Bench, Human and Kashieca combine sex and celebrity for winning formula
STICKING TO A TRIED-and-tested formula that has made it one of the country’s leading mass-market brands, Bench, with kindred labels Human and Kashieca, mixed fashion with just the right dose of sex and celebrity to delight weekend shoppers at the recently concluded Philippine Fashion Week.

With SM Mall of Asia’s atrium venue, Bench and company paraded some of their hottest celebrity endorsers— Gerald Anderson, Kim Chiu, Dingdong Dantes, Coco Martin, Enchong Dee, Isabel Daza and Jake Cuenca— wearing the brands’ holiday and Spring-Summer collections.

They were joined by Bench icons Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres and a cast of hundreds, including Inquirer Lifestyle’s Tessa Prieto-Valdes, comedienne Elizabeth Ramsey and model-turned-celebrity Wilma Doesnt.

The three brands offered a good mix of wearable separates, including Bench’s top-selling Overhauled jeans, Human’s statement tees and cardigans, and Kashieca’s versatile cotton jersey blouses and dresses.

But rubbernecks would have to wait for Bench’s biennial flesh-on-parade next year at the Big Dome. People behind the show were careful not to cross the line—not a single model was in undies. Girls revealed a little cleavage and ample legs, while hard-bodied guys in Bench jeans stripped to their waists.

Stylist Noel Manapat, with designers Joey Samson, Bryan Leyva and Dennis Celestial, gave each suite unique Filipino touches by combining everyday wear with malongs, barongs and huge tulle skirts.

Manapat’s add-ons included single terno sleeves and faux embroidered shirts mimicking the barong. Apart from new pieces, Samson reworked some old Bench items to produce appliquéd jackets.

As usual, the affair was a crude gauge of a star’s popularity. Cuenca, Martin and Dantes had their share of admirers, but the loudest cheers were for Chiu and Anderson, Tinseltown’s love team of the season.

Few can perhaps come close to Ben Chan, head honcho of Suyen Corp., when it comes to spotting diamonds in the rough. Chiu and Anderson signed up as endorsers even before they became household names.

Sometimes a good product isn’t everything, especially in a show-biz-obsessed country like the Philippines. By regularly tapping the right celebrity endorsers, established brands like Bench can keep a fickle public interested and the cash rolling in.