This year’s edition of ArteFino places its HeArteFino program front and center, honoring a growing community dedicated to preserving Philippine craft, pushing for innovation, and creating social impact.
The annual ArteFino Fair is regarded as the biggest and most anticipated artisanal trade fair in the Metro. ArteFino Fair 2025 marks an almost decade-long run, an ongoing story that traces its transformation into an assortment of things: an incubator of local talent, a community of conscious retailers, and a cultural movement. Under the guidance of its founders Maritess Pineda, Mita Rufino, Susie Quiros, Cedie Lopez-Vargas, and Marimel Francisco, it never lost sight of its reason for being: HeArteFino and its programs.
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Getting To The Heart Of The HeArteFino Program
“This year, we wanted to put HeArteFino at the forefront,” the founders state. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many things happening around the fair. Yes, it is a retail experience–one that you have to immerse in to fully appreciate. But it is important that we return to what anchors everything we do: HeArteFino.”
Since its inception, the non-stock, non-profit organization and its long-term developmental programs have helped chosen communities around the country. Grants have also increased in value over the years, reaching an estimated ₱1,000,000. That said, the amount given to grantees can also vary depending on the needs of each community. Recipients in recent years include the Bagobo Tagabawa community from Davao; weavers from Argao, Cebu; and the artisans of Kabankalan in Negros Occidental.
On the core commitment of HeArteFino, the founders elaborate: “We celebrate individuals and groups who are paving new paths, preserving heritage, and pushing Filipino creativity forward. We put the spotlight on stories that inspire action and ignite pride in being […] Filipino.”
Project Nova: A New Grantee, An Initial Seed Of ₱500,000
Last June 2025, Project Nova from Bohol was announced as a new HeArteFino grantee. The initiative, which presents creative ways of transforming discarded kayaks into bags, received an initial or partial seed of ₱500,000.
“Advocacy is the core. We exist because we believe that craft is not just about beauty, but [also] about equity, access, and impact,” the founders assert.
Also featured in this year’s fair are pieces by Zarah Juan for HeArteFino. The collection, aptly dubbed Full Circle, explores the use of natural dyes, which she learned during an immersion experience in Jakarta. “I wanted to return to my roots,” shares the renowned accessories designer. “Nine years ago, I started my creative journey with ArteFino, and it felt so natural that I would return here with a new perspective.”
ArteFino Fair 2025 Presents A New Wave Of Creative Collaborations
Creative unity also lies at the heart of ArteFino Fair 2025, with the launch of several creative pairings that meet at the crossroads of craft. The group elaborates: “We are rooted in heritage, but never stuck in the past. The Filipino spirit lives in the way we adapt, preserve, and reimagine traditions.”
Idyllic Summers x Earthbound (Geraldine Javier, Steffi Cua and Marionne Contreras) explores the use of eco printed local textiles and new forms of zero waste designs. Pieces from the collection serve as ruminations on the planet’s cyclical nature–from birth to decay, spring to fall, bloom to wither.
Meanwhile, time honored stories of patchwork, needle point work, and embroidery find common ground in a limited edition collection by Jor-El Espina called Heirloom. Inspired by the Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion, Patis Tesoro, pieces draw heavily from her techniques and creative wisdom. Through this fusion, Jor-El stitches past, present, and future through his distinctly Filipino contemporary garments.
Then there’s Central Saint Martins alumnus Camille Villanueva, who lends her signature dresses, jackets, and tops as a canvas to muralist Tara Soriano. “I’ve always wanted a Filipino Floral print that is easy to wear–almost like a neutral or classic– but nothing too commercial,” the designer shares.
ArteFino Fair 2025 Moves Beyond The Fifth
ArteFino Fair 2025 will also be expanding beyond its usual venue of The Fifth at Powerplant Mall, finding new ways to make the trade fair experience a more engaging one for visitors.
This begins with the inaugural ArteFino Lounge, which opens its doors from July 26 to August 3 at the Balmori Chef’s Table. The space will feature heritage recipes by chefs Angelo Comsti and Don Baldosano of Offbeat Bistro. “Our menu for the launch will be composed of our bestsellers and new dishes that our loyal guests can look forward to,” the duo reveal. “This collaboration is ideal because like ArteFino, we celebrate local craftsmanship through immortalized heritage recipes.”
With visual direction by The Forewoman’s and Las Casas de Acuzar’s Jet Acuzar, the lounge will also feature fine jewelry and accessories from brands like ARAO, Caro Wilson, Golden Monstera, Katha Pilipinas, and Peewee Benitez.
ArteFino Finds, a curated collection of products that bring a fresh and modern take on local craft, will also find a new home on the R1 Level of Powerplant Mall’s New Wing (across Din Tai Fung).
There are plenty of exciting things to look forward to in ArteFino Fair 2025, but its newness is always in service of its heart and soul. As its founders share: “Every object made, story shared, community empowered, is a reminder that design can be a vessel for dignity, livelihood, and hope. We represent a collective of dreamers, doers, and trailblazers, and gamechangers, crafting a more meaningful future.”
Catch ArteFino Fair 2025 from July 31 to August 3 at The Fifth & R1 Lifestyle Hallway, Rockwell (with the ArteFino Lounge opening on July 26 at the Balmori Chef’s Table).
Photos courtesy of ArteFino and Before Deadlines.
