LOCAL FASHION SHOW: BENCH FOREVER

Manila, September 9, 2003  (STAR) LOVE LUCY By Lucy Gomez - Sixteen years after this brand first seeped through the local fashion scene, it now is one of the yardsticks of quality ready-to-wear fashion with competitive prices and urban appeal. For me, a good gauge of how well a local brand has grown is when Filipinos (and non-Filipinos alike) offshore know of it. It tickles me no end when friends and relatives who reside offshore request for nothing else but Bench products as the quintessential pasalubong. ‘We can easily get anything here – except Bench.’ ‘When will they open here?’ they always ask.

Richard and I have brought a multitude of Bench products in our travels – ranging from make-up, scents, clothing and accessories. And the happy recipients, almost always, end up buying and ordering even more! Bestsellers and most requested items, in our experience at least, are the men’s and women’s underwear (we have friends who hoard them by the dozen), the lipsticks and glosses, the Overhauled line, and Bench Baby cologne and cream oil in Bubblegum.

That Bench is at the forefront is pretty much a given. The climb has been steady and sure – due maybe in part to Lady Luck but perhaps more really as a result of all the diligence being infused behind the scenes.

Personally though, I feel there is more to it than just that. For behind Bench is a man who is a purveyor of ideals that, nowadays, seem to come few and far between. In the cutthroat world of business, Ben Chan and along with him Virgilio and Nene Lim are three of the nicest, most generous (and shy-est, if I may add) people Manila has ever known. Their keen business sense coupled with their Midas touch is balanced off with warmth, sincerity, and unsullied business ethics. I have always felt and believed that the reason Bench is so blessed is that the Big Guy Up There sees how the people behind it are constantly instruments of blessings to those they meet along life’s way – earth angels, so to speak.

I will not wax poetic about the many people whose lives Ben has touched because being the private, quiet person that he is I can almost see him retreat in a corner and blush out of sheer embarrassment. But here is a man who does not call attention to himself, is loved and respected by his contemporaries – not because it is the politically correct thing to do but because it very simply is what he wants to do, given the kind of person that he is.

And this generous spirit shines through even in the venue of fashion shows. For the second year now, Ben has been liberal enough to let the artistry of other local designers stand out through his show. This was effectively achieved by allowing the chosen designers to manipulate and redefine items of Bench clothing, pool in other elements and as a consequence, convey visually a specific look.

Truth be told, Bench has pioneered this trend of having their clothes redefined – other establishments simply followed suit. But that is not a bad thing. After all, the best form of flattery is imitation, right?

For this year’s Red Series fashion show held at the Glorietta IV Activity Center Patrice Ramos, Mich Dulce, Jojie Lloren, and Randy Ortiz were the featured designers. As you can see in the pictures, all four designers came up with interesting takes on Bench wear. Randy Ortiz’s interpretation had an old-world Spanish charm to it – omen and riding breeches, vests and overcoats for men. Patrice Ramos’ look was more along the lines of Roxy and Velma in the movie Chicago while Jojie Lloren went for the Edwardian look. Mich Dulce’s take was the funkiest – focusing on deconstruction.

We were all made up at the now infamous Oakwood and having just gotten back from Singapore the day before the fashion show, I was anxious over the fact that we were not able to rehearse. While Patrick Rosas was doing my make-up, in walked a sleepy Celine Lopez who sat down beside me, ready for her make-up. After five minutes or so of talking, she confided that she too, was nervous, this being her first time to model. I found an ally in her – two scared "models" in a sea of seemingly confident others was better than one, right? Then I got a bright idea – I remember during last year’s Bench show at Araneta when Michael Salientes was kind enough to make sure we had some champagne to relax and calm our frayed nerves backstage. Boy, the bubbly did help in one way or the other at that time. I was almost sure Celine had her twin martini hidden somewhere in the bag she was toting and it was unsettling to find out she didn’t have her ammo with her. "Maybe I’ll be able to find a quick fix downstairs" she said with a twinkle in her eyes (I later on found out she did, courtesy of Ipe Cruz).

Meanwhile, Ariel Lozada had gone up to explain to each one of us the layout of the stage and exactly where he wanted us to walk, pose, "establish," and finally exit. One would think it would really be just as simple as that (well I guess for professional ramp models it IS a piece of cake) but then there always is that kaba factor to deal with. Everyone has kabog and it only varies in terms of degree and perspective – either you make it work for you or not. Some people get an adrenaline rush and thrive on that, others are very simply just nerve-wrecked. Admittedly, I still belong to the latter. Rehearsals can help take that out a bit but for me nothing beats having to walk down a runway to set your heart really pumping.

Thankfully though, the view behind the scenes is fun and relaxed. Models were dolled up based on the look the designer they were assigned to wanted to achieve. Those under Randy had red lips, Patrice went for smoky eyes, Jojie’s had a theatrical twist to it, Mich went for the grunge look.

Richard had a bad case of cough and colds so he was pretty much half-asleep the whole time. John Prats, Jomari Yllana, and Richard Gutierrez were just lounging around. Kristine Hermosa and Alessandra de Rossi were lightheartedly ribbing each other on who looked better and sexier between the two of them (I’m sure all the boys would agree they both looked equally good, in different ways). They were both assigned to wear the sexiest outfits – and rightfully so. Alex (Alessandra’s pet name) effortlessly provided comic relief, given her spunk and candor. And she was as much a delight onstage as she was off. I think nobody was really fully prepared to discover how sexy she actually is. And Shaina Magdayao, the youngest in the group, seems to just get prettier by the day.

