x27;s soul; &quot;Sarimanok,&quot; a vibrant celebration of rising strength and cultural pride; &quot;Singkil &amp; Banga,&quot; a tribute to grace, poise, and quiet resilience; and &quot;Together We Rise,&quot; a finale piece symbolizing the power of female unity — were the highlights.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774578223515image3.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner"> A peek at Jenny Mercado Ortega&#x27;s couture creations with handpainted details. Photos from Jenny Mercado Ortega. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774578258194image4.jpeg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner"> A peek at Jenny Mercado Ortega&#x27;s couture creations with handpainted details. Photos from Jenny Mercado Ortega. </span></span></span></div><p>Her entry into &quot;party Filipiniana&quot; was an advocacy rather than merely a fad. She promised to make Filipino handicraft relevant to a younger, worldwide audience by making traditional clothing appropriate for contemporary social settings.</p><p>“Making wearable art or the hand-painted pieces fun has always been my goal. While maintaining the cultural significance of clothing, we must make it interesting. Although the pieces are fun, they carry deep significance. As a designer, you have to bring pieces to life rather than just reimagine them,” Ortega told ABS-CBN News.</p>

<p>Pinay designer Jenny Mercado Ortega recently showcased her latest collection "Diwang Filipina Couture" at the Sketchpad 3 Fashion Show, translating folklore symbols into hand-painted modern evening wear.</p>

Pinay designer Jenny Mercado Ortega recently showcased her latest collection "Diwang Filipina Couture" at the Sketchpad 3 Fashion Show, translating folklore symbols into hand-painted modern evening wear.

Jenny Mercado Ortega fashions Filipino mythology into wearable pieces

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Jenny Mercado Ortega fashions Filipino mythology into wearable pieces

Josh Mercado

Published March 28, 2026 08:55 AM PHT

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