Bench Fashion Week Holiday 2023: Meet the designers

Christian Robert “Bigboy” Cheng weaves the elements of art and fashion combined with his ardency for sneakers and streetwear, which prompted him to launch his lifestyle brand, Secret Fresh. The label has transformed from a niche small business into an influential plethora of fashion, art, and pop culture.

His collection is about storytelling and keeping the audience on their toes. Inspired by a blend of passions: basketball, motorsports, contemporary streetwear, the 1990s.

Artist, painter, and muralist BITTO utilises figurative representation, text, and abstractions as a way to deep dive into his narrative. His art features recurring characters who portray experiences in daily existence. He finds inspiration in nature, textiles, Japanese fashion magazines, and his background in illustration. He has collaborated with notable clients such as Nike, GCash, Fjällräven, and WeWork.

His collection has a surge of nostalgia, particularly for the Y2K era. Retrofuturism is restructured with a tone of youthful imagination. The creations have been amplified by a maximalist aesthetic, over-the-top hairstyles, substantial accessories, and bold colours.

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Chris Nick delos Reyes is a Manila-based designer whose eponymous label, established in 2019, is situated on a marriage of sensuality and elegance. He gravitates towards the minimalist and the sleek but is unafraid to venture out of the conventional and into a fine distinction. His work has been featured in Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 and on the covers of 20 magazines.

His collection was inspired by an affinity for pop culture nuances, such as the bygone era of Studio 54 and midcentury nightlife. Past elements integrated into the contemporary era. Three foundational elements: denim, the tuxedo, and the Wild West.

Lucy Torres-Gomez’s latest collaboration with womenswear brand Kashieca is marked by her detailed precision in the creative process. She is determined to make sure every piece meets the needs and desires of contemporary women and continues to flourish in her artistic pursuits.

Her collection is effortless and empowering. A minimal approach to the chic and the feminine, the collection presents pieces women can wear regardless of their lifestyles. 

Lulu Tan-Gan focuses on creating pieces that are able to span generations and exude timeless elegance. In 2007, she embarked on a project of crafting garments using traditional Filipino fabrics such as piña. Her brand is characterised as travel-friendly and contemporary while exuding a soft, feminine style.

Her collection is a delicate fusion of practical wear and Indigenous elements. An ethereal lightness; the fluidity and sheerness of piña, complemented with coarse material. 

Mich Dulce started to rise in fame abroad, training as a milliner and fashion designer at Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, the Fashion Institute of Technology New York, and Ecole Lesage. She was named the British Council’s 2010 International Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year and has been showcased at London and Paris Fashion Week. Her label was first sold globally in 2009, and her creations have been worn by personalities such as Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Anna Dello Russo, and Paris Hilton.

Her collection has layers and drapes accented with her trademark millinery. Latex clothing juxtaposed with simple fabrics. An eco-friendly approach that aligns with her values. Polished rubber and locally sourced piña.

Patrick Rafael Galang unveiled his label, Rafgalang, at Philippine Fashion Week in 2008. The next year, he was a finalist in the second season of Project Runway Philippines. He served as Mega Magazine’s fashion director from 2012 to 2014, and with L’Officiel Manila from 2014 to 2017. 

He focuses on three key elements: reassemble, reengineer, and repurpose. His label maintains its identity as a contemporary brand that generates a specific image of meticulously designed formulation emphasising structure, form, and function.

His collection restructures suits and military attire, reshaping traditional men’s blazers with functional women’s garments. A subdued ambience is highlighted by materials such as denim, canvas, twill, wool, and leather.

Renz Reyes initially trained as a graphic designer and illustrator before foraying into the field of fashion design. In 2018, he was bestowed the grand prize at the Bench Design Awards. He has had the opportunity to showcase at Amazon Tokyo Fashion Week for the spring/summer 2019 season and earned recognition from Vogue Runway. He focuses on embroidery and textile design and has been featured in local and international publications. 

Inspired by a fascination with vegetation and plants, his collection blends the hyper-masculine and the hyper-feminine. It subverts the conventions of the gender binary, by having playful femininity with an artisanal edge. 

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