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Bianca Dumlao of womenswear label Anca and print designer Martina Lebron collaborate on a dreamlike collection that mirrors their shared idea of summer.&nbsp;
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The regard Bianca Dumlao and Martina Lebron hold for each other is mutual and clear as day. It&rsquo;s obvious in the tender lines of their joint collection, which brings Lebron&rsquo;s narrative prints into dialogue with Anca&rsquo;s fluency of the feminine form, expressed through silhouettes designed to move with ease, balancing softness, playfulness, and strength.
&ldquo;The collaboration really began from a place of admiration,&rdquo; Dumlao shares. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been purchasing Martina&rsquo;s scarves for quite some time, and I&rsquo;ve always thought of them as wearable art. For years, I had this idea of creating a printed collection that felt truly original&mdash;something that carried a story within the fabric itself.&rdquo; &nbsp;
&ldquo;The most fascinating part [of the design process] was learning to think about print in relation to the body,&rdquo; Lebron chimes in. &ldquo;Normally, I approach imagery as something that lives on a flat surface, but with garments you start to consider movement, proportion, and how the print changes when worn. Working with Bianca pushed me to think differently about scale and material, and that process of translating drawings into something that lives on the body was really exciting.&rdquo;

Let&rsquo;s talk about the collaboration. Martina, what were the inspirations for the prints you created?
Martina: I&rsquo;ve always loved florals and admire the beauty in their simplicity. For this collection, I wanted to create prints that could feel natural on any silhouette&ndash;something soft, familiar, and timeless.
Much of my work is centered on Filipino culture, and with this collection I wanted to explore that theme with a softer perspective. I thought a lot about things my lola would love, so the prints feel nostalgic, warm, and connected to everyday life. 
Bianca, what piqued your fascination with the silhouettes, textures, and fabrics you&rsquo;ve used in this collection?
Bianca: Because Martina&rsquo;s prints are painterly and highly expressive, I wanted the silhouettes to feel structured yet relaxed, allowing the prints to take center stage. I gravitated toward flowy silhouettes, soft structure, and lightweight fabrics that move naturally with the body. The textures and materials were chosen to complement&mdash;not compete with&mdash;the prints, allowing everything to feel effortless while still retaining a sense of polish. 
How did the tie-up come to be?
M:&nbsp;I&rsquo;ve always admired Bianca&rsquo;s work and her sensitivity to form. When she reached out to collaborate, it felt like a very natural step. Our practices complement each other quite naturally&mdash;my focus on print and visual storytelling, and her strength in silhouette and construction. From the beginning, we were always already naturally aligned. 
B:&nbsp;I reached out to Martina simply to express how much I loved her work and mentioned that collaborating with her would be a dream someday. To my surprise, she responded with the same excitement. She shared that she had always wanted to see her prints translated into clothing, not just scarves.
From there, everything unfolded very naturally. It became a meeting point between our two creative languages&mdash;her narrative, expressive prints and my approach to silhouette and construction. Together we developed exclusive prints designed to move with the body, allowing the prints to come alive through the garments. It felt like a very organic collaboration because we both share a similar vision of femininity&mdash;playful, soft, but also quietly strong.

What was the most fascinating part of this collection&rsquo;s creation?&nbsp;
B: When we began sampling the pieces, it was exciting to observe how the prints behaved once it moved with the body. Certain elements of the prints would suddenly become more prominent depending on the cut or drape of a garment, which meant we had to thoughtfully place and adjust the patterns so everything felt intentional from every angle. Seeing Martina&rsquo;s prints move with the body for the first time felt almost like watching the prints literally come alive. 
The timeline for the collection was also quite dynamic. Martina and I began discussing the collaboration in November 2025, and by December she was already sketching ideas while I started developing the silhouettes by January. During this stage, Martina was also very thoughtful about the palette of the prints, ensuring the three colorways would complement different skin tones, from warm to neutral to cool, so that each wearer could find a version that felt right for them.
Once the prints were finalized, everything moved very quickly. There were a few logistical hurdles along the way&mdash;we even had fabric rolls shipped both by air and sea to ensure we received them in time&mdash;but it became a very energizing creative sprint. I spent about two weeks refining the silhouettes through sampling, and once the fabrics arrived, we moved straight into garment production. 
How has your design perspective shifted or remained since your last release?&nbsp;
M: I think my perspective has become more intentional about representing where I come from. Early on, I was still figuring out what my visual language was, but now I&rsquo;m more confident in drawing from Filipino references and everyday experiences. I&rsquo;m interested in exploring softer, more personal expressions of culture rather than something overly literal. 
B: Since launching the brand, one of the biggest things I&rsquo;ve learned is how women think when they shop. I&rsquo;ve also come to appreciate how much the fabric itself contributes to a garment&rsquo;s appeal. The uniqueness and quality of the material can be just as important as the silhouette. Because Anca positions itself as a premium brand, I place a strong emphasis on selecting beautiful fabrics and ensuring that every piece reflects a high level of craftsmanship. Ultimately, my design approach today is guided by both beauty and practicality. I want to create pieces that feel special&mdash;pieces that women can truly live in and return to again and again. 
Your design mantra in one sentence?&nbsp;
B: I design romantic, thoughtful pieces that allow women to feel beautiful in the moments that matter most. 
M: Celebrate the best version of yourself, and don&rsquo;t forget to showcase the little details that make you who you are.

A Good Pair: Bianca Dumlao and Martina Lebron

L'OFFICIEL PHILIPPINES APRIL 2026 - Rocio Zobel ₱600 

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES PHILIPPINES MARCH 2026 - Andres Muhlach ₱600

L'OFFICIEL PHILIPPINES MARCH 2026 - Nadine Lustre ₱600 

A Good Pair: Bianca Dumlao and Martina Lebron

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