Downtown lifestyle mall Gaysorn Village adds excitement to the upcoming holidays by hosting the fashion extravaganza “Gaysorn S/S 2018 The Masterpiece Exhibition” featuring creations by 19 leading brands that pay testament to fine tailoring techniques, rare and priceless materials and the artisanal skills of master craftsmen.

The exhibition, which continues through the end of April, is arranged into four sections and boasts backdrops of beautifully coloured pastel gradients inspired by the paintings of surrealists Salvador Dali and Giorgio de Chirico.

“The Masterpiece of Fashion” zone presents diverse creative approaches to timeless style starting with modern glamour brand Poem, which showcases a classic black dress in the A-line pattern of the 1950s but with a modern slant. Klar Lov presents ‘The Marquise’, long nightgowns inspired by Versailles and the splendid dresses of the royal court in France. Classic brand Tawn C offers a jacquard ball gown from its “Forbidden Love” collection, which was officially launched at Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2018, and Pichita shows off a silk robe-cum-overcoat embroidered in a Chinoiserie pattern with golden thread, pearls, mother of pearl shells and sequins and matches it with light silk satin trousers.

Streetwear brand Matter Makers present its March collection inspired by fashion icon Princess Diana, blending a formal look with ’90s sports style in a knee-length dress. Lonely Two-Legged Creature displays an oversized collage of art jackets that imitate second-hand items from old-world European flea markets with designs mainly in dark tones.

“The Masterpiece of Accessories” shows off leather craftsmanship through a limited edition Mettique handbag, the “Dolph Mini F” made from American alligator skin. Phya presents its “Olivia XS – Simplified Exotic” bag that re-interprets exotic Thai beauty. Rochelle introduces its “Elle” bag made from highly coveted saltwater crocodile belly skin, specially tanned and dyed to preserve the natural skin pattern.

The third zone is devoted to sparkling diamonds and other precious stones. Dubbed “The Masterpiece of Fine Jewellery”, it has Bussarakam’s diamond and topaz pendant and hand-made diamond lace set on gold and platinum mounts. Clear Jewellery proudly presents a precious peacock with diamonds all over its body and adorned with a huge emerald.

Cherish uses selected diamonds and other jewels to craft an exquisite Myanmar ruby bracelet inspired by Thai traditional headwear called Siraporn. Nine Gems presents a platinum gold pendant and brooches meticulously embellished with D colour diamonds, Myanmar rubies, Sri Lankan sapphires and Chinese jade. PT House meanwhile customises a mixed design bracelet and ring connected together like ivy. Tharis offers a modern dimension that combines art, culture, instinct and controversy in the “Butterflies in my Stomach” collection.

Last but not least, “The Masterpiece of Fashion Jewellery” exhibits the latest in jewellery trends. Led by Lotus Arts de Vivre, it presents timeless masterpieces made of scarab wings into a cluster necklace with pearl diamond citrine, a Scarab Parrot handbag with diamonds and rubies, as well as earrings and a ring.

Studio 21 Original Jewellery offers a massive and vivid necklace made of silver, gold and a mix of precious and semi-precious gems. Olivia Diamonds displays its one-of-a-kind oversized necklace with silver floral details enamelled with white topaz.

 In a move guaranteed to please Bangkok’s fashionistas, British high street fashion brand Cos opened its first store at EmQuartier last week and confirmed that its second boutique at Siam Paragon would be ready to launch next Saturday.

The EmQuartier branch is spread over 625 square metres and reflects the designs for which Cos is known using natural materials and modern features throughout and framed by a distinctive black basalt stone facade.

COS first launched in London in 2007 and made its reputation for exploring organic shapes and natural materials while taking inspiration from the past, present and imagined future. The result is a series of understated modern classics, composed in interchangeable modular ways.

From the pattern cutting to the paper draping and 3D conceptual work, the spring and summer collections for men and women show the influences of time with reinvented modern pieces boasting a futuristic tone. The three-piece tailoring incorporates new fabrics as well as draped and voluminous pieces while classics have been revisited in surprising materials and with details that are sometimes carefully misplaced.

Designs are brought to life by cottons in a range of forms – textured, coated, crisp, crumpled – and knits of various weights are crafted from barely-there silks, chunky paper yarns and starched summer wools. Technical innovations like coated Tyvek are interspersed throughout and the composition is completed with a natural, refined colour palette that moves from purest white through organic papery and wood-inspired tones to summer browns combined with accents of ochre, leaf green, mint, navy, petrol and red clay.

Accessories include the shopper bag in ivory patent leather, an elongated clutch with a brushed metal handle and a rectangular leather handbag with functional front and back openings. Sneakers are fly knitted, proposing a new wearability and silver jewellery is fluid and organic, creating floating forms.

AS EXCITING and exhausting as ever, Bangkok International Fashion Week was back last week for its eleventh edition with shows spread over three leading shopping centres – Siam Paragon, Siam Center The Ideopolis and Siam Discovery The Exploratorium.

The five-day event featured a total of 12 shows plus fashion talks and presentations from 29 designers, all focused on the joys of summer.

Here’s what we took away from each of the presentations.

Greyhound

The curtain rose on the first on Hive Life Presents Greyhound Original “The Unofficial Show”. Sponsored by Samsumg Galaxy s9, the show featured handsome “Oppa” models (the term is used by South Korean girls to describe an attractive man).

Boasting hairdos by acclaimed stylist Grit “Gong” Jirakiertvadhana, the models waved the “new gen” flag, demonstrating feisty attitudes through blazers, short sleeved shirts and shorts with the back pocket turned inside out. Loungewear was no longer limited to lounging around but twisted to serve all purposes by pairing cupra fabric with biker shirts and pyjama bottoms.

Issue

Designer Pupawit Kritpalanara of Issue, which was presented by Jaguar E-Pace, chose to travel on the Silk Road and down the East Asian River towards the western world for his latest collection.

In line with its theme “The Invisible”, the models covered their faces revealing only glasses and hats to the audience.

“I believe that what is considered invisible is in fact not invisible,” the designed explained after the show. “We may not see art and culture with our own eyes but we know it exists. The collection offers fun and freedom through freeform silhouettes and, prints with environmental motifs such as birds, animals.”

The emphasis was on natural fibres and silk that nodded to the 70s and underlined Issue’s romantic and bohemian characteristics. Modern prints came in watermelon, jade green, and ginger yellow tones and the brand once again collaborated with Challawan swimming suit to create hot looks for men.

Vatanika

One of the hottest fashion brands around and designed by Vatanika Patamasingh na Ayudhaya, Vatanika was sponsored by Citi and showed a spring-summer collection inspired by female gestures, radiating charm and expressing more than mere movements.

Highlights included strong feminine silhouettes, materials such as geometric mesh, specially customised woven silk tassels, sophisticated lace, and silk satin and advanced draping techniques to create knee-length shorts and bold miniskirts. The modern female maxi dress evolved from the structure of a hoodie. Key colours and patterns included black, white, metallic silver and red stripes.

Asava

Always on the lookout for ways to push Thai fashion designs to the international stage, Polpat Asavaprapa, the multi-talented creative designer of Asava Group and president of the Bangkok Fashion Society, says he is aiming for the Thai capital to be named “Bangkok Design Capital 2022”. “We really need to focus on paving the way towards this goal,” he told XP.

Presented by Purra, Asava’s latest collection, “Subliminal”, looks deep into a true expression of the female’s soul and thought process. Classical tones such as white, black, blue and beige blended with the summery tones of Parisian Blue, Ultramarine-Green, and Haute Red. Contemporary Thai silk fabric added delicacy to the outfits while tweed added a bold texture for a luxurious and classical feel. Timeless silhouettes like bustier structures and tailored suits reinforced the classical elements while pinstripe suit fabrics accentuated masculine strength and sweet femininity.

Polpat says he no longer considers trends as important. “Designers cannot compete with fast fashion. Individuality is key. The Subliminal collection reflects a clean, neat, and balanced lifestyle. The Asava women is happy with her life and able to choose what is right for her,” he says.

Nagara

Iconic designer Nagara Sambandaraksa never ceases to surprise fashionistas and his show was no exception, featuring singer Palitchoke “Peck” Ayanaputra, actor Nadech Kikumiya, and actresses Janie Thienphosuwan, Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund and Khemanit “Pancake” Jamikorn.

“The Lost Horizon” collection was inspired by the scent of the colourful summer flowers, the ambience of praying, smoke, the smell of incense, and the delicate lines and patterns of Himalayan culture.

His signature touch of luxury came from fabulous fabrics such as silk and linen, outstanding prints, and exquisite embroidery in metallic gold and silver as well as sequins and beads, along with quilting and applique.

Rotsaniyom White Label

Designed and co-founded by Pongsak Kobrattanasuk and Thita Kamonnetsawat, Rotsaniyom has gone from unknown to rising star thanks to the simple and seamless combination of lace and other materials. This season’s collection called “Sun” combines lace and glossy materials to show that “sometimes the sun revolves around the earth”, a euphemism for modern civilisation.

“People who are leaders or confident in their thoughts can be compared to the sun, shining and giving out energy to those around them and sometimes feel they are the centre of the universe and forget that they are not the only sun that exists. Without the planets revolving it, the sun would lose its significance. Therefore, the sun must also learn to be a follower and sometimes the centre of the rotation changes,” said the designer of his concept.

DREAMS reach to the stars in the magnificent Lady Arpels Planetarium, one of several new wristwatches that Van Cleef and Arpels unveiled in Switzerland in January. They’re part of the “Poetry of Time” exhibition now touring Asia, starting in Thailand.

It’s on view in the Emporium’s first-floor gallery through Sunday.

The Lady Arpels Planetarium is a re-styling of the Midnight Planetarium that Van Cleef and Arpels produced four years ago.

Distinguished both by refined aesthetics and an automatic movement developed exclusively for the company, the lady’s watch illustrates the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and the Moon, each moving at its actual speed. Mercury “orbits” the dial in 88 days, Venus in 224 and Earth in 365. Meanwhile the Moon orbits around the Earth in 29.5 days.

Taken altogether, the heavenly bodies perform a celestial ballet on the dial, day after day.

The 38mm case is set with diamonds in the bezel and sides and houses a movement redesigned for this smaller size, with an exclusive module developed in collaboration with Christiaan van der Klaauw.

The dial enriches the planetary spectacle with a shooting star in rhodium-plated gold, showing the time with poetic grace.

On the back of the watch, two apertures display the day, month and year, all surrounded by an enchanting decor.

Two bracelets are available to suit any occasion. The blue-glitter alligator strap matches the dial and the bracelet is entirely set with diamonds for a high-jewellery design.

The brand took great care in selecting and working with the traditional materials used in making jewellery and watches.

The planets of differing volumes rotate around a Sun made of pink gold, gleaming in the centre of the dial. A pink mother-of-pearl Mercury and a turquoise Earth were meticulously hand-cut in spherical shapes, while Venus is portrayed with a green enamel bead fashioned in the Van Cleef and Arpels enamel workshop.

The familiar glow of the Moon comes to life with a brilliant-cut diamond, contrasting with the midnight-blue background.

Evoking the depth of the cosmos, seven aventurine discs are placed in concentric circles within the dial, several rotating individually with the watch movement. The back of the case displays the same shades.

Also in the exhibition is the original Midnight Planetarium from 2014, in which the ambition of reducing the scale of the heavens to the dimensions of a wristwatch was realised. It’s a miniature representation of the movement of six planets around the Sun and their relative position at any given time. Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are set in motion by a self-winding mechanical movement of great complexity.

The Midnight Zodiac Lumineux features the 12 signs of the western zodiac in 12 luminous dials. Finely sculpted in white gold, the signs stand out against a background of blue-glitter enamel, evoking the heavenly vault. Within each constellation, delicate enamel beads depict several points, shaped by hand and mounted on the dial, some of them light up like real stars.

