International designers take a bow. Michael Cinco, Ezra Santos, Val Taguba, Furne One, and Cary Santiago.

Taking a leap into the global future, the biannual Bench Denim and Underwear show of 2010, dubbed Bench Uncut, was an event that stretched limits and pushed the envelope. “This is by far the largest show that Bench has put on in the history of all Bench shows,” exclaimed fashion-show director Robby Carmona, who teamed up with television director Johnny Manahan for each their second spin with the show. Apart from flying in a troop of dancers from the sunny beaches of Los Angeles, Ben Chan tapped into the large community of Filipino designers that have found their fame on distant shores. The four he chose, having proven their mettle in the dynamic city of Dubai, as well as Cary Santiago (himself a product of time spent in the Middle East) dove into the challenge of creating excitingly themed embellishments.

The Dubai quartet, namely Ezra Santos, Furne One, Michael Cinco, and Val Taguba, admitted to feeling a tinge of pressure of being watched—and possibly judged—on home soil despite the success they have each found in the Middle East. “This is the first time back in a long time for most of us,” shares Taguba. Apart from Cinco, who was in Manila earlier this year to take part in Philippine Fashion Week, the designers’ last journeys home were over five years ago since their departure in the 1990’s. “I think it’s more of a pressure we put on ourselves, of course we want to show our best,” Santos furthers. Their indubitable success in Dubai has translated into designing sought after dresses from haute couture houses. One in particular designs the frocks worn by supermodel and international fashion fiend Heidi Klum for her show, Germany’s Next Top Model.

With each of them at the helm of a specific set, it wasn’t difficult for each to shine, both literally and figuratively given their penchant for opulent Swarovski crystals. Dedicated to displaying the truly international realm that Bench has entered after opening stores around Asia and in the US, each set was defined by a place in the world in which the brand has a vested interest. Cary Santiago took charge of the Philippine set, bringing to the runway our local flavor through historical tribal tattoos. Africa was assigned to Ezra Santos, who veered away from the stereotype of bright colors, instead focusing on a palette of subdued yet elegant desert hues. Cebuano Furne One designed for China, using the distinctive luxury of the country’s history to guide his designs. The Russia of the Czars was Michael Cinco’s inspiration for his set as Val Taguba invoked the wildly colorful taste of Brazil.

Given carte blanche with their sets, the group of friends nonetheless found themselves consulting each other over the course of the three weeks they dedicated to designing. “We would get together for dinner every week to talk about who is doing what and how everything was going,” shares Cinco. They credit their close camaraderie and previous experiences of having worked with one or another as the reason for the lack of competition amongst themselves. As Taguba says, “there really was no competition. We could talk to each other about what we were planning and see if anyone else had a similar idea.”

While the four friends have chosen to seek their destinies on foreign land, they have nevertheless not turned their backs on their home. “We think it’s fabulous that a Filipino brand like Bench is making its mark on the global market,” says Santos. As with these designers, Bench strives to prove to the world its world class worth.