Thai fashion: The brands, the styles and where to find it all
In fashion-crazy Bangkok, the last two weeks have seen back-to-back catwalk events featuring the top Thai fashion brands.
First up was the inaugural Bangkok International Couture Fashion Week, swiftly followed by the lower key 1st Fashion Field Trip. Crowning it all in stylish glory was the annual Elle Fashion Week 2011, which ended Sunday.
It all reflects a growing interest in fabulous design and the potency of homegrown Thai brands.
"Bangkok is a city that carries one naturally towards creativity," says Dr. Vincenzo Giubba, president of the the Italy-based Accademia Italiana, of which Bangkok features the sole accredited design institute in Southeast Asia.
"There is a natural tendency of the people there towards taste, both for that which concerns fashion and clothing, as well as that which concerns furnishings and design."
Global celebrities have taken notice, with big names like Kim Kardashian, Heidi Klum, Michelle Obama, Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow all stamping their fashion seal of approval on the East, wearing clothes by Thai-born Nuj Novakhett, Thakoon Panichgul and Koi Suwannagate.
For visitors looking to pick up their own piece of Bangkok style, here's a list of some of the top players in Thai fashion and where to find their work.
A. For a day at the mall
Family affair Sretsis adds a bit of snazz to sugar and spice and everything nice.
Nostalgic romance interpreted in shades of pastel have made these designing sisters popular with Hollywood and regional celebrities alike, including Asia-based model and actress Ase Wang.
"They have a unique, modern yet retro feel,” says Wang, who has also designed a clothing line for Chaps. For “feminine women with an edge.”
Staying on the sweet theme but with a cut of sophistication is Kloset and its more upmarket extenuation Kloset Red Carpet.
Their clothes are adorned with a smattering of traditional embroidery, lace nets and ribbon tape, an ode to designer Mollika Ruangkritya's childhood passion for making dolls.
The casual yet fashionable threads have found a fan in 2005 Miss Universe Natalie Glebova, who now resides in Thailand.
"Each Kloset piece is a standout on its own and doesn't need much accessorizing," she tells CNNGo.
Saluting the diversity of Oriental cultures is Issue, with designer Roj Singhakul incorporating tribal details and exotic colors into his collections.
Roj was invited to showcase his hippie chic creations during the sixth cycle of Tyra Bank's "America's Next Top Model" TV show, and his ethnically ambiguous style also struck a chord with Eurasian beauty Florence Faivre.
"I can express myself through their ornate bohemian styles," says the international model of her long-standing favorite Thai brand, "empowering me to feel a different yet strong sense of identity."
Where to buy
Sretsis: Siam Paragon, Gaysorn Plaza, The Emporium
Issue: Siam Square (soi 3), Siam Paragon, Gaysorn Plaza
Kloset: Siam Center, Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, Central Chidlom, Central Ladprao
