Blurring the line between dystopia and high fashion, Viktor&rsquo;s latest collection brought a gritty, post-apocalyptic edge to the Manila Fashion Week runway. With bold silhouettes, experimental textures, and a fearless mix of denim, leather, and locally produced fabrics, designers Ino Caluza and Will Mueco redefined rugged style for a futuristic world.

PHOTOGRAPHY&nbsp;MAW Studios courtesy of Manila Fashion Week
&ldquo;I loved the grit of every piece,&rdquo; quipped Gabbi Garcia after the show. True enough, Viktor&rsquo;s latest collection at Manila Fashion Week was a masterclass in neo-ruggedness &mdash; the kind that evoked a post-apocalyptic world, but with a distinctly fashionable edge. There was nothing tragic about it. Instead, the presentation was playful and experimental, pushing silhouettes and textures into new territory while keeping the aesthetic grounded and wearable.
Inspired by Blade Runner 2049, designers Ino Caluza and Will Mueco imagined what style might look like in a dystopian future &mdash; and their answer was as bold as it was thoughtful. &ldquo;We were thinking, what would people wear in this dystopian world? And of course, people would still be fashionable,&rdquo; they shared. That philosophy translated into a striking mix of denim, leather, vegan leather, wool, and locally produced fabrics, each piece balancing structure with ease and grit with polish.
Known for their custom jeans and jackets, Viktor used the runway to show the breadth of their craft. Oversized outerwear with exaggerated shoulders, sharply tailored trousers, and hybrid silhouettes combined utilitarian toughness with couture-level detail. The neutral palette and stark staging further emphasized the rawness of the collection, underscoring its narrative of resilience and reinvention.
&ldquo;With Manila Fashion Week giving us a platform to show what Filipino brands can offer either locally or globally, we hope that our viewers will support more local designers,&rdquo; Ino and Will said. &ldquo;We are very competitive when it comes to design and quality.&rdquo;
Here, we speak to both Ino and Will about their newest collection and why Manila Fashion Week made them return to the runway.
<h3 data-start="1423" data-end="1685" style="text-align: center;">Viktor for Manila Fashion Week 2025</h3>

What inspired your collection? Was there a specific story or aesthetic you wanted to show?&nbsp;
Ino: We were inspired when we were watching this film, Blade Runner 2049.&nbsp;
Will: It's all about dystopia. The whole [collection] is called Dystopian Blues.&nbsp;
Ino: And definitely, we're inspired by the film&rsquo;s atmosphere, the vibe. So, at the show, you will be seeing a lot of winter clothes, like clothes as armor.
Will: For work sites, jackets, suits, and everything.&nbsp;
Ino: Colors will always be in dark blue, black, and dark red.&nbsp;
You mentioned earlier that the theme for your collection this year is Dystopian Blues. So, how was the process of creating the collection?
Ino: Actually, we started with the materials. So, that's what we did. Like, we gathered all our nice denims. All the leathers that we have. All the Japanese wools.
Will: It's majority denims. We have vegan leathers. Wool. And of course, part of it is the DOST-PTRI, the poly-pi&ntilde;a fibers.&nbsp;
Ino: So, that's how we started. We started first with the fabric, and then we designed the collections within the quality of those materials.&nbsp;
Speaking of the materials, you were given some fabrics by DOST-PTRI. How was that collaboration? How was the fabric?&nbsp;
Ino: It was a good one. Because of the material, it reminds me of denim material. So, I specifically told them that I want to focus on this blue material because it looks like denim. It has the look of denim but [with] the feel of tropical fabric. That's why I told them that I'm gonna buy more after the show. I really wanna use it for the store as well.
I also saw that there are flowers on your garments. What's the inspiration for that?&nbsp;
Ino: We imagine since it's a futuristic kind of&hellip;
Will: Dystopian&hellip; Post-apocalyptic.
Ino: So, I said, probably there are no more natural flowers. So, I told him [to] create all the flowers that you can with our materials.&nbsp;
Will: These are like the scraps. So, like, leather-infused. And then, just reimagined flowers fused together. So, like, this is a wild rose. But then, technically, it mutated. So, ganoon. Parang ganoon. but then technically, nag-mutate na. So ganun, parang ganun yung technique.&nbsp;
Ino: So, that's how we imagine it &mdash; na parang iba na yung mga flowers.&nbsp;
Will: So you can no longer see like nature. The natural.&nbsp;
How would you like for the audience to receive your collection?
Ino: I hope they will receive it well because as I've said, this is our first show. Technically, this is our first after twenty-three years. And you know, there's been a lot of clamor from my friends to do a show. But I haven't &mdash; it's been a long time that I said yes.
Will: The last time we did was 2013, but it was a collaboration with other designers.&nbsp;
Ino: So, this one will be our first major show &mdash; solo show.&nbsp;
What made you return to the runway?&nbsp;
Ino: Well, because it's been a long time din, and I think it's time for us to show what we can actually do because we're known for doing custom-made jeans, and a lot of people have this notion that we only do jeans. But now it's our time to show&hellip;
Will: &hellip;That we can customize everything you want. We can customize flowers for you. Jackets, flowers, everything &mdash; even suits. We have leather bags. This is a pre-order. So, it's not out there. We're just telling people right now, we can do this.&nbsp;
Ino: It's long overdue.&nbsp;
How is it important that we have Manila Fashion Week for local designers?
Ino: It is very important. Yeah, because you know, we need this kind of platform, especially, you know, the young designers who never had a chance to do their own show. And I think Manila Fashion Week is doing that for them. And the designers &mdash; It's like being challenged as well to come up with new designs every year. It&rsquo;s a good thing for the Manila fashion circle that every year we have a new set of designers doing their own show.&nbsp;
Last question, what's your message to aspiring young designers here in the Philippines?
Will: Just do what you love. Be creative. Open your mind to global brands [and] be inspired by those brands. And then, just do whatever you want.
Ino: Just create. Create beautiful things.&nbsp;

Viktor Channels Neo-Rugged Futurism at Manila Fashion Week 2025

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