Breaking the fever

Gabbing it up with Bench’s Ben Chan, chief architect Miguel Pastor and marketing manager Dale de la Cruz

PHILIPPINE STAR: Why did you choose to focus on Bench’s underwear line instead of your apparel line? It’s not like people can display their underwear in public.

DALE DE LA CRUZ: Where else can you bring in more than 10,000 people to Araneta Coliseum? (Laughter)

BEN CHAN: We wanted to do something that none of the other underwear brands had ever done yet. And it’s been around for 10 years already, would you believe?

Have you noticed any trends over the past 10 years? Has the underwear been shrinking every year? Has it been retreating from the bellybutton? Going higher in the pwet?

BEN: Definitely it’s been shrinking because we’ve been trying to save on costs. (Laughter).

Hopefully one day we’ll see underwear as thin as dental floss and I’ll be there to cover that show.

MIGUEL PASTOR: Underwear actually follows the fashion of denim, since the low cut has been the in thing, so definitely you wouldn’t want your underwear to be on your bellybutton.

So that’s why you’ve got a smile on your face. But aren’t Pinoys prudish about their underwear?

BEN: At the beginning they were, but now, not so much anymore. In fact, the thong is doing well.

BEN: Oh yeah, it’s selling well among men!

Like a regular guy, I am used to wearing my tidy whiteys. So what’s the appeal of men wearing fashionable printed underwear? It’s not like anybody will ever see them, except for our moms.

BEN: In the ‘70s, we used to wear printed underwear. So every so often it comes back. The fashion then is coming back now. Even the hipster has come back but it’s now called "low rise". During the ‘70s, there was no such thing as low-rise underwear, but the trend then was to expose the underwear, so it’s almost the same thing.

DALE: You’d be surprised. Bench started off with white underwear, then we started coming out with more fashionable undergarments. The market is ready for it already. For example, you know those mesh underwear?

DALE: Yes, men actually buy it because they’re comfortable. And for example now, with the trend towards low-rise denim, you have to complement it with a low-rise underwear otherwise it doesn’t look good if your denim is down there and your underwear is up there.

In other words, your underwear has to be stylish nowadays kasi baka masilipan ka ngayon. I always thought that you had to pull up your low-rise jeans, which was often quite uncomfortable in the crotch area.

What’s the appeal of women of women wearing fashionable underwear? Do they plan to display it anytime soon and what are the show times?

BEN: When something looks sexy, doesn’t it also make you feel sexy? When you see your partner wear something sexy you also find them sexy.

DALE: It makes them feel sexy even when people don’t see it. If they are wearing nicely cut underwear as opposed to what they call lola panties, their confidence level is different.

Unfortunately, we are not always privileged to know this.

DALE: But with the clothing nowadays, like when they’re wearing a hot dress that’s tight you want to avoid that panty line.

DALE: Yup, so we have seamless underwear for that. Or a thong.

Were those the real Village People? I don’t recall the Indian having a pot belly.

BEN: Well, there’s at least one of them who is still original (Laughter)

How do you plan to top this year’s show? Perhaps it’s your turn to model your underwear onstage?

BEN: I’ll think about it (Laughter)

Can I show you how I look like in my underwear? I really need the publicity.

BEN: Dapat T-back ha? (Laughter)

I recognized Ben Chan’s nervous cackle as a cue to audition for the 2008 Underwear show. However, I was courteously, and rather efficiently, ushered out of the Bench headquarters with a press kit and complimentary Bench underwear wrapped tightly around my wrists. Damn, and you could already see my mesh underwear peeking through my low-rise button-fly.

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For comments, suggestions or pictures of me in mesh underwear, please e-mail [email protected] or visit www.rjledesma.com.