Bench apologizes for 'Naked Truth' show

MANILA, Philippines — Fashion retail giant Bench apologized for the "offensive elements" in its underwear fashion show "The Naked Truth" held over the weekend.

The popular event, which was restricted for adults, featured some of the country's top actors, actresses and personalities walking down the ramp in Bench underwear.

Some performances, however, involved two women locking lips while actors Dennis Trillo and Tom Rodriguez gladly watched, a fully clothed Coco Martin apparently as a circus master with a leash tied on a woman moving on all fours, and a semi-naked stint by Jake Cuenca.

Netizens slammed the performances for being overt, offensive and masking as an art show.

"It makes us forget that we are human beings with stories, souls, experiences, and emotions—not just mere bodies to sell underwear and jeans to through hypersexualization," a viral blog post by The Plum Pinay said.

In a statement late Tuesday, Bench said it did not dismiss the criticisms of customers and netizens on the show, perceived to have violated dignity of persons.

"We at Bench apologize to the public for all the offensive elements of the show, 'The Naked Truth," the company said. "We will take all these concerns seriously and will serve as a lesson learned when we plan our next show."

The clothing company also vowed to "uphold the dignity of women."