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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Fashion and Beauty devider From childhood joys to urban dreams, designers chronicle life on the Bench Fashion Week Runway

From childhood joys to urban dreams, designers chronicle life on the Bench Fashion Week Runway

This year's roster of Filipino designers unveiled collections that traced the journey of life—its origins, its present realities, and even its inevitable decay

Published Sep 25, 2025 07:13 am
September is often recognized globally as fashion month, with the world’s gaze turned to the western side of the globe as major houses present their visions for the forthcoming spring-summer season. But in the Philippines, one of the hallmark events Manila’s style set looks forward to is the holiday edition of Bench Fashion Week.
This year, the showcase took place at a new venue, Space at One Ayala, on Sept. 19 and 20, 2025. Its runway welcomed Suyen Corporation’s lifestyle brands along with their newest offerings. Apart from its new location, what made the fashion fest even more special was the unveiling of collections crafted by today’s Filipino fashion designers. Witnessing them gradually revealed on the runway was like seeing one’s life unfold chapter by chapter—from birth and triumphs to today’s realities and even the macabre. These runway moments were a testament to how the clothes we wear are powerful vessels of memory, identity, and imagination—capturing who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re headed next.
Koko Gonzales
Day One of the show featured Koko Gonzales’s debut line for his namesake brand. Dubbed “Collection 01,” it centered on his routine and life in the city, with pieces that celebrate the joy of urban adventure.
Neric Beltran
What followed was Neric Beltran’s “The Other Side” collection. Through it, the designer presented his artistic side, focusing on opulent garments that merge modern silhouettes with 3D floral embellishments.
Human x Hamu
Day Two welcomed Hamu’s Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki in collaboration with clothing brand Human for a collection about adolescence. Their “First Day of My Life” showcased the duo’s signature maximalist style, bringing comfort and character to ready-to-wear.

Daryl Maat
Daryl Maat created a collection that paid homage to the Filipino school birthday party—something he never experienced himself. It was hard not to smile upon seeing his “Kaarawaaannnn” line, which merged his playful take on design with local tapestries.

Bree Esplanada
Bree Esplanada’s “Phantasmagoria” brought dark sophistication to the runway. The designer channeled theatricality and an otherworldly spirit through prints and embroidery. It was eerie yet romantic—like Wednesday Addams wearing a terno.

Jaggy Glarino
“Igno,” Jaggy Glarino’s fourth collection for BFW, was about taking chances in life—a story of provincial people braving the city. Urban elements such as city wires, tattered steel roofs, and vandalism were merged with his penchant for an earthy, natural aesthetic—“honoring those who are still moving, still becoming, and refusing to disappear.”

Bench Workwear
Bench’s latest collection celebrates durability—clothes that are dependable and by your side as you go on with your daily life. Its style codes are derived from the practicality of uniforms and the rugged charm of well-worn pieces, reimagined into designs that feel timeless, versatile, and effortlessly cool.
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