A new menswear brand is now available on the ground floor of Rustan's department store in Makati. Benjamin Barker, established in Melbourne, Australia in 2009 by Singaporean Nelson Yap, promises to offer modern clothing for Asian proportions.
Benjamin Barker was brought to the Philippines as a result of a friendship formed between Rustan Commercial Corp. president Donnie Tantoco and Yap, who met through a Malaysian investor. Tantoco has nothing but praise for the much younger Singaporean entrepreneur, calling him a "visionary" who seeks to fulfill consumers' unmet needs by building a brand "that values experience and has a certain aesthetic sensibility."
"[Yap said] retailers shouldn't add to the sea of sameness," Tantoco recalled during the grand launch of Benjamin Barker in Rustan's Makati. "I met a founder who wanted the brand to be an actual person that needed clothing to support not only his work but also his recreation and his other passions, a brand of a person that dines a certain way, appreciates a certain kind of music and architecture, that has a certain attitude about women, that wants to wear modern clothes that are bespoke for a man."
"Benjamin Barker is an international brand -- Australian-inspired with the sartorial convergence of Japan and Italy, [has a] Singapore citizenship that is crafted in Japan, [with] modern European styling for a man with Asian proportions," he added.
Tantoco went on to note the quality of Benjamin Barker shirts, saying these have replaced clothes in his closet that are 3 to 4 times more expensive. Even his father and fellow entrepreneur, Rico Tantoco, is a fan of the brand. "I used to give him Dior shirts and Ferragamo shirts... he never really thanked me for those... but then he wrote me a thank you note last Christmas when I gave him [Benjamin Barker shirts]," he shared.
"My closet is filled with Benjamin Barker clothes for work, for weekend, for vacations, for dates with my wife, playdates with my spunky grandchildren, and also when I visit the golf course," he added.
Benjamin Barker features 100% cotton shirtings from Japan and Europe, with youthful palettes such as cinnamon, olive, and other unconventional hues to add a refreshing and contemporary touch to the wardrobe.
The brand also has a selection of suits, ties, pocket squares, tie bars, shoes, and belts to address every facet of a gentleman's style. It has a dedicated Slim Fit category, with thoughtful tailoring for Asian physiques.
Yap turned emotional over the launch of his brand in the Philippines, recalling Benjamin Barker's Filipino roots. "When I started the company 15 years ago, there's 3 of us. My first 2 staff members were actually Filipinas... Back then it was only 3 of us on the shop floor in our very humble and small shop," he said.
"May we have a blessed partnership [with Rustan's] with many years to come," he added.