Heart Evangelista shines at Max Mara Shanghai celebration

Heart Evangelista shines at Max Mara Shanghai celebration

GMA Lifestyle
10 July 2026

Heart Evangelista is truly living up to her reputation as a global fashion and style icon as she makes a splash at a fashion event in Asia before making her way to France for Paris Fashion Week.

While Heart is currently attending multiple fashion shows in France for Paris Fashion Week, she was already the star of the show at the Max Mara 75th anniversary celebrations held in Shanghai. In the Reel, Heart lauded Max Mara's 75-year history, noting that “they have never failed with everything that they have done.”

“It's such a vibe. It's celebrating 75 years of Max Mara…they have never failed with everything that they have done,” she said. “You can see with their archival pieces how they've touched culture. They have continued to evolve, stay classic but adapt to the times.”

Heart further emphasized her point by writing in the caption: “A collection inspired by the future, presented in a city that never stops evolving.”

Heart's presence at the 25th Max Mara anniversary celebrations was just a prelude to her actually meeting the label's current fashion director and coordinator. She recently posted multiple photos of her with designer Laura Lusuardi, writing in the caption to the post that meeting Laura Lusuardi was a lovely moment.

Aside from Laura Lusuardi, Heart has met multiple prominent names in fashion over several years. Back in February, Heart was personally invited by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand to attend the princess' fashion show.

Heart was also invited to the KRAAM International Symposium 2025: Hands Across Culture event in November last year. The KRAAM International Symposium is a project by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand to connect Thai weavers with international experts to advance traditional Kraam or indigo fabric products.

Another designer Heart frequently works with is Italian designer Giambattista Valli, who she has been working with as far back as 2023. Back then, she posted a couple of photos of her with him and wrote in the caption that there is “something exciting happening soon”. She also wrote that she had a “sweet afternoon” with the then 57-year-old ready-to-wear and haute couture designer.

Manila Is the World's Top Luxury Real Estate Market

Manila Is the World's Top Luxury Real Estate Market, Says Report

Story by Currie Cator 
Esquire Philippines
10 June 2024

Isn't it ironic that the Philippines is becoming more appreciative of luxury properties when many Filipinos still do not have their own homes? However, as this report from global property consultant Knight Frank reveals, Manila has become the fastest-growing high-end real estate market in the world, unseating Dubai. 

Makati City daytime

Makati City nighttime

Manila recorded 26.3 percent of annual price gains in luxury residential properties last year, the highest of all 100 markets analyzed in the report. Dubai, previously the frontrunner, slipped to second place, with a price growth of 15.9 percent. The Bahamas followed with 15 percent; while the Algarve in Portugal and Cape Town in South Africa saw prices jumping by 12.3 percent, rounding up the top five.

Overall, luxury residential markets still came out a bit stronger than expected, even while facing significant headwinds like the nonstop interest rate hikes and the rising living costs globally. Across the 100 markets tracked by Knight Frank, 80 recorded flat or positive annual growth in 2023, with luxury prices going up by 3.1 percent on average. This was regarded as "a solid gain."

"Stock markets were heading for more pain; inflation was veering out of control; and the pandemic-fueled property boom was set to end in tears, as borrowing costs hit 15-year highs in some markets," Kate Everett-Allen, head of international residential and country research at Knight Frank, said in the report. "However, that never happened. We’ve seen a much softer landing in terms of price performance around the world."

The Asia-Pacific region emerged as the strongest-performing region across the globe, with annual luxury prices increasing by 3.8 percent. Joining Manila in the top five markets with rapidly growing price gains are Mumbai, Shanghai, Seoul, and Auckland. According to the report, the Asia-Pacific may be seeing more wealth than any other region in the years leading to 2028, with Chinese investors and the Japanese real estate at the forefront.

Knight Frank, headquartered in London, prides itself as one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. Through its yearly wealth report, it provides insights on prime property markets, global wealth distribution, threats and opportunities for wealth, commercial property investments, and luxury spending trends.

Manila improves ranking in Global Green Finance Index

Manila jumps five spots in Global Green Finance Index

BusinessWorld
24 April 2024

MANILA moved up five spots in the latest ranking of financial centers based on their green finance performance, according to London-based think tank Z/Yen Group.

In the 13th edition of the Global Green Finance Index (GGFI), Manila ranked 69th out of 96 financial centers. This was better than its 74th ranking in the previous edition.

The Philippine capital rose five spots in the Global Green Finance Index. An aerial view shows the Ortigas business district in Pasig City, June 10, 2022. -- Reuters

Manila’s rating also increased to 573 from 536 previously.

The index utilizes quantitative measures and survey of finance professionals’ assessments on the quality and depth of green finance products in financial centers.

“There appears to be strong confidence in the development of green finance in financial centers, with every center’s rating in the index moving up in this edition, and the average rating up 4.21% compared with GGFI 12,” according to the report.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines lagged behind its neighbors and ranked 18th overall. Singapore was the top performer in the region, followed by Seoul, Sydney, Shenzhen and Shanghai.

“Almost all centers in the region fell in the rankings, with only Singapore, Guangzhou, Manila, and Bangkok improving,” the report said.

Among select East and Southeast Asian cities, the Philippines ranked 14 out of 15 financial centers.

Overall, London ranked first in the index. This was followed by Geneva, Zurich, New York, Singapore, Luxembourg, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Stockholm and Montreal.

“The centers which perform well in the GGFI continue to be places that are committed to environmental development across the economy as well as directly in finance, and in building their skills for green finance for the future,” the report said.

Respondents cited energy efficient investment, disinvestment from fossil fuels and green insurance as areas of green finance with the “most impact.”

“Risk management frameworks, international initiatives, and renewables are listed by respondents as the major drivers of green finance,” it added.

Respondents identified factors that most affect the uptake of green finance, such as regulatory environment, availability of skills and taxation, among others.

Among the interesting initiatives in green finance cited by respondents include biogas, sustainability-linked bonds, carbon credit exchange platforms, green and sustainable finance taxonomies, green insurance, blended finance and utilization linked finance.

The Philippine government has been looking for ways to promote sustainable and green finance.

In February, the Monetary Board approved the sustainable finance taxonomy guidelines which aim to “advance sustainable finance in the country.” It serves as a tool to classify whether an economic activity is environmentally and socially sustainable.

The Philippine central bank also approved in December the gradual reduction in the reserve requirement rate for green, social, sustainability and other sustainable bonds to encourage banks to extend more loans for green pro-jects. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson