Heritage
A house, in its own words
BENCH began as a small t-shirt shop at SM Makati, introduced on August 3, 1987, by Filipino entrepreneur Ben Chan. At a time when most Filipinos dressed conservatively, Chan opened a store offering casual clothing that broke with the prevailing wardrobe norms. The brand steadily expanded into a broader lifestyle company, adding ladies' wear, underwear, fragrances, and housewares to its catalog. By the early 2010s, BENCH had grown into the Philippines' largest homegrown fashion and lifestyle brand, a scale that set the stage for its move into personal fragrance. The company's fragrance line, BENCH/PH, debuted in 2012 with launches such as Impalpable (a collaboration with fashion designer Michael Cinco) and Unholy. Over the following decade, the brand released hashtag-branded body sprays like #Swag, #Chill, and #Dope, followed by celebrity-linked editions including White by Daniel Padilla in 2023. In 2024, BENCH/PH added MOBO Masaganang Ani, continuing its pattern of partnering with public figures and local tastemakers on scent releases. The brand's longevity from a single apparel kiosk to a multi-category national label is considered a milestone in Filipino retail history. BENCH/PH treats fragrance as an everyday accessory rather than a luxury indulgence. The brand's catalog leans into approachable, youth-oriented naming conventions, from the social-media-coded hashtag series (#Swag, #Chill, #Dope) to character-driven scents like Beautiful Boy and Cary. Celebrity-tied editions, including the Daniel Padilla fragrance White, position the wearer inside a cultural moment tied to Filipino entertainment. Rather than chasing a single olfactory identity, BENCH/PH builds variety into its range, offering body sprays and EDTs aimed at students, young professionals, and gift-givers. The brand's accessibility-first approach is reflected in its retail formats, including sample packs and small-format bottles sold at drugstore and department-store price points. Scent, in the BENCH/PH universe, is positioned as a casual extension of personal style, something to swap with the season or the mood.