TuTTi: Thai Fashion Label,Sretsis: Thai Fashion

TuTTi: Thai Fashion Label
The Thai fashion brand TuTTi was launched by Tutti Wongpuapan
in 2007. She studied fashion design at the Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design in London. She got her first
designer job at the Bangkokian fashion brand ‘Soda’ and
eventually started her own
independent entrepreneur.
pret-a-porter
label
as
an
TuTTi – Thai fashion
Thai fashion designer Tutti
Wongpuapan (photo credit: TuTTi,
FB page)
Growing up in Bangkok, Tutti has always loved vintage and
nostalgic garments. Thus, her mother, who was a seamstress,
has been a great inspiration for her own sense of style. As a
small girl, she would search in her mother’s closet for
gorgeous vintage items.
Thus, TuTTi’s clothing incorporates many vintage influences.
She creates these clothes for women who know there style and
like to express it through their outfit. In this way, Thai
designer Tutti is not merely vintage but innovative, modern
and versatile. Hence, the perfect choice for the fashionista.
She offers garments that are sophisticated and classic but
also unconventional pieces like cargo pants for instance.
TuTTi Thai fashion logo (TuTTi, FB page)
The designer feels that women should always be comfortable in
their clothes without being complicated. Hence, her womenswear
is just custom-tailored for the metropolitan ladies who enjoy
quirky yet classical design ideas.
Thus, this Thai fashion brand is always looking for inspiring
new influences and concepts. The aim is to create comfortable
everyday clothing that is suitable for business as well as
casual wear.
TuTTi
In fact, we may say that TuTTi Thai fashion offers something
for everyone’s taste. Thus, the womenswear ranges from classic
to vintage dresses but also offers more edgy pieces like
distressed jumpsuits and sassy shorts.
Yours, Sirinya
(All pictures in this post, photo credit: ZALORA Thailand,
unless otherwise stated)
Sretsis:
Designer
Thai
Fashion
Stretsis fashion can be described as a fusion between a
traditional and a vintage style. This top Thai designer brand
was launched in 2002 by three sisters. Hence, the label
already hints at this bond, ‘Stretsis’ being ‘Sisters’ spelled
backward.
The Story of Stretsis
Fashion with a vintage touch (photo: Stretsis
Universe, FB page)
Pimdao Sukhahuta, the eldest of the sisters, is the head
designer. She studied at Parsons School of Design in New York
and opened her first store while being still a student. Pim
did an internship at internationally acclaimed designer Marc
Jacob and finally graduated in 2003. By this time, her fashion
was already becoming renowned for its unconventional and
girlish design.
The three sisters Pimdao, Klyduen and Matina
Sukhahuta, the founders of Stretsis (photo:
nationmultimedia.com)
The three sisters stayed in New York for four years. Pim is
the main designer and creative director. The younger sister
Klyduen is a fashion marketer promoting the brand and the
youngest sister Matina creates jewellery which is run under
the label ‘Matina Amanita’ jewellery collection.
Playful, vintage & dainty fashion (photo: Stretsis
Universe, FB page)
Pim very much enjoys a nostalgic and vintage style in fashion.
Hence, you often find pieces with unusual patterns in her
collections. In fact, her designs are inspired by childhood
nostalgic memories. Nevertheless, her design is innovative,
flamboyant, unconventional but at the same time elegant and
modern.
Thus,
Stretsis
fuses
traditional
yet
whimsical patterns and styles with a modern, stylish touch to
create a unique, but somehow naughty style.
Thus, she puts forward that dressing up should be a part of
everyday life. She likes to work with different textures like
silk, chiffon and satin. A special feature of Stretsis is that
it uses Thailand’s elegant silk textiles to create an
innovative Thai fashion design that should make a statement
and a lasting impression.
Stretsis’ headquarter is in Bangkok and employs around 25
seamstresses who sew many dresses by hand. For this reason,
every piece of clothing becomes a piece of artwork. The brand
is growing and gaining international popularity. Hence, for
instance, this brand has been featured in numerous glossy
magazines like Vogue, Instyle and Elle. What is more,
celebrities like Katy Perry, Beyoncé and Paris Hilton have
been seen wearing Stretsis garments
Summing up, we may say that Stretsis is one of the top Thai
designer brands offering a unique combination of Thai
traditional vintage style and sweet lingering patterns. Hence,
the style is both sweet and rebellious.
Yours, Sirinya
(*All pictures in this post, photo credit: ZALORA Thailand,
unless otherwise stated)
Rotsaniyom:
Thai
Fashion
Designer
The Thai fashion label Rotsaniyom was founded by the couple
Pongsak ‘Off’ Kobrattanasuk and Thita “Gift” Kamonnetsawat in
2007. Initially, this designer couple sold T-shirts at two
stalls in Chatuchak Market.
Rotsaniyom
Pongsak ‘Off’ Kobrattanasuk
Thita “Gift” Kamonnetsawat
and
Since their T-shirts sold very well among vintage lovers, Off
and Gift expanded their fashion design and started a flagship
store at Siam Center and recently opened another store at
Emquartier. The stores are also designed with a vintage touch,
thus there is an art deco inspired entrance evoking a
nostalgic feeling in the visitor.
