What does the future of Philippine fashion design look like?
It will be a first-person statement the honesty and intensity of which Philippine fashion design hasn’t seen in its relatively short history. This means the budding designers, through fashion, express themselves so honestly and fiercely: their angst and aspirations, their fear and hope. They’re so in the moment, yet attempting to escape.
This was so palpable in the Bench Design Awards 2025 over the weekend, where the winner Karl Nadales whose collection was inspired by migration caused by various factors—whether political upheaval, the pursuit of greater opportunities, or personal aspirations. Runner-up Peach Garde was inspired by beach escapade.
Such thought inspirations must been born not so much of the times, as of the tendency of this generation to always look beyond the here and now. Why? Just because they can. They are nomads of the mind and spirit. They are not anchored on a place or mindset.
Their designs prove it—they can mix and match tradition and innovation, junk the classics and rules, deconstruct and reconstruct.
The fourth edition of Bench Design Awards became their grand platform. The collections were presented last Sunday April 27 at Bench Tower. Bench Design Awards collections embody the zeitgeist of this century.
The Philippines’ leading fashion and lifestyle brand, Bench continues to be a game changer in design and fashion. The Bench Design Awards, now on its fourth year, is a competition that aims to scout and showcase emerging Filipino designers. This year it drew close to a hundred participants from all over the country, whittled down to 24, then 12. And the top three winners emerged from them.
This year’s the esteemed panel of jurors was led by Ben Chan, chairman and CEO of Suyen Corporation, and composed of Kaoru Imajo, director of Japan Fashion Week Organization; Mihara Yasuhiro, designer of Maison Miharayasuhiro; fashion stylist Michael Salientes, and leading designers Dennis Lustico and Joey Samson. The winners will present their collections at Tokyo Fashion Week later this year.
“The process of selecting from among so many talented designers and creative visionaries was both exciting and challenging. Each entry had something unique to offer, and we kept in mind that those who rose to the top would have the opportunity for increased visibility in both the local and international fashion scenes,” says Ben Chan.
The 12 finalists showcased eight notable designs from their collections during the Jury Night of the competition last April 27.
Main winner Karl Nadales was a scholar of the Fashion Arts and Business (FAB) program at FAB Creatives. Now an apprentice of a leading designer, Nadales, in designing his collection, mines the memory, emotion, and meaning. He wants garments that invite people to feel, not just wear.
His collection explores how life and art are deeply influenced by migration that becomes a catalyst for reflection.
Runner-up Peach Garde is the designer and creative director of his brand, Peach Garde. He is also an instructor at Iloilo Science and Technology University. Garde’s style is minimal, clean, and pure. As an artisanal designer focused on tailoring, he has a Fashion Design and Merchandising degree, completed a British Bespoke Tailoring course at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School.
Garde’s street ready-to-wear collection tells the story of a spontaneous beach escapade—an imagined group of friends returning from a quick beach jaunt. They are set not for a swim but an outing.
Garde deconstructed details, worn inside-out, intentionally mismatched. His sea imagery consisted of the movement of waves, corals as book-leaf details, and jellyfish hand-embroidered, with the use of drawstrings to create movement and fluidity.
Garde captures the spirit of today’s youth—escape and fun.
Steph Veranno
Runner-up Steph Veranno creates contemporary women’s wear in both a cerebral and intuitive manner through her brand, “STEPHVERANO.” While her designs often explore the female form, her work can be worn by all. She has a diverse portfolio of menswear, unisex footwear, and beyond. An alumna of ESMOD Paris, she has developed a refined global perspective.
Her collection was inspired by vintage photographs of fisherfolk, capturing the raw, authentic spirit of coastal life. It has a muted, nostalgic palette dominated by shades of gray and brown, bringing to mind the images of weathered docks and worn garments. Black-and-white accents evoke the stark contrasts of old photographs; eye-grabbing touches of red, mustard, and silver add warmth and modernity, hinting at sun-soaked boats, worn-out nets, and glints of metal from fishing tools.
Her aesthetic pays homage to a hardworking sea folk, their wind-swept landscape, the salty waters—but through a contemporary lens.
