Tatler Philippines – September 2025

Summary

The 24th Anniversary Issue of Tatler Philippines, September 2025, runs 182 pages built around the Asia's Most Stylish 2025 list—50 names spanning fashion, film, finance and philanthropy from Manila to Mumbai. The cover line "AMS LIST 2025" sits beneath a single-word headline "ASIA'S MOST" with no single cover star, a deliberate collective portrait that signals the issue's scope.

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The AMS 2025 list (p.112) profiles 50 individuals across 5 categories: Icons, Disruptors, Creatives, Patrons and New Guard. Each entry runs 200-300 words with a portrait shot and a single data point—net-worth range for business honourees, Instagram follower count for digital natives, years in the industry for veterans. The Features section also carries a 6-page profile of Dr. Gershwin ("Rooted in Harmony," p.152) on integrative medicine, a horse-racing deep dive ("Galloping Ahead," p.146) tracking the Philippines' top thoroughbred breeders, and a desert wellness travelogue ("The Magic of Desert Winds," p.164) set in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. The Scene section (p.38-90) covers 10 events from the Diamond Celebration gala to 40 Karats art show, plus a What Is Real Style? panel (p.70) featuring 3 designers.

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Regular departments include the Editor's Note (p.32), Online Page (p.20), Talk of the Town (p.72), a Calendar (p.90) and the Last Word (p.182) featuring a quick-fire Q&A with a young Filipino designer. Style runs 20 pages split into Style Picks (p.94), Watches Picks (p.98), Jewellery Picks (p.102) and an 8-page fashion story "Imperial Orient" (p.108) shot in Vigan. A Furry Tale (p.84) profiles five rescue-dog foundations accepting donations. So You Want To Be A Collector? (p.78) gives a 6-step primer for first-time art buyers with a budget of PHP 100,000.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature / Asia's Most Stylish

p.112 · Asia's Most Stylish 2025
The 50-name list is grouped into Icons (15-year-plus careers), Disruptors (category-defining newcomers), Creatives (designers, artists, chefs), Patrons (philanthropists and collectors) and New Guard (under-30s). Each profile includes one practical data point—for fashion founder Dindin M. Santiago, her brand's year-on-year growth of 34 percent. Use the list as a sourcing directory for regional brand collaborations.

p.140 · Mind the Gap
A 4-page analysis of why Filipino luxury brands remain underrepresented on the Asia's Most Stylish list compared to Thai and Indonesian peers. Three solutions: a government-backed design grant, a mentorship pipeline between Manila and Milan, and a shared-showroom model for emerging labels.

▸ Features

p.146 · Galloping Ahead
A 6-page investigation into Philippine thoroughbred breeding. The feature names Herma Farms' stallion Queensland as the top sire of 2025, producing 12 winners from 22 starters. Manila Jockey Club reports 18 percent higher attendance year-on-year. A sidebar lists startup costs for a two-horse racing syndicate at PHP 1.5 million.

p.152 · Rooted in Harmony
Dr. Gershwin, an integrative medicine specialist with clinics in Manila and Cebu, explains his 5-pillar protocol: gut restoration, sleep optimization, inflammation control, mitochondrial support and stress inoculation. A 12-week program costs PHP 45,000 including lab work. His clinic sees 80 percent patient compliance.

p.164 · The Magic of Desert Winds
AlUla's new wellness resort, Banyan Tree AlUla, opens 80 tents and 30 villas in the Ashar Valley. Nightly rates start at SAR 2,800. A 5-day itinerary includes stargazing at the Maraya concert hall and a guided hike through Madain Saleh. The dry heat requires SPF 50+ reapplication every 2 hours.

▸ Style

p.94 · Style Picks
Eight new-season items rated on versatility: a Prada nylon bag that works as a weekender, Brunello Cucinelli linen trousers that resist creasing, and a Bottega Veneta clutch with a detachable evening strap. Each item includes a PHP price equivalent.

p.108 · Imperial Orient
A 10-page fashion story shot at Casa Manila in Vigan, featuring 6 local designers—Rajo Laurel, Lesley Mobo, Jojie Lloren, Ivarluski Aseron, Vania Romoff and Michael Cinco. Each look pairs traditional Filipiniana elements with a contemporary silhouette.

▸ Regulars

p.182 · Last Word
A young Filipino designer answers 10 questions about dream clients, pricing strategies and the one tool they cannot live without (a chalk-line ruler). The advice: "Price your labour at 3x the material cost, then add 20 percent for overhead."

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Editor's Take

The AMS list remains Tatler Philippines' strongest annual franchise, and the 24th edition delivers genuine scope—50 names across 5 categories with enough geographic spread to feel pan-Asian rather than Metro Manila-centric. The horse-racing feature (p.146) is a surprise standout, reported with numbers that give it weight. But the issue suffers from an identity problem: it's both an anniversary collector's item and a lifestyle monthly, and the "What Is Real Style?" panel (p.70) is 4 pages of quotes that never land on an answer. The ad density peaks at 50 percent in the front-of-book, with a 12-page Louis Vuitton portfolio that reads more as insert than integration.

Strengths
• Asia's Most Stylish 2025 list covers 5 countries across 5 meaningful categories
• Horse-racing feature with specific financials—syndicate costs, stud fees, attendance data
• Dr. Gershwin protocol is actionable for readers with chronic inflammation

Weaknesses
• "What Is Real Style?" panel is all question, no conclusion
• Front-of-book ad density exceeds 50 percent in the first 30 pages

Verdict: Recommended — The AMS list alone is worth the cover price; skip the opening advertising block to reach the editorial content.