In Manila, dressing for the day can be a bit of a balancing act. There’s the heat outside, the cold blast of air-conditioning indoors, unpredictable rain, and days that can take you from the office to dinner without a chance to change. UNIQLO’s latest collection takes that reality of city living and turns it into the inspiration for its 2026 Fall/Winter lineup.

Dubbed “Modern City Living,” the new collection brings together versatile LifeWear pieces designed to move with the rhythm of everyday urban life. Unveiled at an exclusive press event in Manila, the collection explores colors, textures, silhouettes, and layering pieces that can work across different moments of the day.

Dressing for the City

For a collection inspired by fall and winter, UNIQLO’s approach makes particular sense in a city like Manila, where seasonal dressing looks very different from the rest of the world. Rather than relying on heavy coats and bulky layers, the collection offers lighter pieces that can be incorporated into an everyday wardrobe—or saved for trips to colder destinations.

The Bottoms collection offers a range of silhouettes, including the Baggy Barrel Leg Jeans, with its relaxed barrel cut, and the EZY Wide Straight Jeans, which combine the look of denim with the comfort of sweats. The Culottes lineup adds another versatile option, with its genderless silhouette offering plenty of room for personal styling.

For outerwear, the Harrington Jacket, Denim Trucker Jacket, and Coverall offer easy layering without adding too much weight—ideal for those cooler mornings, heavily air-conditioned spaces, or simply adding a little more structure to an everyday Manila outfit.

Then there’s the Fleece line, available in different colors and styles for men and women. Lightweight and warm, these pieces are especially practical for anyone heading somewhere colder, whether for a weekend getaway or an overseas holiday.

For city dwellers who are constantly on the move, Sport Utility Wear (SUW) offers versatile pieces designed for everything from light activities and errands to more active pursuits.

Knits also make an appearance, offering a softer way to bring texture and warmth into the wardrobe. The Souffle Yarn Knits are made from 100% extra-fine merino wool, while Smooth Cotton Knits offer a lighter alternative that can easily elevate an everyday look. Loungewear and Innerwear round out the collection, blurring the line between what works at home and what can be worn outside.

It’s a wardrobe built around the idea that city clothes should work hard. A good piece should be comfortable enough for a long day, versatile enough to style in different ways, and practical enough to keep up with wherever the day leads.

Anne Curtis Is UNIQLO Philippines’ Newest Brand Ambassador

The Manila launch also came with a major addition to the UNIQLO Philippines family: award-winning actress and host Anne Curtis was introduced as the brand’s newest local ambassador.

Known for her playful and polished approach to fashion, Anne brings her own interpretation of modern city style to the latest LifeWear collection. At the event, she demonstrated the versatility of the pieces through two distinct looks.

Her first ensemble paired the Zip Up Short Jacket with the JW Anderson Boxy Oxford Long Sleeve Shirt and Ribbed Henley Neck Long Sleeve T-Shirt, worn with Baggy Barrel Leg Jeans for a relaxed, casual look.

For her second look, Anne leaned into the cozy side of the collection, layering the Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket over the UNIQLO : C Milano Ribbed Full-Zip Cardigan and pairing both with Baggy Barrel Leg Jeans.

“What I’m wearing is the Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket and underneath is the UNIQLO : C Milano Ribbed Full-Zip Cardigan, and then I have my Baggy Barrel Jeans. It’s pretty chill, relaxed, and for someone like me who gets cold easily, even in Manila, it’s perfect for me. As you can see, I’m not even sweating. It’s comfy, it’s perfect, and it’s fluffy,” said Anne Curtis.

Anne was joined at the launch by fellow UNIQLO Philippines ambassadors and celebrity partners Alexa Ilacad, Anthony Constantino, Emilio Daez, Kianna Dy, Matteo Guidicelli, and Solenn Heussaff, who also showcased their individual interpretations of the latest LifeWear pieces.

L:R: UNIQLO Philippines Local Celebrity Partners Emilio Daez, Kianna Dy, Matteo Guidicelli, Anne Curtis, Alexa Ilacad, Solenn Heussaff, and Anthony Constantino,

For Manila’s ever-moving city crowd, UNIQLO’s latest collection offers a practical take on seasonal dressing: less about dressing for a particular season and more about having the right pieces for wherever the day takes you.

Discover UNIQLO’s 2026 Fall/Winter Collection at www.uniqlo.com/ph/en and follow @UNIQLO.PH on Facebook and @uniqlophofficial on Instagram and TikTok.

#MakatiMaxxing: All the Places I Visited and Things I Did on a Makati Weekend

Makati City has a lot to offer anyone who comes to explore. Whether you're a resident or someone visiting from another city in the Metro, there's always something for you to discover. I especially love Makati on a weekend, especially in the morning. 

  

A photo of Aguirre Street, Makati 

On weekend mornings, most streets in Makati City, particularly around the commercial business district area, are quiet with hardly anyone or any cars around. 

On one particular Saturday, I walked around exploring Legaspi Village and Salcedo Village in Makati. 

Here are three new places I went to that are worth highlighting. 

A Hidden Restaurant Gem: Po & Pilar 

The original plan was to have brunch at Scratch on Aguirre Street. But the newly opened place had a long waiting line. Walking aimlessly in search of where to eat is how we ended up trying out Po & Pilar on Salcedo Street, Makati. 

