Within the framework of Manila International Fashion Week 2025 (MIFW 2025), the organizers have announced the return of the MIFW Creative Industry Forum, taking place on November 30 at Okada Manila. With the theme “Fashion Futures: Sustainability and Innovation in the New Era of Style,” this year’s forum brings together international speakers from the Philippines, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Malaysia. The presence of experts from multiple countries continues to affirm MIFW’s direction: transforming Manila into a convergence point for creativity, technology, and global trends.
An exchanging space for sustainability, innovaiotn, and the future of fashion
This year’s forum focuses on issues receiving significant attention in the global fashion industry: sustainability, supply-chain management, new technologies, and design thinking in an era of integration.
According to the organizers, these topics align with the context of MIFW 2025, an event positioned as “the largest runway in the Philippines,” attracting more than 10 participating countries and offering a diverse series of professional activities ranging from runway shows and exhibitions to training and creative networking.
“The Creative Industry Forum is a bridge between international practice and the creative community in the region. It is an opportunity for young people, design students, and emerging brands to engage with global mindsets,” a representative of MIFW shared.
International speakers with valuable insights
This year’s forum brings together five international speakers: Alexia Núñez Müller-Roger, Isybella Grace Primus, Amerigo Tatel, Augustine Wong, and Jay Ishak. They come from various creative industries in the Philippines, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Malaysia, contributing diverse perspectives on sustainability, technology applications, contemporary design, and image-building trends in the digital era. The combination of material researchers, visual-communication experts, brand consultants, and representatives of the modeling industry gives the forum a comprehensive depth, covering creative, commercial, and technical dimensions.
Alongside their strong expertise, the speakers also bring practical experience from different fashion markets. Alexia Núñez Müller-Roger shares insights on sustainable approaches and the need for environmentally friendly materials; Isybella Grace Primus discusses the role of models in a culturally diverse context; Amerigo Tatel analyzes the potential of visual technology in runway presentation; while Augustine Wong and Jay Ishak offer observations on fashion education, image creation, and brand communication.
These contributions make the forum not only an academic discussion but also a space that connects real-world experience, supporting the younger creative generation in orienting their careers in a new era. Diverse in nationality, experience, and fields of practice, the speakers become a key highlight of the forum, helping shape future directions for the global fashion industry.
Manila’s affirmation as Asia’s emerging fashion destination
According to experts, Manila is gradually emerging as a new fashion center in the region thanks to its rapidly growing creative ecosystem, increased investment from brands, and international collaborations such as MIFW – Belarus Fashion Week.
The forum’s theme—sustainability and innovation—also reflects the overall orientation of this MIFW season: encouraging the use of local materials, preserving cultural identity, and promoting the integration of technology in design and presentation.
With thorough preparation, the MIFW Creative Industry Forum 2025 is expected to create a space for in-depth exchange, connecting designers, models, students, and international experts, thereby fostering the development of the fashion industry in the Philippines and the region.