The Lady Arpels Papillon Automate is enchanting nature comes to life. Equipped with a sophisticated automaton module, it depicts the random fluttering of a butterfly’s wings, moving in tandem with the movements of the wearer.

As the hours and minutes flow by on the right, the butterfly beats its wings randomly – one to four times in a row, depending on the power reserve.

The frequency of the movements is also irregular, taking place every two to four minutes when the watch is not being worn and more often when it’s on the wrist.

THE CITY’S signature fashion showcase, Bangkok International Fashion Week, brought the curtain down on its eleventh edition last weekend, once again underlining the talent of Thailand’s designers. This year, more than 29 brands, both local and international, showed off their collections for spring and summer 2018 at the event which, as always, reserved part of the catwalk for up-and-coming young designers.

This year too, BIFW welcomed the duo behind British brand Palmer//Harding, Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding aka “The Shirt Boys”. Fresh from London Fashion Week, the pair showed Thai fashionistas how they have pushed renowned British tailoring to another level.

In business since 2012, Palmer and Harding, who were recognised by the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund last year, have become known for their excellent pattern-cutting techniques, advanced design methods, and re-imagined garment designs that underscore exuberant creative energy.

As their nickname suggests, the duo specialises in creating classic shirts with a twist for both men and women, while also combining the ready-to-wear concept with innovations and modernity.

“When we started seven years ago, we wanted to make sure we could bring a unique point of view to the market. The clothing that interested us the most was shirting, as it crosses a lot of barriers, can be worn by either gender and is both dressy and functional. It’s the parameter we can really explore,” says Harding.

“The ‘Shirt Boys’ is the message we kept on selling when we started and it didn’t take long for people to catch on and categorise us,” he adds.

“And it was nice to do something that is very versatile and has a purpose, because the shirt is as applicable to daytime wear as for the night. We loved the idea of making something that was special for, say, 11 o’clock on Tuesday, rather than just for evening wear,” Palmer enthuses.

“England has really a great history of shirting and tailoring and we learned about both during our training at Central St Martins. It has been exciting to take something that is so steeped in tradition and explore new areas, develop ideas of what shirting and tailoring can become and go beyond the expectation of what a simple shirt can be.”

Harding takes up the story, pointing out that there are already a lot of designers around the globe offering evening dresses, party gear and streetwear. “We want to bring creativity to what working women wear the whole day,” he explains.

“Some of the elements shown in the collection here are reconstructed but for us it’s more about the reimagination of the shirt – what the shirt can be and how far you can push it, so it is not just a shirt.”

That notion was strongly conveyed during the Palmer//Harding show on BIFW’s opening night. The runway and music were nothing fancy but provided the perfect background for the movement of their playfulness with the classic shirt, reinvented with asymmetric hems and proportions, in various styles and with plenty of layering

“When we design, elements come from three-dimensional aspects. We do a lot of sculpturing on the stand and drape the shape we think is beautiful then examine the whole to see how we can put the details or the colour on it. So the design process does not actually start from the shirt but from a beautiful shape. The shirting aspect comes later,” Palmer says.

“We use both traditional and non-traditional techniques. Collars, cuffs, sleeves and the quality of stitching are important to us but finding a unique cutting pattern is also very interesting,” Harding adds.

While the duo usually shows three collections annually, two collections in the main calendar as well as a pre-collection in June, for Bangkok they combined both their spring-summer and autumn-winter 2018 collections, catching the eye with blazer stripes, pink oxfords and blue banker stripes, many of them trimmed with ribbons. Separates included an oversized water-resistant coat in black and khaki, casual asymmetric skirts with extravagant details, and pleated trousers for everyday wear.

The colours of this season’s collection were inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s “Combine” series created between 1953 and ’64. Dark red, white, lavender blue, copper, light grey, navy, black, and yellow ochre, in seersucker and textured jacquard, emphasised simplicity but were not too casual, just like a woman who is not afraid to express herself.

“For autumn and winter, we looked at the idea of movement inspired by contemporary dance. There are a lot of subtle notions of fabrics being manipulated as if caught in the body and the movement of arms, but not necessarily exaggerated by the dance movements. The designs are more inspired by daily lives,” Palmer explains.

