MANILA, Philippines — Tatler is giving one of its best-known fashion franchises a major makeover.
For 2026, “Asia’s Most Stylish” has been rebranded as “Tatler Most Stylish,” marking a shift away from conventional best-dressed lists and toward a broader definition of style built around identity, cultural heritage, personal conviction and self-expression.
The change is more than a new name. Tatler says the refreshed platform is intended to position Asian style as a force that shapes global fashion conversations, rather than simply following trends established elsewhere.
From “best dressed” to cultural influence
Tatler’s new approach challenges the idea that being stylish is simply about wearing the right designer clothes.
Instead, the 2026 edition focuses on people whose fashion choices communicate something about who they are, where they come from and what they stand for.
Tatler Asia executive managing director Gerrie Beh described the rebrand as an effort to give Asian style greater editorial authority, arguing that Asian fashion has its own heritage, craftsmanship and people whose stories deserve to be told on their own terms.
Regional content director Karen Vera similarly emphasized that Asian style is not a single aesthetic. Each market is being given its own cultural identity and creative direction rather than being placed under one broad definition of “Asian fashion.”
Eight markets, eight different visions of style
One of the biggest changes for 2026 is the decision to give each participating market its own theme.
Tatler’s eight regional themes are:
- Hong Kong — Rule Breakers
- Singapore — The Jubilation of Style
- Philippines — Red-Carpet Ready
- Malaysia — Modern Nostalgia
- Indonesia — Anything But Ordinary
- Vietnam — The Cultural Vanguard
- Thailand — Floral Dreams
- Taiwan — Style Etiquette
The themes influence everything from photography and set design to styling and editorial presentation, creating editions that are intended to feel distinctly local while remaining connected to the broader Asian fashion story.
The Philippines gets a “Red-Carpet Ready” makeover
The rebrand carries particular significance in the Philippines, where Tatler Philippines is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Its 2026 Tatler Most Stylish theme is “Red-Carpet Ready,” with a cohort of 15 personalities drawn from entertainment, business, design, sports and culture.
The Philippine campaign includes names such as Bea Alonzo-Co, Niana Guerrero, Alden Richards, Tim Yap, Angie and Joey Mead King, Rosanna Ocampo and Tati Miranda-Fortuna, among others.
Tatler’s Philippine list also includes Tessa Alindogan, Michael Concepcion and Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez, highlighting the publication’s attempt to broaden the conversation beyond celebrities alone.
The Philippine edition frames style as something that can be expressed through restraint, experimentation, heritage, craftsmanship and individuality — rather than a single definition of glamour.
Singapore puts the spotlight on the “joy” of dressing
Singapore’s edition takes a noticeably different direction.
Its theme, “The Jubilation of Style,” centers on the pleasure of getting dressed and the freedom to experiment.
The 2026 Singapore cohort includes 10 personalities from fields including fashion, film, finance, entrepreneurship, music and the arts. Among them are Fiona Fussi, Desmond Tan, Pat Kraal, Fumi Lee, Opera Tang, Churen Li, Jazz Chong, Salina Chai, Lydea Tan and Amanda Leong.
Rather than presenting them as a ranking, Tatler describes the honourees as people who understand clothing as an extension of personality and character.
Why the rebrand matters
The timing is significant.
Asian designers, celebrities, creatives and cultural figures have become increasingly visible in global fashion conversations, while Asian luxury markets and regional fashion industries continue to gain international attention.
Tatler’s rebrand reflects that changing environment by treating Asian identity itself as part of the fashion conversation, rather than simply measuring Asian personalities against Western standards of style.
The publication’s new positioning is therefore less about answering:
“Who is best dressed?”
And more about asking:
“What does style say about the person — and the culture — behind the clothes?”
A curated cohort instead of a traditional ranking
Another important distinction is that Tatler says the new platform is not intended to function as a conventional ranking.
Its language focuses on a curated group of “icons, rule-breakers and tastemakers” whose personal style is presented as an extension of their identity.
That means the 2026 project is closer to an editorial celebration of influence and individuality than a straightforward fashion competition.
This also gives Tatler room to include people from very different industries and backgrounds.
The rollout goes beyond magazine covers
The 2026 initiative isn’t limited to print.
Tatler says the rollout across all eight markets includes regional print covers, refreshed digital features, short-form video films and social-media assets.
The publication has also created a dedicated digital hub featuring the regional honourees, allowing audiences to explore the different interpretations of style across Asia.
That multi-platform strategy is particularly important for a fashion franchise competing for attention in an environment dominated by Instagram, TikTok and creator-driven fashion culture.
The bigger fashion story
Tatler’s move reflects a broader change in how fashion authority is being defined.
Style is increasingly being shaped not only by traditional fashion houses and magazines, but also by artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, creators, cultural figures and regional designers.
The new Tatler Most Stylish format attempts to capture that reality by putting cultural identity and personal expression at the center of its fashion coverage.
And for Asia, the message is particularly clear:
The region isn’t simply participating in the global style conversation anymore. Tatler wants to position Asian tastemakers as part of the group defining it.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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