Puma merges motorsport heritage, balletcore
PUMA refines casual sophistication with the PUMA Speedcat Ballet Venus, a reinterpretation of the iconic Speedcat Ballet that blends racing heritage with the ballet aesthetic. Stripping back the bulky layers of traditional streetwear, the Speedcat Ballet Venus embraces a sleek, refined look. The elevated everyday slip-on is accentuated by a uniquely contoured Puma Formstrip that sweeps along the sidewall, visually elongating the foot. Featuring a secure elastic band closure, a classic rounded toe, and a grounded flat heel, the design is built for all-day comfort. The sneaker is equipped with a breathable 100% textile upper and a durable rubber outsole. It comes in two colorways — the Jasmine Flower-Warm White, which is a creamy, floral-toned neutral; and the Gray Sky-Vibrant Silver colorway which leans heavily into the shoe’s motorsport DNA, with sleek metallic silver accents that cut sharply through a muted gray base. The Speedcat Ballet Venus is officially available nationwide for P5,500 online at PUMA.com and in select Puma flagship stores across the country.
SSI does summer
RUNNING until May 15 is the SSI group’s Spring/Summer campaign, “Sun-Ripe Dreams,” which is inspired by summers and vintage postcards of the 1960s. Complementing the campaign is a roster of promotions across SSI’s portfolio of global brands. Gap offers 40% off regular-priced styles on May 1 to 3 via Gap.com.ph. On May 1 at Gap SM Mall of Asia, customers can also enjoy a “Customization Experience,” creating their own hand-written embroidery design. Meanwhile, Pazzion rolls out a series of offers across in-store and online channels via Rustans.com, Zalora, and Shopee: 15% off select items (April 30 to May 3), buy one item at 15% off or two or more items at 25% off (May 5 to 11), and 10% off bags and 15% off footwear (May 14 to 17). Marc Jacobs is offering an additional 10% off on sale items in-store until May 15. Calvin Klein offers a gift-with-purchase throughout April, where a P12,000 spend on regular items comes with a color-changing bottle, and up to 30% off regular items from April 16 to 22 via Rustans.com. Ongoing until April 30, DKNY is offering a special gift for a minimum P10,000 spend on regular items, available at its stores in SM Mall of Asia, TriNoma, 158DB Alabang Town Center, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and 158DB Central Square. Lacoste offers 15% off with a minimum P10,000 spend on select styles, from April 30 to May 3 in-store and at lacoste.com.ph, plus footwear offers from April 20 to 29 with 10% off on one regular-priced item and 20% off on two or more. Charriol features up to 30% off select items on April 20 to 27 on Zalora, and May 1 to 3 in-store. Tod’s offers 10% off regular-priced items in-store from May 8 to 10. For Mother’s Day on May 10, a gelato cart in collaboration with Venchi will be available in front of Tod’s Greenbelt 4 from 2 p.m. onwards while supplies last, with a simple on-site registration required to redeem. Extending the shopping experience further, SSI invites shoppers to take advantage of more perks via the My SSI Life app, that brings together app-exclusive offers, e-vouchers, points earned from purchases, and early access to select promotions. Users can download the app via the App Store or Google Play, head to the Vouchers tab, and redeem offers as they shop in participating stores. For Summer 2026, Regular and Elite members can enjoy a range of app-exclusive perks that are ongoing until Sept. 30. These offers are part of over 200 deals available on the app across participating SSI brands. Among these are 15% off on select regular-priced items with a minimum P3,000 spend at Beauty Bar, 10% off on regular-priced items at BOSS, and 10% off at Charriol (excluding fragrance, eyewear, and spare parts), alongside a 10x points multiplier on regular-priced rings with an in-app e-voucher. Members can also enjoy 30% off on two or more regular-priced items at Gap, a complimentary drawstring bag from JD Sports with a minimum P5,000 spend, 15% off at Polo Ralph Lauren with a P30,000 minimum spend, and 10% off at Samsonite with a P25,000 minimum spend.
New endorser of Marithé + François Girbaud Philippines
SOUTH KOREAN actor Kim Ji Soo has officially been unveiled as the newest face of Marithé + François Girbaud Philippines, with the announcement made through the brand’s official social media pages on April 16. The partnership marks another milestone for the actor as he continues to expand his presence in the Philippine fashion and entertainment scene. Kim Ji Soo is also currently appearing in the GMA action-drama series Never Say Die.
FASHIONPhilippines Milan 2026 opens applications
FASHIONPhilippines Milan returns for it second run in 2026 — opening applications to a new batch of Filipino fashion designers and brands ready to take their business to the global stage. Led by Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute (DoST-PTRI), Philippine Consulate General in Milan, together with the Philippine Fashion Coalition (PFC) and LIT Fashion Consultancy, the 2026 edition returns with an expanded exhibition scale, stronger European market presence, enhanced mentorship and business development support, a sharper strategic focus on export-readiness and brand positioning, and sustained international visibility for participating brands. Selected applicants will join returning brands from the 2025 cohort will work with a Europe-based jury panel of fashion and business industry experts, who will also serve as mentors throughout the program. Beginning on Sept. 21 with mentoring sessions, the program will culminate in a three-day curated exhibition from Sept. 22 to 24 in Milan, held alongside the September edition of Milan Fashion Week. Interested applicants must have a distinct Filipino-owned, registered business; be willing to integrate Filipino textiles into their collection; be a Regular Individual Member of the Philippine Fashion Coalition; must have released at least two collections within the last two years; must present 15-20 export-quality, Philippine-made designs; and must pay a participation fee of $500 upon acceptance. Applicants must submit the following requirements: brand profile; line sheets for two past collections (including dollar price points), catalog or lookbook for the last two collections; photos of hang tags, logo, care instructions, and packaging; scanned copy of current passport; BIR Registration; links to website, social media, DTC platforms, collaborations, and press releases from the last two years; and completed Brand and Business Assessment Form. Apply through: https://fameplus.com/trade_fairs/fashionphilippines-in-milan-2026. Applications for the FASHIONPhilippines Milan 2026 are open until April 26.