Po & Pilar is from the team behind The Curator Coffee & Cocktails and offers a Filipino-Chinese menu that will remind diners of home-cooked meals. This is a pretty upscale restaurant, so be prepared to spend about Php500 to Php1000 per person. There is no dress code, so we were able to dine here even though we were only wearing shorts and casual tops. 

Inside Po & Pilar 

The interiors of Po & Pilar evoke warmth reminiscent of a Filipino family home. The walls have photos of the grandparents who inspired the dishes displayed all around. Once you enter the restaurant, you'll spot the bar first. As it is helmed by the Curator team, expect to find a great selection of creative cocktails and wines. 

We got here before lunch, so we initially had the place to ourselves. Although people started trickling in by noon. I imagine this place can get pretty full fast, so it's best to book a table ahead. 

The Food We Ordered  

The food are categorized under smaller, bigger, filler, and desserts. It makes it easy to decide based on how big or small your group is. 

This is chicken broccoli soup, which was served to us while we waited for the food we ordered. I loved this. It had a ma-umami taste with a hint of saltiness. 

We ordered Tuna Panipuri Casserole from the smaller plates. 

According to the menu description, Tuna Panipuri Casserole is made with tuna conserva, garam masala mushroom stew, and pickled vegetables. 

The panipuri is crispy. Once I ate it, the richness and savouriness of the tuna mixed with the saltiness of pickled vegetables immediately greeted my taste buds. It's an interesting mix of flavors. 

For our bigger plate, we ordered the Brick Chicken "Hawaiian Pizza Sauce" plus a side of brown rice. 

 

 

I like that the serving of the fried rice is quite generous for a side order. As for the brick chicken, the menu describes this as half a chicken deboned and cooked until the skin is crisp. It's served with a sauce of pineapple, cheese, and tomatoes. 

While it does say there's cheese, I honestly didn't taste that. It's the sweetness of the pineapple and the savory goodness of tomatoes that won me over. I finished this off.

It's quite a splurge to eat at Po & Pilar. There were only two of us, but our bill totaled around Php2000.00. Still, I think it's worth it. We had a good lunch. 

Business Hours: 

5:30 p.m to 10:30 p,m (Tuesday to Thursday); 5:30 p.m to 11:30 p.m. (Friday & Saturday); 5:30 p.m to 10:30 p.m (Sunday); Lunch: 11:30 a.m to 2:00 p.m (Saturday & Sunday) 

Vintage Luxury Shopping 

I saw an Instagram Reel from Tim Yap about a newly opened vintage luxury shop in Makati. They have designer brands like Dior, Chanel, etc., that retail for much less than what you'd find in the malls. so I was enticed to check it out. 

Previously Yours, according to one of the staff, has been operating for about 10 years already, but their shop is located in Dasmariñas Village, Makati, and open only to an exclusive clientele. The shop is owned by entrepreneur Ricco Ocampo. 

Here are some of the items that caught my eye: 

Chanel necklace retailing around Php16k 

Chanel blazer 

This Gucci bag retails for Php50,000 

And this is what I ended up buying at the shop: 

This pair of Off White sneakers really caught my eye. I thought the size would not fit me because it was smaller than my usual size, but it did! I got this for only Php6,500 when a pair of Off White sneakers retails around Php18,000 and above, depending on the style. This is already a steal.   

The shop features not only fashion items but also furniture, accessories, and other unique finds from Japan, the US, and personal collections. They accept cash, bank transfer, or GCash as a mode of payment. 

Find them: 

Previously Yours

Legazpi Street corner Castro in Legazpi Village, Makati City 

Gelato Dessert from Down Under 

Kariton is originally from Melbourne and rooted in Filipino nostalgia. It's from Chef Minh Duong, who found comfort in the kitchen and ice cream during the lockdowns. He teamed up with his long-time friend and Filipino chef, John Rivera. Kariton partnered with Erwan Heussaff to open its first store in the Philippines. 

In Salcedo Village, Kariton is more than just a gelato shop. In collaboration with another Melbourne-born concept, Sabi Sounds, the shop is a Filipino-inspired gelato and vinyl listening cafe. There were plenty of people in the shop by the time we got there early afternoon. We managed to find seats by the bar. 

We ordered 1 scoop Thrilla n Vanilla and 2 scoops Turon gelato. Both were good! I'll definitely be back. Gelato in a cup is around Php 200. 

Find them:

Kariton: Open daily from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Tiffany Place, 156 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati

Coffee AtCurbside 

Coffee is almost always part of the agenda whenever I'm out. And for this particular #MakatiMaxxing day, we chose to try a newly opened coffee shop in Salcedo Street called AtCurbside. It's a small and cozy coffee shop serving freshly brewed, high-quality coffee from carefully selected beans. It's originally from Davao. 

 

Iced Horchata and hot Spanish Latte 

I usually order a Spanish Latte in coffee shops, so I tried AtCurbside's. I thought it was a good Spanish Latte. It's rich and creamy and not overly sweet. I also like the look of the cafe. It has an inviting, cozy appeal. 

Find them: 

AtCurbside

Fedman Suites

Salcedo Street, Legazpi Village, Makati 

Four stops. Over 20,000 steps achieved. One weekend in Makati. It was definitely a costly but fun day!