I was charmed to find out that Manila Representative Teddy Boy Locsin, perhaps the cutest congressman we have this side of town, was actually nervous! "But you always speak in front of so many people" I told him. Laughingly he said he would take that anytime over the catwalk. With him was his supportive wife Louie and together they even found time to go down for a quick view of the stage. They came back shortly to say that the stage looked very nice and that people were already starting to get settled in the venue. I told Rep. Locsin that I saw him model a few years back for the Pinoy Pop Culture show and he looked like a natural. And as you can see in the pictures he is a natural – his nice, warm smile successfully conceals whatever nervousness he may have felt during the walk.

Meanwhile, my little Juliana, assigned as the show’s Baby Bench-angel was having a heyday with the hairstylists. She totally loved the Shirley Temple curls she was given courtesy of the curling iron and she was totally excited about donning her white cloud of a gown with matching feathered wings and halo, still by Randy Ortiz. Through all the excitement however, she forget to take her afternoon nap and by the time we traipsed down towards the backstage to await the start of the show, she had been swept off to dreamland. If she was really fast asleep by the time she had to walk onstage, Richard (Gomez) surmised he would just carry her down the ramp.

Given her kikay nature though, I was pretty sure she would be fully awake in time for her very first catwalk ever. True enough when someone whispered in her ear that it was her turn, on cue she opened her eyes and the first thing she did was check if her curls were intact. She even submitted herself obediently for a final prep up before her halo was attached to her hair.

I had to be onstage right before Richard and Juliana and all throughout I was just praying that she would obediently walk out with her daddy as she was supposed to. I was kinda worried because she had just woken up and young as she is, she can be very opinionated at times.

The photo with Richard kneeling beside her was actually the time when he told her not to be scared, to just hold his hand and walk the length of the ramp with him. Of course she conveniently forgot to wave and smile as we told her to before the show but I was just thankful that she had enough courage to amble along, considering that she is very shy. Never mind if she had her arms wrapped around her daddy’s leg the whole time. After the show, she even whispered to me "Again, Mom" and refused to change out of her costume.

Like any little girl she loved her gown so much that even days after, she still would insist on wearing it around the house. I had to sneak out the dress and have it sent to the drycleaners because I feared it would start walking on its own. As for the wings, she insisted on wearing them days later to Ben’s birthday dinner. But she fell asleep in the car so we were able to take them off. Sometimes she comes down the stairs from our bedroom in her houseclothes with, yes, her beloved white wings. I just let her be. I think Tessa Prieto Valdes, whom Juliana is convinced is actually Barbie, has influenced her a lot. Everytime Juliana sees her she looks up at Tessa with eyes and mouth wide open in sheer fascination.

I’ve always been enthralled with big skirts and flowers on the hair so I had fun wear-ing the dress assigned to me for the show. Randy wanted a look that was along the lines of Frida (minus the unibrow, thankfully) and as Patrick arranged two rows of braided hairpieces on top of my head, Marc Nelson and Richard joked that it looked like a dimsum basket. "Where is the siomai" someone else quipped. But with the huge flowers randomly scattered, it looked totally different.

Richard was stuck with riding boots that were not his size and it’s a miracle his toenails were not all dead after the show.

As always, I was amazed at how buffed and fit the models are – Diether Ocampo had the most killer abs. I swear, even when he sits you don’t see an ounce of fat. Wendell Ramos and Antonio Aquitania are equally fit too. I’m also amazed at how well the models can do the catwalk (well, they aren’t models for nothing). Personally though I think Robby Mananquil and Francis Ricafort have the best walk among the male models. They stroll with an easy, masculine, confident stride that doesn’t look contrived. (And Robby, even off the ramp is always very well dressed.) Jon Hall comes off well too in a very manly way. Also among those who modeled were Fix Salon endorsers BJ Manalo, Enrico Villanueva and Rissa Samson and Raya Mananquil who Celine said were kind enough to guide her through the whole process.

The show opened with a visual presentation of the very first Bench ad that won awards in the Ad Congress. With the music Claire de Lune playing in the background Richard is shown rowing into the sunset. Right after that, Juliana’s version of the same ad concept is shown. Both ads, first starring a father and then a daughter, shot within a gap of 12 years.

My favorite portion of the show is hands down the Bench is Forever part.

There was Richard with Juliana, John Prats with Teddy Boy Locsin, Gilda Cordero Fernando with Robby Mananquil and Jon Hall, Diether Ocampo with the legendary Ryan Cayabyab. Rosa Rosal could not be with us busy as she always is with the Red Cross but I’m pretty sure she was with us in thought. The ever-elegant Mary Prieto paired with Shaina Magdayao, was in full support of her Bench family, sitting in the audience.

Trust the wonderful people behind Bench to come up with and kick-off a sentimental campaign series that bridges the gap between generations. Although this year’s show was not as huge as last year’s that had the Araneta Coliseum for a venue, it was nevertheless well-thought of and carefully planned and implemented. Kudos to fashion director Ariel Lozada and stylist Michael Salientes. Credit goes to the many faces of the Bench core group as well, starting with Miguel Pastor, Brian Lim, Jojo Liamson, Douglas Quijano and countless others. Well come to think of it Bench never does anything half-baked anyway. I guess that’s why they are where they are right now.

More than being an established business though, what sets Bench apart is that it is a business with heart. And when it boils down to basics, that is a far more significant and enduring legacy.