Rotsaniyom White Label at Siam
Center, enjoy the vintage feel-athome atmosphere
Their style can be described as vintage and retro with an
Asian-ethnic touch. Hence, romantic and dreamy patterns, lace
and romantic designs are predominant. The
mostly cream coloured, white or pastel.
dresses
are
Rotsaniyom designer ‘Gift’
extravagant lace dress
wearing
an
Designer pieces by Rotsaniyom are supposed to be pieces of
art. Thus, the designers appreciate high quality and design
incorporating some old school accessories like antique
sunglasses or classic hair accessories. However, they also
create jewellery and ‘adornments’ that are more edgy.
More edgy RSY Adornments
Gift has always been in love with fashion design and she
particularly admires Thai fashion designers like Greyhound,
Theoddyssee and It’s Happening. They are her main source of
inspiration. In her view, there is no need to look at
international designers in search for role models or
inspiration.
Rotsaniyom: Lace is more
Both designers love the Old Town in Bangkok and they also
enjoy collecting vintage items. For instance, Gift bought a
Japanese dress from the 1920s which she considers the oldest
piece that she owns. Thus, vintage items are also a great
source of inspiration for the Rotsaniyom desginers!
Rotsaniyom Housestudio
What is more, Gift draws upon movies, female characters and
Thai culture for inspiration and ideas. In fact, her favourite
female character is Mae Ploy, a young girl entering the
service of a princess of Rama V’s Royal Household, in the
movie ‘Four Reigns’. Gift’s aim as a fashion designer is to
incorporate some Thai elements into modern fashion.
Beauty Ideals SS15 runway looks
However, sometimes it seems difficult to bring modern fashion
design and elements from Thai culture together. A prominent
example is that a lot of Thai people were scandalized at
Rotsaniyom’s Malai (Thai garland) collection in 2014 because
they used these garlands in their shoe design. Some people did
not like this because traditionally the Malai is used for
paying respect to elderly people and to the Buddha.
The Rotsaniyom Malai collection 2014 uses
traditional Thai flower garlands as shoe
decoration
Finally, we may say that Thai fashion design that wants to
incorporate Thai elements can be a balancing act indeed.
Nevertheless, Rotsaniyom is a great and creative Thai fashion
brand that catches the fashionista’s eye.
Yours, Sirinya
(All photos in this post, credit: Rotsaniyom, FB page)
Thai Railway Nostalgia – At
Hua Lamphong Station
Recently I’ve been talking to my grand cousin born and
raised in Thailand who makes some awesome street photography
of scenes in Bangkok and the surrounding area. He told
me something about railway nostalgia in Thailand underlining
that with a little photographic journey which I am going
to present to you here.
Thai Railway Nostalgia
At Bangkok Railway Station – ‘Please leave the platform,
the train is about to depart’*
If you’ve been to Bangkok, you might know the Hua Lamphong
station (หัว​ลําโพง) which is officially known as Krungthep or
Bangkok Railway Station (สถานี​รถไฟ​กรุง​เทพ​). This is the
main railway station in Bangkok operated by the State Railway
of Thailand (SRT). It is located in the centre of the Pathum
Wan District being the main terminal to northern, eastern,
north-eastern and southern Thailand.
Thai classic trains at Hua Lamphong Station*
Hua Lamphong Station is a quite old but nonetheless
elegant Thai railway station which was opened in 1916. The
station was constructed in an Italian Neo-Renaissance-style.
Characteristic of this style are the wooden roofs and stained
glass windows. The Italian architects Mario Tamagno and
Annibale Rigotti were responsible for the design of this
station. They also created several other early 20th century
public buildings in Bangkok like for instance the Throne Hall
in Dusit Garden and the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in the
Royal Plaza. As a matter of fact, Bangkok railway station has
also been compared to the Frankfurt Train Station in Germany.
Inside Bangkok Railway Station, built in an Italian NeoRenaissance-style*
Indeed, in the economy class, the trains are old, rundown and
even ramshackle. Thus, this was only the second time that
my grand cousin took this train considering that the quality
is quite low and below standard. In fact, the train’s interior
is also very decayed because there has been no improvement and
refurbishment for many decades. Alas, Thai railway is still
the same as 50 years ago. No development!
Train breaking tools at Thai railway station*
However, taking the Thai State Railway is a nostalgic
experience that gives you ample opportunity to study faces and
people
A tourist on the train – a new experience is about to
begin*
Today, Hua Lamphong serves over 130 trains and approximately
60,000 passengers every day. Since 2004, the station has been
connected by an underground passage to the MRT (Metropolitan
Rapid Transit) subway system’s Hua Lamphong Station.
A man on the train, going back home*
Nonetheless, the Thai railway system will probably change and
improve in the next few years due to the military government
which has initiated a rail communication project. This project
is concerned with developing modern railways in many Thai
cities.
Contrast of life – the modern and the old – a humble
cottage outside vs. the lady with a smartphone*
Thus, hopefully maybe in about three to five years, Thailand
will have a modern railway, monorail and high speed train
system like other countries
No comment – monk with a cigarette in his hand, waiting for
the train at Hua Lamphong Station*
However, this is down the road – there is still ample scope to
enjoy the nostalgic vibe of the old Thai railway system. What
is more, there is always something interesting to be spotted –
for example, a Buddhist monk with a cigarette in his hand.
Indeed this must be a ‘modern’ and ‘unconventional’ monk
Out there lies the future – looking outside the train*
Finally, we may say that Thai railway nostalgia is truly
something special. If you like riding the train, I recommend
you try the State Railway of Thailand, it is certainly worth a
journey
Yours, Sirinya
(*photo credit: Siwaphong Pakdeetawan, Instagram@knack66)