It happened over one dinner. Two Filipinos catching up between fits of hearty laughter in New York City, Ben Chan and Rafe Totengco — the former, the brains behind Filipino retail giant Bench, embarking on a stateside expansion starting at New York Fashion Week spring/summer 2017; the latter a Filipino designer with beginnings in Bacolod City and Manila, designing clothes that grew his namesake line of award-winning accessories RAFE New York in 1997. The CFDA member has since become a household name with an it-girl following to boot — Olivia Palermo and Kate Bosworth, or our very own Geena Rocero and reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, to name a few.
Totengco left the motherland in 1989 to chase his fashion dreams and he did get what he came for but found something far more valuable: he found himself. He has called New York his home since but in his colorful bags, quirky clutches and precious minaudieres we see him honoring his heritage, harking back to his childhood in Bacolod City, mixing buttery Italian leather with watersnake and mother-of-pearl shell into pieces inspired, sourced and made by Filipino artisans in the Philippines, turning them into covetable items appealing to international style sensibilities. He now stays in North Fork in Long Island to decompress from the Manhattan hustle and bustle.
So when Chan brought up a proposal to collaborate for a capsule collection, Totengco agreed in a heartbeat. “I’ve been impressed with the execution of previous designer collaborations with Bench, so agreeing to do it was a no-brainer for me,” he says.
This isn’t Totengco’s first foray into a capsule collaboration with a mass retailer. He did a line for Target in 2005, the first of its kind at the time. RAFE x Bench represents something more. It is Totengco coming home — and coming full circle.
RAFE x Bench’s lineup is inspired by the energy, creativity, and diversity of the Big Apple, featuring New York-themed iconography, some emblazoned with the motifs of The Empire State Building and The Chrysler Building — architecture was his first love — rendered into a geometric print seen on carry-alls, multi-pocket tote bags, utilitarian cross body bags and evening-ready wristlets.
“This collaboration also marks my coming back to my roots,” shares Totengco. “When I left the Philippines, I was a clothing designer. And despite the fact that I’m more known in the world of accessories, clothing will always be my first love.”
The same print is seen in the apparel he designed for men and women alternated with sailor stripes. The overall silhouette is loose and boxy. The indigo denim pieces are a standout with their slouchy fit.
“I designed this collection with my friends and myself in mind. New York and the fast-paced life we lead was a major starting point. The clothes needed to be easy, versatile and distinctive. I was aiming for pieces that are ‘beyond basic,’” he describes, adding that every piece is something that he would wear. “I love clothes that you can wear all the time in different combinations. I liked the idea of designing ‘new basics’ with tweaked proportions. Looser and boxier silhouettes were key. I have an affinity for prints and you’ll see that in this collection. All of which are meant to be worn multiple times, with as many combinations as possible.”
The clothes play around with a timeless color story of black, white, indigo and burgundy, plus lots of denim. His favorite? “The bomber jacket because it’s a new proportion and I love how it was executed. I’ve been wear-testing it since I’ve received it and it is such a versatile piece.”
Totengco was so hands-on, from the casting to the makeup to the signature hashtag (#thedevilisinthedetails), an IG proficiency stemming from his “Can I tell you” series that caught on like wildfire — or, as we say in the Internet age, went viral. It, too, makes an appearance in canvas pouches followed by blanks that anybody can fill. Yesterday, he drove past EDSA and the billboard of the collection was up. Even after more than 20 years in the international spotlight, back at home, where it all began, as he writes on his public Instagram, it’s a #dreamcometrue.
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RAFE x Bench is now available in select Bench stores nationwide. See the rest of the editorial inside Benchmark Issue No. 10.