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Multi-hyphenate Lucy Torres-Gomez effortlessly exudes grace in her various roles. Be it as a public servant of her hometown Ormoc, as a business owner of the online lifestyle store Topiary and now, as a fashion designer anew.
In 2022, Torres showcased an array of essential closet pieces from her previous collaboration collection with Kashieca on the Bench Fashion Week (BFW) runway.
The collection reflected Torres' approach to fashion: beautiful but still comfortable and practical.
From the success of her runway debut, Torres returns this year as one of the participating designers of Bench Fashion Week Holiday 2023.
Her reunion collaboration with womenswear brand Kashieca showcases an empowering collection of effortless day-to-day clothing pieces that women can wear regardless of their individual lifestyles and any occasion. The collection includes tops, wrap dresses, skirts, and bottoms, all featuring a minimal design approach woven with chic, feminine embroideries and sleek elements.
Happening from September 22 to 24 at The Playground, The Bench Tower in BGC, Taguig City, the fashion event will showcase their latest collections and collaborations with Suyen Corporation's local and foreign brands.
The latest edition of BFW will emphasize the colorful and vibrant spirit of the holiday season with the newest designer collections.
Besides Torres, BFW Holiday 2023 will also showcase exciting collections and collaborations from some of the Philippines' esteemed designers and artistic talents in the local fashion scene, as listed below.
Lulu Tan-Gan. The artist's brand concept and distinctiveness, characterized as “travel-friendly and contemporary,” have consistently thrived through innovative applications of piña. She has demonstrated that this fundamental material can exude luxury and offer a soft and Bohemian style, all unlined and amenable to hand laundering.
Tan-Gan's Indigenous Couture Collection draws inspiration from the delicate fusion of practical wear and Southern tribal elements. It boasts pieces that showcase the ethereal lightness, fluidity, and featherweight sheerness of piña, complemented with coarser and cruder materials.
Renz Reyes.The artist's earnest passion for the arts has paved the way for various opportunities in the field of design. In 2018, Reyes had the chance to showcase his collection at Amazon Tokyo Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2019, which was reviewed by “Vogue Runway.” With a focus on embroidery and textile design as his métier, he has been providing services to various brands, and his works have been featured in various local and international publications.
At BFW 2023, Reyes will present “Hortitorture,” a contemporary womenswear collection with interwoven menswear elements. The name is a fusion of “horticulture” and “torture,” which permeates his designs through images depicting the cultivation of vegetation and plants. He aims to showcase hyper-feminine and hyper-masculine elements in the clothes while subverting the conventions of gender binary.
Abdul Gaffar. Hailing from Iligan City, Abdul Gaffar is a Maranao designer who completed his dressmaking and fashion designing studies at Slim's Fashion and Arts School in 2015.
Gaffar's collection is a fusion of Filipiniana styles with tailoring aesthetics, incorporating elements evocative of the Maranaos of Mindanao. Locally woven materials, such as jusi or piña, typically used in barong, are paired with suiting materials to achieve a more contemporary look. The langkit, okir, landap, or malong motifs from the Maranaos also inspire the collection's details and overall appearance.
Raf Galang.This artist began his career as a fashion designer and stylist in 2006. He unveiled his eponymous label, Rafglang, at Philippine Fashion Week in 2008.
Rafglang's second collection, named “No. 2,” serves as a comprehensive exploration of suits and military attire. This collection brings about a transformation of traditional men's tailored blazers and tactical trousers, reshaping them into a collection of functional women's garments crafted from materials like denim, canvas, twill, wool, and leather.
Chris Nick. This Manila-based fashion designer's creations have graced numerous fashion shows, notably the LA Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023.
Delos Reyes firmly believes that garments must not overshadow the wearer and, therefore, gravitates towards minimalistic and sleek designs, favoring his favorite attire: the tuxedo.
For this iteration of BFW, delos Reyes zooms in on three foundational aspects of his design philosophy: denim, the tuxedo, and western influences, often associated with the cowboy genre.
Mich Dulce. The British-trained milliner is known for creating modern hats and headpieces using sustainable Filipino materials and traditional European techniques. Her Mich Dulce label, launched in 2009, is sold globally and has been featured in 16 cities across four continents. Notable personalities, including Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, have worn her designs.
Dulce makes her return to clothing with her first fashion show in 15 years at Bench Fashion Week Holiday 2023, following more than a decade of focusing on millinery and corsetry.
Drawing from her fascination with the Amish and their dress codes, Dulce employs a neutral palette and simple fabrics. These come to life through layers and drapes, complemented by her distinctive millinery made from T'nalak source1d from South Cotabato.
Additionally, this collection introduces latex clothing into her repertoire, aligning with her values of sustainability. The juxtaposition of polished rubber and locally source1d piña fabric showcases her voluminous and feminine approach to design.
Bitto. The artist, painter, and muralist has a background in illustration and design. He employs graphic, figurative representation, text, and abstractions to delve into personal narratives.
Bitto's showcased collaboration collection with Bench captures a surge of nostalgia evoked by the Y2K era at the outset of a vibrant new decade. Its overarching aesthetics center around the notion of retrofuturism, imbuing it with a youthful and audacious imagination. Bitto's creations will be enhanced by elaborate and vibrant hairstyles, glistening attire, substantial accessories and footwear, alongside striking colors that boldly juxtapose with other garments.
Bigboy Cheng (Secret Fresh). Christian Robert “Bigboy,” known for his ultra-rare collections of sneakers and streetwear, is a master in weaving the varied elements of art and the intricate aspects of fashion, as evident in his lifestyle brand Secret Fresh.
For this season of BFW, Secret Fresh will showcase fresh styles of apparel, accessories, and everything in between that are unique yet designed for everyone. Secret Fresh has transformed from being a brand with a niche toy market to an influential hub for fashion, art, and pop culture.
In addition to the collections of these designers and collaborators, BFW Holiday 2023 will also showcase the latest collections from other Suyen brands, such as Urban Revivo, American Eagle Outfitters, MLB, and HUMAN.
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