Tokyo-bound design winners tell stories

As summer sizzles in Manila, fashionistas of all persuasions eagerly await the annual Bench Fashion Week where both established brands and the next wave of breakthrough designers showcase what’s new and what’s hot. And never mind the sweltering heat, so anticipated are the shows that way before the doors open, a long line of attendees is already snaking around the Bench Tower in BGC. Dressed in every conceivable look under the sun, the invited guests are themselves an eye-catching fashion spectacle.

The Bench Fashion Awards were true to form, a vehicle and opportunity for new and young talent, opening doors that boosted the careers of past winners like Jaggy Glarino, Jenni Contreras and Antonina Amoncio. From a hundred aspiring designers, the competitors were whittled down to the 12 who presented their collections last Sunday to a panel of jurors that included Suyen Corporation chairman Ben Chan, fashion stylist and creative consultant Michael Salientes, designers Joey Samson and Dennis Lustico; Kaoru Imajo, director of the Japan Fashion Week Organization and Mihara Yasuhiro, creative director of Maison Mihara Yasuhiro. The three designers they selected would not only receive a cash prize of P200,000 each but also get the chance to present their collections at the Tokyo Fashion Week in September. Naturally, airfare and hotel accommodations are part of the prize.

As we sat on the edge of our benches, we could imagine how difficult a job this was for the judges because all 12 finalists were uniquely outstanding. 

It was possibly our crazy summer weather that had at least two of the winners, Steph Verano and Peter Gagula, focused on aspects of the sea. Steph Verano of the eponymous label Stephverano said, “I started looking at vintage photos of fisherfolk, it didn’t matter what culture. From there it evolved to looking at present-time images of people who love to fish. It’s interesting to look at the volumes and the shapes.

“In the beginning, the cultures I looked into were European, so when they fish, the clothes are for cold weather. The volumes were big, round. Then I started looking at the utility aspect of the clothing like pockets, structures and then textures as well for the knits and the equipment they use while fishing.” Steph’s elegant lines, even while depicting fisherfolk, surely caught the judge’s attention with her trademark quilting, grommets and the different possible ways to fasten pieces together.

Peter Gagula, the designer behind Peach Garde, also looked to the sea for inspiration.

“My collection tells a story of a quick beach escapade,” he pointed out. “I imagine a young group of friends who came from a short excursion from the beach. The title is Sea-scape, inspired by the waves of the sea and the beautiful movements of the jelly fish.” His love of tailoring is evident in book-leaf details meant to mimic corals while hand-embroidered jellyfish have cascading drawstrings to reflect their movement. The blues and beiges are the color of sea and sand. Incidentally, Peter is also the recent winner of the TernoCon competition.

Finalist Vin Orias, creative director of Orias, presented a collection “that connects to everyday living considering we live in a tropical setup. It has textures of the sand and of the sea, with breathability.” 

Still another finalist, Sandro de la Pena, was inspired by the nautilus, a living fossil that has existed for 500 million years and his collection is a play on linear forms and textures.

Other finalists focused on memories, nostalgia, and personal journeys including winner Karl Mark Nadales, who studied under the Fashion Arts and Business (FAB) Program at FAB Creatives. “This collection, A-17, is about life and artistic expression that is deeply influenced by migration,” he said. “Each journey brings about unique challenges and insights with memories of the past.”

Renee de Guzman’s Something Found collection revolved around found objects that relate to personal stories and she used keys to embellish her fashion pieces. Marc Carcillar took his inspiration from growing up with a twin brother and named his collection (Un)identical, featuring neutrals and modular pieces with a tinge of red, even using a rust dye. In Jorem Biadoma’s To Fold and Unfold, he aimed to “show how we are able to adapt and cope with our daily lives.” His versatile pieces were inspired by architecture and the art of folding in dramatic black and red with origami-inspired elements.

Daryl Tejano’s collection entitled Umbra, or shadow, delved deep into the complexity of human experience. “It is a tribute to anyone who felt lost but found themselves through adversity,” he explained. Like shadows, his collection was in black and used plaids, pads and what looked like high glass PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material.

Gil Salazar’s Bulaklak sa Laylayan, or Bulaklayan for short, was the one collection that focused mainly on sustainability, using materials from plastic waste and retasos. “I researched and found that flowers can bloom and grow in landfills,” he says. “I want to inspire people that art can be created from nothing.”

A bright and playful break was provided by Andrei Plaus, whose Fever Dreams Inc. is a “made-up company based in a faraway galaxy, the uniform of the workers there is colorful, quirky fun.” He added that he used a flatbed domestic knitting machine. He said, “I am one of the few knitting machine operators in the Philippines.” The models were inspired by the bright colors and fun shapes to literally dance down the catwalk.

Alser Lumasag also took inspiration from his work, having spent eight years with a government bank. His clothes, while not strictly for office, were inspired not just by corporate wear but the objects found in an office, such as paper clips, note pads and carton boxes.

If there could only have been a way to send all 12 Bench Design Awards finalists to Tokyo in September, the Japanese would have had a real treat in viewing these excellent collections, well-conceived and flawlessly executed, mirroring a wide range of human experiences. What Steph Verano, Peter Gagula and Karl Nadales will be presenting is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Pinoy fashion talent, who can be inspired by hot weather and tropical islands, stories of migration and memory, tales of resilience and personal triumphs over adversity. In our view, all 12 finalists are winners, and the exposure and opportunities afforded by Bench Fashion Awards will surely propel all 12 towards their respective fashion destinies.