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Bench Brings Threads of Dreams to Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo 2027

Two performers in ornate costumes on stage; one has bright green hair and an orange patterned robe, the other holds a large beige fan in front of their face.

Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

Following its debut in Manila and exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, the Filipino fashion showcase arrives in Tokyo with a runway presentation at Shibuya Hikarie Hall.

“Threads of Dreams” was always meant to wander.

What began as a passion project to commemorate 70 years of alliance between the Philippines and Japan at Bench Fashion Week in Manila has now traveled to Japan, where the three-part presentation was staged as a 360-degree runway show at Shibuya Hikarie Hall A. The presentation introduced an international audience and fashion clientele to the work of Filipino designers Rhett Eala, Jaggy Glarino, and Joey Samson, highlighting the country’s textile traditions, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.

The three distinctive collections interpret cultural exchange through the universal art of fashion, fusing indigenous fabrics, traditional design elements, and contemporary silhouettes to create hybrid forms. Following its runway debut, “Threads of Dreams” moved to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, where the garments could be viewed outside the context and immediacy of a live fashion show and enjoyed with the leisure of time and space.

For Rhett Eala, Inherited Stories is rooted in personal memory. Japan, he says, has “always held a special place” in his life, particularly through memories of his late mother and her trips to the country to source objects and fabrics. The collection brings together Filipino and Japanese textiles, translating those memories through texture, shape, and movement. “It feels almost poetic now to honor those memories through these clothes,” he says.

Imin by Jaggy Glarino draws from the cultural heritage of Mindanao, translating traditional craftsmanship into contemporary, sculptural forms. His return to Tokyo also marks a personal milestone: nine years after first presenting internationally in the city through the Bench Design Awards, he returns with “a stronger sense of self now, both personally and creatively.”

Finally, Joey Samson’s Ang Pagniniig: Una Bulaqueña at O Sei San explores Philippine-Japanese relations through empirical knowledge and pure imagination. The performance opened with a ceremonial procession inspired by an archival Shinto image, followed by Samson’s signature deconstruction, layering, and tailoring. Filipino and Japanese references converge in forms that blur distinctions between menswear and womenswear, and past and present.

  • Performers in white robes with blue umbrellas circle a lit blue stage, audience seated around in darkness, blue spotlight creates round performance space

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Models walk away from the camera on a white runway, wearing bold patterned outfits with large colorful feathered hats in green, purple, and pink.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Models line up on a runway wearing eclectic outfits, many with mesh veils over their faces and bold patterns in muted tones and red accents.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Nine models stand in a line on a white runway, wearing varied avant-garde outfits against a dark backdrop at a fashion show.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Two models pose in dark fashion outfits: one in olive jacket, net sleeves, pink sash; the other in black textured top with feather details and olive trousers.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • A line of fashion models in avant-garde outfits stands on a white runway against a dark backdrop, showcasing dramatic hats, sculptural dresses, and bold styling.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Person on a dim stage wearing a cream textured dress, veil over face, necklace, and holding a white lily bouquet.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • A row of models on a runway wearing bright, avant-garde outfits with bold patterns and oversized accessories under stage lights.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Profile of a woman in a large, ornate red-and-gold headwrap and a black dress with a red-striped sash tied at the back, facing left.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • A man wearing a denim jacket and beige top stands in a backstage area, looking toward another model off-camera.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Two models in white robes walk a circular white runway, each holding a white parasol, as spectators watch from the dark audience.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Model in a cream textured robe with a black chest panel, standing on stage as a stylist adjusts her outfit.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Person in a blue patterned traditional robe with a black hat stands in an elevator, facing the camera.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Person wearing a hexagonal fishnet veil over their face with bold makeup and a floral-patterned top in warm backlight.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Two fashion models pose side by side in dark, avant-garde outfits: one in a black textured dress with feather accents, the other in a white lace robe over a black top.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Two people wearing layered patchwork clothing, standing back-to-back; visible fabrics include striped shirts, denim patches, and a white lace hem.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Model wearing a dark pinstriped outfit with fabric patch pockets and a mesh veil across the face in a fashion studio setting.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Close-up of beige fabric with red embroidery and a folded vintage-looking card with cursive handwriting resting on a dark, patterned background.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Smiling person in traditional attire with an elaborate gold and flower hair ornament, white makeup, and pink blush seen in profile.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Close-up of a person wearing a red and black patterned dress with metallic necklace pendants and chains hanging at the chest.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Person with vibrant purple-pink hair in a colorful traditional outfit seen from behind among decorative fabrics and tassels at a festival or market.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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  • Close-up of bead-embroidered fabric with geometric patterns in red, black, yellow, and white, plus dangling tassels and patterned textiles.

    Photographed by Kim Montes, courtesy of Bench

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Frequently Asked Questions

“Threads of Dreams” is a Bench project celebrating the 70th anniversary of Philippine-Japan diplomatic relations through the work of Rhett Eala, Jaggy Glarino, and Joey Samson. Their collections explore the shared traditions, craftsmanship, histories, and cultural exchange between the two countries.

The presentation took place on September 1, 2026, at Shibuya Hikarie Hall A during Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo S/S 2027.

Bench brought together Rhett Eala, Jaggy Glarino, and Joey Samson for the Tokyo presentation, with each designer offering a distinct interpretation of Filipino identity and artistry.

The collections draw from indigenous materials, cultural narratives, traditional techniques, family history, heirlooms, and the cultural heritage of Mindanao.

The Tokyo presentation continued Bench’s mission of bringing Philippine design to international audiences and providing Filipino creatives with a platform beyond the Philippines.

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Lawrence Alba

Fashion Writer

Lawrence Alba studied BA Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins in London. He interned with System Magazine, The Row, AIPR, and Glamcult Studio.

See more stories by Lawrence Alba
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