True to its DNA as one of the country’s leading home-grown lifestyle brands, Bench, as well as offshoot brands Human and Kashieca, has fully embraced the new normal with a recent online fashion show featuring its holiday collections worn by some of the country’s hottest celebrities.
Known for staging fun, cutting-edge and sometimes lavish “fashion weeks” in the past, Bench and its sibling brands, in keeping with existing health protocols, invited guests, including members of the media and its countless patrons, to view its pre-recorded shows online instead. Those directly involved in the production, including models, reportedly underwent constant testing. Only those who came out negative were allowed to interact within what is now described as work “bubbles” to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19.
Hosted by lifestyle editor Anton San Diego and model Michelle Dee, each of the three segments of the online presentation were preceded by brief discussions on current issues on lifestyle and fashion from invited panelists via Zoom. Panelists included Bea Alonzo, Millet Mananquil, Peewee Isidro, Tim Yap, Robby Carmona, Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and Ara Arida.
The presentation of short films on fashion is in step with the digital fashion shows that have become de rigueur for major clothing brands, including Bench, all over the world, according to a Bench press statement. The move basically took the exclusive fashion show format to a new platform and made it accessible to anyone in the world with internet access.
“We decided to create the digital fashion show in lieu of the in-person event because during times like this, we need to bring something new, something fresh through new avenues that people have access to,” said a spokesperson for the Bench Fashion Week team.
“We can still gather with our guests, albeit online, to celebrate fashion. We decided to create this new iteration of Bench Fashion Week on a digital platform to signal that we are still here, we are ready and running and we can serve your needs in style.”
Androgyny as theme
Human’s holiday collection plays on the theme “androgyny,” as seen in the brand’s genderless looks and unisex ensembles. As expected, the collection, in keeping with the youth-oriented brand’s reason for being when it was established in 1999, draws a greet deal of inspiration from street fashion with added emphasis on freedom of expression and experimentation.
Bea’s choice
Kashieca distilled the essence of the French’s je ne sais quoi and the Italians’ la dolce vita to come up with versatile, easy-to-wear pieces, keeping in mind women’s need for more lounge-y and comfy pieces while going on their endless Zoom meetings. At the same time, Kashieca’s in-house designers were mindful of their market’s desire to look chic whether in person or on screen.
The brand, which features the award-winning and still very popular Bea as its longtime endorser, played around three distinct themes for its current collection: prints on prints, waves and smart textures. Prime examples are houndstooth layered on abstract prints, velvets matched with ruffles and silks mingling with knits.
Tomo and the terno
Japanese designer Tomo Koizumi, again through a previously produced segment, came up with his version of the terno, which he exclusively designed for Bench. The Tokyo-based rising star made his international debut in New York Fashion Week some years back.
Two of his creations were also exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of New York. He also came from a triumphant exhibit in Sao Paolo, a finalist recognition from the LVMH Prize in Paris, and a collaboration with Italian brand Pucci & the brand Sacai to be launched in February 2021.
Bench as the finale
Still one of the country’s most popular and iconic fast-fashion brands, Bench presented a collection described by insiders as a “mashup between preppy and street.”
Such inspiration came in the form of baseball jackets, plaid skirts and denim coats mixed with edgy street staples like hoodies and joggers as worn by celebrities Maine Mendoza, Ruru Madrid, Paul Salas, Gil Cuerva, Kelley Day and Ricci Rivero, among others.
The iconic Bench t-shirt also gets a design update via a collaboration with Secret Fresh and DJ, toy collector and “cool kid” Big Boy Cheng.
