AN ADVOCACY fashion brand from Davao Region is returning to one of the world’s most prestigious runways, marking another global appearance that blends style, collaboration, and cross-cultural storytelling.
House of Musa will stage its sixth New York Fashion Week (NYFW) showcase at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14 (Feb. 15 in the Philippines) at Gotham Hall in Midtown Manhattan. The show features a new collection from founder-designer Joy Soo, signaling her return to the NYFW runway after a health-related hiatus, alongside textile artworks by California-based visual artist Marconi Calindas.
“This is our sixth season,” said Cindy Mac, House of Musa-USA director and CEO. “Every year is special, every year we make it extraordinary. But this year is special because it’s the comeback of Ms. Joy Soo, who designed the collection.”
The autumn-fall collection centers on modern silhouettes, business and executive-chic looks rather than traditional formalwear, modeled by 15 participants. Calindas returns for his second season as fabric designer, creating textile patterns that are integrated directly into the garments.
“We are very unique,” Mac said in a Messenger video interview with Sunstar Davao on Wednesday, February 11. “We don’t use common fabrics. The artwork itself becomes the fabric, combined with Musa textile.”
New York is one of fashion’s “Big Four” capitals alongside London, Milan, and Paris, making a slot there a significant benchmark for designers seeking global exposure. “It’s huge,” Mac said of the event’s prestige. “A lot of people want to go to New York because it’s accessible and recognized worldwide.”
For Soo, the show represents both a personal and professional milestone. She said she began presenting at New York Fashion Week in 2022 and has staged shows there every February and September since, before pausing travel due to illness.
“I didn’t want to travel until I was ready,” she said in the dialect. “I focused first on designing.”
Her comeback collection marks a shift in direction. “This is more of an executive look that’s fashionable,” she said. “Later, I’ll return to Filipiniana styles.”
Mac, who is based in San Diego, California, said she first encountered Musa textiles while searching online for natural products during the pandemic, when her own business slowed. After ordering a dress for a hosting job, she connected with Soo and was invited to attend a show.
“She told me, ‘I’m going to have a show at New York Fashion Week — why don’t you come and see our products?’” Mac recalled. “So I did.”
That visit led to a deeper role. “She asked me to become director here,” Mac said, adding she quickly helped organize back-to-back shows. Since then, she has produced 25 fashion shows in multiple cities and helped bring the brand to the runways of Paris and Milan Fashion Week, part of what she described as a traveling global showcase.
The New York production is handled by the Bureau Fashion Week, with the U.S. team coordinating logistics while garments, accessories, and materials are shipped from Tagum City.
“Everything we wear comes from Tagum — the outfits, shoes, earrings, hats, purses,” Mac said. “I don’t collaborate with designers here because I want to sustain livelihoods there.”
Mounting an international runway presentation requires significant investment, she added. “When we do fashion week: New York, Milan, Paris. We pay for the runway. It’s expensive, not cheap.”
Soo explained that participants she calls “advocate models” help shoulder production costs by purchasing the garments they wear. “They’re the ones sustaining Musa,” she said. “They buy the outfits and walk the runway.”
Mac underscored the collaborative nature of the brand’s presentations. “The models are my show,” she said. “Without their participation, we would never have any show.”
Despite the demanding schedule, she said the work remains deeply personal. A kidney transplant recipient and breast cancer survivor with a heart condition, Mac said she continues because of its impact.
“The advocacy gives me a rewarding feeling that I’m really helping,” she said.
The weekend showcase will highlight what organizers describe as a fusion of contemporary fashion and multicultural craftsmanship, with beadwork, accessories, and garments produced by artisans and partner makers connected to the brand’s network.
Behind the scenes, a collective of designers, seamstresses, and skilled workers in Davao del Norte prepared the pieces for the international stage.
For Soo, the spotlight is intentionally shared.
“House of Musa is not about the designer,” she said. “It’s about everyone in the house.” MLSA