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For years, Neric Beltran has been synonymous with flamboyance—intricate embellishments, unapologetic grandeur, pieces that seem made for spotlights and standing ovations. But with his BENCH Fashion Week Holiday 2025 collection, The Other Side, the designer loosens his grip on pure performance and instead turns his gaze to the everyday. Not the denim-and-errands everyday, of course, but the kind where a casual Tuesday might involve cocktails and a midnight soirée.
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Floral accents find their way into pared-down separates. Ballet flats ground what would otherwise be red-carpet silhouettes. Large, jewel-toned shirts are tucked neatly under muted skirts, a collarless cardigan drapes over trousers embroidered with delicate appliqué, and a drop-waist dress offers a nod to leisure without abandoning drama. Even a bomber-inspired jacket appears—an unexpected twist from Beltran, whose experiment, to the surprise of no one, still dazzles. His beloved jewel tones remain, anchoring the collection with that unmistakable Neric Beltran gleam.
“The Other Side was created to reach a clientele that we don’t usually cater to. It’s an offering not only for performers and celebrities,” he explains to MEGA. This meant refining flamboyance into something desirable and accessible, while keeping his signature handwork intact. “I kept in mind its desirability while still having the signature NB hand craft and embellishment.”
A wardrobe that is both stylish and softened, opulent yet worn-in, is the end effect. The latest creations ought to be admired up close—at dinner parties, openings, and yes, those soirées incorporated into one’s week—whereas the designer’s earlier work was meant to captivate from the moment it was displayed.
“There is beauty in being authentic,” he says. “Probably staying true to my design DNA is something I can share, and that, for me, is beautiful.” That authenticity threads through the collection, keeping the pieces grounded even as they flirt with fantasy.
And the mood? “Relaxed. It’s elegant and luxurious, classic even, hence the colors.” A different kind of Neric Beltran, then—still luminous, still confident, still adorned with the finery that marks him, but now with a gentler invitation: grandeur, made ready-to-wear.
Photos courtesy of BENCH
