{{Short description|Filipino fashion designer (1932–2021)}} {{Infobox person | name = Ben Farrales | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|07|01}} | birth_place = Cotabato, Cotabato, Philippine Commonwealth | death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|03|06|1932|07|01}} | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Fashion designer | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Ben Farrales''' (1 July 1932 – 6 March 2021) was a Filipino fashion designer most known for his Muslim-inspired dress designs.
==Early life and education== Farrales was born on July 1, 1932, in Cotabato City to Salvador Farrales and Paulina Samio. He attended San Beda College for his early education.<ref name=prominent>{{cite news |last1=Requintina |first1=Robert |title=Prominent Filipino fashion designer Ben Farrales passes away |url=https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/06/prominent-filipino-fashion-designer-ben-farrales-passes-away/ |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=6 March 2021}}</ref> Flunking math, Farrales also had to repeat the subject in Cotabato, where he took note of the attires worn by Muslim women in the area.<ref name="minustaray">{{cite news |last1=Silvestre |first1=Jojo |title=Ben Farrales, minus the 'taray' |url=https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/sunday-life/2013/06/30/959678/ben-farrales-minus-taray |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=The Philippine Star |date=30 June 2013}}</ref>
Faralles attended the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for his collegiate studies where he pursued a degree on fine arts.<ref name=prominent/> By the time he was a freshman college student, he was working part-time in a department store in Manila which is often patronized by wealthy women.<ref name="minustaray"/>
==Career== Ben Farrales, affectionately called "Mang Ben" had been a fashion designer for more than 60 years and had high-profile actresses and socialites as his clients.<ref name=prominent/><ref name=whengenius>{{cite news |last1=Silvestre |first1=Jojo |title=Ben Farrales: When genius creates and shares |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/07/01/ben-farrales-when-genius-creates-and-shares/ |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Daily Tribune |date=30 June 2020}}</ref> He became known as the "Dean of Philippine Fashion", a title given to him by socialite and Karilagan Arts International founder Conching Sunito in his 30s.<ref name="minustaray"/> He is known for his Muslim-inspired ternos. He was also the first Filipino to organize a fashion show at the Manila Hotel in 1959 and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in the United States in 1984.<ref name=prominent/>
He was designer of Ruffa Gutierrez's Sarimanok-inspired dress which she wore at the Miss World 1993 beauty pageant.<ref name="tribune1">{{cite news |title=Filipino fashion designer Ben Farrales passes away |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/06/filipino-fashion-designer-ben-farrales-passes-away/ |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Daily Tribune |date=6 March 2021 |archive-date=17 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017121420/https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/06/filipino-fashion-designer-ben-farrales-passes-away/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Farrales has received various awards and recognitions for his works; including being named Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL), and recognitions from the Philippine Red Cross and his alma mater San Beda University.<ref name=whengenius/> He has also received an award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2015.<ref name=prominent/> He has also been endorsed to be named as a National Artist for fashion design.<ref name="tribune1"/>
==Death== Farrales died on March 6, 2021, at the age of 88.<ref name="tribune1"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrales, Ben}} Category:San Beda University alumni Category:University of Santo Tomas alumni Category:Filipino fashion designers Category:1932 births Category:2021 deaths Category:People from Cotabato City