Bench: Body of Work

The diaspora of Filipinos around the globe is driven mostly by the economics of supply and demand. The yearning for something better, stability, and self-validation leads a handful of sojourners from the provinces of the Philippines into the arms of one of its former colonial masters — the USA. But what happens when they finally get what they want? And how? Filmmaker Dennis Empalmado explores the musings of Filipino expatriates and hopeful immigrants in "Naglalakbay" (Travelers).

A documentary on Yves Saint-Laurent and the legendary fashion designer's final show.

Kapwa, a Filipino term that means "togetherness" or "neighbor", is a recognition of a shared identity; an inner self that is shared with others. WHO WE BECOME is a story of kapwa and follows three Filipino women each coming into their political consciousness and discovering themselves during a pivotal moment in their lives.

Milk of Lime’s CHIME conjures rustic nostalgia with bell-laced silhouettes, floral layers, and countryside romance. Inspired by folk traditions and rural youth, it blends softness with edge. Sustainability grounds the collection in quiet reverence for impermanence.

Iris van Herpen’s Sensory Seas dives into oceanic depths with gowns shaped like coral, neurons, and sea creatures. Laser-cut forms and fluid layers ripple like living art. It’s couture as underwater dreamscape—organic, intricate, and otherworldly.

KidSuper’s SS26 The Boy Who Jumped the Moon unfurls like a giant storybook at the Louvre, merging childhood wonder with haute tailoring. Lunar-print blazers, school‑uniform twists, and floating silhouettes channel the fearless optimism of a young dreamer mid-leap. With collaborations spanning Mercedes‑Benz spaceship-cars to Puma kits and even a Papa John’s hot bag, Colm Dillane turns fashion into an immersive bedtime fable.

Rochas AW22/23, under Charles de Vilmorin, blends gothic romance with theatrical elegance—sheer gowns, winged sleeves, and rich, moody textures. Jewel-toned velvets and metallics evoke a medieval dream. It's dark, poetic sophistication for the modern muse.

Rick Owens' Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection, titled Temple, was a theatrical exploration of legacy, transformation, and raw sensuality. Staged at Paris' Palais de Tokyo, the show featured models descending a towering scaffold into a fountain, immersing themselves in water before ascending again—symbolizing rebirth and resilience. The collection showcased Owens' signature elements: slashed Tuscan leathers, studded straps, voluminous flight jackets, and towering platform boots, all rendered in a monochrome palette. This presentation coincided with his Temple of Love retrospective at the Palais Galliera, offering a poignant reflection on his career and the enduring themes of love and mortality.

The ritual of dressing is a composition of the self. With the body as our canvas, we build an exterior expressive of the interior: a form of emotion. The Maison Margiela 2024 Artisanal Collection paints a picture of the practices and occurrences that shape the character reflected within our dress. Under Pont Alexandre III, bathed in the light of the first full moon of the year, Creative Director John Galliano captures a moment in time: a walk through the underbelly of Paris, offline.

The film chronicles the making of Christian Dior’s autumn/winter 1949 haute couture collection at 30 Avenue Montaigne.

The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Paris Fashion Week. To mark the occasion, Loïc Prigent looks back on half a century of fashion design and evolution in Paris. The 1970s, with the arrival of a new generation such as Kenzo and Sonia Rykiel, changed the game by simplifying and democratizing collections. The 1980s saw the emergence of personalities with a great appetite for spectacle: Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Thierry Mugler, and Karl Lagerfeld.

Demna's final Balenciaga couture show was a dramatic farewell—sculptural silhouettes, streetwear edge, and a surprise runway moment from Kim Kardashian in full "Balenci Barbie" pink. Set to Sade’s “No Ordinary Love,” the collection closed a decade of disruption.

Reportage from a competitive fashion show organised in the autumn of 1953, with participation of Czechoslovakia along with Hungary, the GDR, and the USSR. In accordance with the principles of socialist apparel, the film emphasises the presented designs’ practicality and their availability for the general public.

Iconic Spice Girl Victoria Beckham discovers the answers to some of the most confusing celebrity conundrums in this documentary. She talks to Elton John, James Bond legend Roger Moore, soccer star husband David, and others, exploring the legacy of British pop culture icons.

An unseen narrator travels down the “river” of Cebu City in search of a cheesecake. Accompanied by brief meditations on time, memory, and society, the film shows a raw portrait of a city moving too fast to hold onto itself.

Explores the little-known history and humanity of the unsung Filipino nurses risking their lives on the front lines of a pandemic, thousands of miles from home.

Hope Hampton, aka Mrs. Jules Brulator of Park Avenue, models a large assortment of clothes from Parisian couturiers.

This documentary paints the life of former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay (1953-1957), from being a simple mechanic, a wartime guerilla leader, and as president of the Philippines, leading up to his death in a plane crash in Mount Manunggal, Cebu.

Wim Wenders talks with Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto about the creative process and ponders the relationship between cities, identity and the cinema in the digital age.

From Japan to America, the LV sign dominates the fashion scene. And, one man alone designs the Louis Vuitton creations the exceptional Marc Jacobs. With unprecedented access to one of the world's hottest and busiest designers, Loïc Prigent offers an intimate and revealing portrait of the reclusive Marc Jacobs and the world of haute couture. Whether in the offices and workrooms of Paris and New York, the back of his car, or backstage at a fashion show, we see a genius at work. Jacobs endures unimaginable pressure to chart new paths in fashion as he straddles the demands of the Louis Vuitton conglomerate and his own Marc Jacobs label.