BENCH celebrates the joy of self-expression at a young age via TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno
On International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno and BENCH, one of the biggest local retail/fashions brands in the Philippines, created an online film bringing to the fore the resourcefulness and imagination of Filipino LGBTQ+ youth and their pursuit of beauty and self-expression through clothing and fashion.
‘Curtain Couture’, is the latest campaign from Philippine fashion brand Bench that tackles LGBTQ+ themes. The film celebrates inclusivity, creativity, imagination, and the freedom to express oneself freely.
The film features real LGBTQ+ youth showing off their self-styled elaborate outfits, set on a hundred-year-old folk song, “Mariposa Bella” (Beautiful Butterfly), that describes the grace of a Filipino woman. Updated with an electronic synth beat, its lyrics gain new meaning and narrate the metamorphosis of today’s LGBTQ youth.
“As a local brand, we have always stood for Filipino creativity and diversity. With this campaign, we are putting the spotlight on the resourcefulness and imagination of the LGBTQ+ community, told through the stories of countless teens who have, once in their lives, tried making clothes out of anything that’s available,” says Ben Chan, Founder of Suyen Corporation.
The film was hinged on the common behavior amongst Filipino kids to play dress up. But, while boys who dress up like their dads, or girls who dress up like their moms are traditionally acceptable, most LGBTQ kids who dress outside of gender norms are still frowned upon by the Philippines’ conservative Catholic majority.
It’s through expressing ourselves at a young age that allows us to be more confident in who we are. Self-expression should be celebrated, from the clothes we wear to how we decide to wear it.
“This campaign is about the stories of many of us growing up, inspiring us to always be our own kind of beautiful,” adds Mr. Chan.
Credits
Agency: TBWA\SMP
Client: Suyen Corporation
CREATIVES
Chief Creative Officer: Melvin Mangada
Executive Creative Director: Billy Samson
Creative Director/Art Director: John Ed de Vera
Copywriter: Ryan Caidic
Art Director: James Calleja
ACCOUNTS
Chief Operating Officer: Portia Catuira
Managing Director: Kathy Cosico
PLANNING
Strategic Planning Director: Rj Paculan
Strategic Planner: Oliver Loyola
VIDEO PRODUCTION: HOW’S EVERYTHING
Producer: Michelle Dela Cruz
Executive Producer: Vilma Niepes
Editor: Vince Belen
Director & DOP: Odyssey Flores
Associate Producer: Teng Ropa
Caster: Jett Singh
Production Design: Christienne Abueg
Wardrobe Stylist: Russel Conde
AUDIO
Sound studio: Soundesign Manila
Tech: Pope Paredes and JM Leaño
Arranger: Paolo Miguel Rañeses, Jasper Perez
DLAB
Digital Strategy Lead: Jean Arboleda
Digital Media Specialist: Angel Morales
Digital Media Executive: Giliane Romilla
