Summer for tweens means a riot of color. Bench Tweeners is a vibrant line of comfortable fashion and cool designs. This collection’s color range and classic silhouettes mimic a child’s sense of play.

This summer, Bench and Herbench leaves us somewhere lost between worlds- taking us to new destinations with exotic, down to earth colors, and streamlined silhouettes. The collection's laid-back and sensual characteristics bring us towards a kind of luxurious comfort; where all that floats in a summer breeze leaves us carefree and light - the look that defines the Bench and Herbench Summer 2010 collection.

Bench is the quintessential Pinoy brand and it just cemented this reputation when it showed T-shirts bearing symbols and words promoting love for different aspects of Pinoy life. “I love Sampaguita,” says one. “I love Rizal,” puts in another. There’s also “I love Manila,” some of them ingeniously shown off by foreign models and “I love OPM,” this time worn by comic singer Elizabeth Ramsey, who none-too-furtively ogled Jake Cuenca as he walked past her down the catwalk. You know these shirts will fly, as much as the printed shorts with boxer waistband for men, the bowler-style, graphic tees and those ass-loving jeans that Filipinos have — thankfully — learned how to embrace.

You've seen all those billboards or maybe even own an item or two under his ubiquitous brand Bench. Ben Chan, the man behind it all, infused his soul into every concept that made the clothing line and its spin-offs hits both here and abroad. In the end, though, who exactly is Bench Chan? "A simple person who achieved all I have now because I did what I loved and what I believed in," he says.

LITERACY PARTNERS. Bench Chan Receives a plaque from PDI president Sandy Prieto Romualdez in appreciation of Bench;s support for the IIE program.