The World of Ben Chan: This visionary in Philippine retail recalls the significant milestones of Bench

The oft-told story begins in a men’s t-shirt store in SM Makati Mall. “When I started Bench, my primary goal was simple: to present the market with stylish clothing essentials that they could wear anytime, anywhere,” Chan tells Tatler. The graduate of interior design from San Francisco’s Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design didn’t have to look far and wide to choose a career path. He comes from a family of successful business people. His parents built the starch brand Liwayway, while brothers Manuel and Carlos went into food manufacturing with the brand Oishi. Both brands are household names. “My parents sparked my interest in starting a business. It seemed like a natural course for me and my siblings to start businesses of our own,” he agrees.

Chan actually started in home furniture with the store called Dimensione and in art with the gallery called Finale. But younger sister Nenita, who was then running a successful children’s boutique named Suyen after her daughter, suggested that her brother get into fashion. She tells Tatler: “I’ve always known he has an incredible eye for design. From a young age, he was constantly creating and reimagining things, turning the ordinary into something beautiful. [I knew he’d make it in fashion] especially seeing how passionate and meticulous he was with every project, no matter how small. For him, design wasn’t just a hobby—it was something he truly loved and excelled at.”

Apart from his innate talent, Chan entered the design market confident to become a player because he was well armed. He not only had a design degree to show, his early work experience taught him lessons helpful in ensuring success. He says: “This [confidence] was based on the business exposure that I’ve learnt from my parents, design studies in the US and work experience in Japan. Thirty-seven years of Bench is a gift, but also a product of a lot of passion and hard work.”

The confidence, passion and hard work paid off, clearly, and according to Chan, “there were several indicators” of success. But the first crystal-clear sign was the A Day in a Sculler’s Life TV commercial.

Now, who can forget the tall, dark and handsome Richard Gomez clad in a simple white tank top giving a glimpse of the word BENCH in front as he rows a scull with Clair de lune playing in the background? Your gaze is enrapt, your breath is on hold until the last slide which shows the five-letter word of the brand again. All in 30 seconds.

“That ad made waves and earned recognition in the advertising world [Award of Excellence in Cinematography from the 11th Ad Congress in Bacolod]. Bench became more than just a household name—it became part of the Filipino lifestyle. We were invited to open in many different malls and received many interests for franchises,” Chan recalls.

It indeed has come a long way since it sold its first men’s t-shirt in 1987. Today Bench boasts over 1,000 products, from clothing to scents, wallets to shades, hair care to pet care, hats to sandals and, as the King of Siam says, “Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera”. To date, its stores number 601 in key cities nationwide. It has ventured into the international market with stores in the United States, Middle East and China.

The phenomenal success of Bench is, unarguably, the doings of the head honcho. The only bone of contention could be (but shouldn’t matter, really) whether this very sharp business acumen is inherent or not. “I believe it’s a mix of both,” Chan answers. “I’ve always had strong instincts, like knowing when to take risks. I’ve been brave enough to follow it, but also resilient enough to adjust and learn from both my successes and failures. As the old adage goes, ‘Experience is the best teacher’, and I’ve realised it’s important that I stay curious, listen to different points of view and adapt to market changes and behaviours.”

Such openness redounds to his management style which he describes as “collaborative”. Totally unexpected from someone who keeps his smile closer to his chest rather than his lips. And yet, the way he interacts with his staff, reservedly but not with perceived stiffness, attests to his words: “I enjoy working on projects that require input from different creatives, and I encourage my teams to do the same. I emphasise the importance of trying new things, and prioritising collaboration as a core value in the company.” 

More observations come from the sister who has been Chan’s confidant and biggest supporter. “Ben’s success is rooted in his unwavering passion for everything he does. He pours his heart into every project, whether it’s a major campaign or working to improve different aspects of the company. When challenges arise, he doesn’t back down. Instead, he faces them head-on with remarkable energy and well-thought-out solutions,” says Nenita, who adds, “He is also a very caring and thoughtful brother to me.”

No matter how prepared Chan was, Bench was not spared of the challenges that Lim mentioned.

“Absolutely, globalisation was a big challenge for a local business like ours,” Chan shares. “The entry of bigger foreign brands more than a decade ago with global marketing budgets and stronger supply chains was a challenge for local entrepreneurs like us. This pushed us to continuously improve and innovate our products, services and systems. We were fortunate that our resiliency prepared us for the surge of e-commerce where the rest of the world becomes a competition.”

The pandemic posed another challenge as well but it also provided an opportunity for Chan’s adaptivity, creativity and innovativeness to shine forth. The brand increased its production of sanitising essentials such as hand sanitisers, disinfectant sprays and wipes. 

With the proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention” at work in the two years of Covid-19, the essential clothing collection Bench Everyday was also born. And as the quarantined market got hooked on Korean drama, Chan chose KPop groups and stars such as Hyun Bin, Kim Soo-hyun, Wi Ha-jun, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Seon-ho and Ahn Yeo-seop for his international endorsers.

Amidst collaborations with other brands, Chan brought forth his fashion conscience. For social responsibility, he developed the BETTERMADE line which features clothes recycled from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles. And for culture, he collaborated with CCP in the now major fashion competition promoting the national dress terno especially among the younger market who would otherwise be detached.

If this long recitation proves that BC is busy, it has just skimmed the surface. As Chan explains, “The business of fashion and lifestyle is so dynamic; there is always something new to be inspired from: whether it’s a street sign from a city I visit, design exhibits, old and new books, or the many talented artists who I meet, inspire me, work and collaborate with. They all continue to fuel my passion and drive to keep improving the business.”

At 37, Bench is not slowing down. Its busy brand master is tizzy with plans going on in his head. He gives a sneak peek: “A new headquarters designed by Foster and Partners. The biggest live fashion show in the country. Design competitions. New publications.”

This only means the market can anticipate exciting years ahead. Who knows? Another trendsetting lifestyle look may just be lurking around the corner of Chan’s hyper active mind. And perchance, a big smile may not be far behind. 

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