“Cotton is the best fabric to do shirting, so for Bangkok’s weather, whether it’s very hot or just pleasantly slow, the clothes have a cooling effect. We are very humble people. We are very proud of what we achieve and our team. Our business has grown a lot and sales are increasing. We want to build a strong foundation,” says Harding.

“We now have 75 stores in all major capitals around the world. It is very exciting to know that you are reaching customers in every corner of the globe. But it is also quite exciting for us to understand who our women are,” Palmer adds.

“Our woman requires certain elements of comfort. She is a working woman. She is confident and controls her life. She is in charge and knows what she is doing and where she is going,” Harding says.

 Now the challenge for Scottish high-end bag, Strathberry, will be keeping up with that demand.

In Thailand, this dynamic Edinburgh based luxury label specialising in handcrafted leather goods is now available exclusively at Central Chidlom’s Luxe Gallerie, on the Ground floor.

In December, Markle was spotted carrying a Strathberry bags during her very first official engagement. The Midi Tote bag (in the same colour) was reported sold out minutes of her being seen with the bag.

Founded in 2013, Strathberry has its bags made in Spain by the finest artisans. The highest quality materials are used to achieve the clean lines and geometric purity that is integral to the Strathberry aesthetic.

Strathberry was founded by husband-and-wife duo, Leeanne and Guy Hundleby as they explored a joint passion for beautiful handcrafted leather goods. Travels through the artisanal leather regions of Spain inspired the couple to experiment with shape and proportions, and they began building paper model versions of the iconic Strathberry styles. These would in time evolve to form the iconic Strathberry Tote and MC collections.

Strathberry juxtaposes inherently Scottish spirit with an international outlook. With the creative epicentre located in a 19th-century Edinburgh townhouse, the dialogue between Scottish design and Spanish craftsmanship allows for a dynamic interplay of ideas and innovation.

With bold creative direction, Strathberry draws upon an eclectic range of sources for inspiration. An interdisciplinary approach to collaboration allows for exploration of different design avenues, diversifying and developing both range and skill, which in turn cements the Strathberry brand at the forefront of artistic creativity.

“To welcome the new fashion trends and collections from the 2018 Spring/Summer season that have created a buzz with influencers and fashionistas from Paris, New York, London, Milan and Tokyo, we have carefully curated what we consider the must-have items from international labels such as Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Celine, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu, Valentino, as well as exclusive brands like Dior Homme, Roger Vivier and Collection of Style,” says Onthira Bharksuwana, deputy managing director.

“A modern brand that offers timeless designs, Collection of Style debuted in 2007 in London and will be opening its first store in Thailand very soon.”

Luxury French jewellers Van Cleef & Arpel join the event with an exhibition of classical timepieces, both vintage and newly designed. “The Poetry of Time” exhibition was first held at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, Geneva and has now travelled to The Emporium.

Roger Vivier, a leather and shoe expert from France, launches new slippers made exclusively for its Thailand boutique, with the slip ons coming in Black and Petrolio Green.”

Vogue fashion editor Jongkol Palarit, says she’s particularly excited about Prada’s face-printed collection, Raf Simons using Dennis Hopper and Sandra Brant prints on their denims, shirts and dresses, and the print designs on the short-sleeved shirts from Dior Homme.

Nature-infused prints are a fashion staple every summer, but this time they come with a twist. Nicolas Ghesquiere of Louis Vuitton and Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino, give floral prints a colourful makeover, as do Proenza Schouler, Miu Miu and Prada. Flowers appear too on the ’80s dresses from Celine, Emilio Pucci, Loewe, the classic Vara Bow from Salvatore Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana while Gucci opts for Java fish as the print for its collection of long dresses, and Louis Vuitton brings floral prints to every look. The ribbon trend is also popular, not only for earrings, headbands or bag straps, but this time also appearing on shoes from Jimmy Choo and Salvatore Ferragamo’s purses.

Plastic is in this season on coats and skirts and finds it way to bags like Fendi’s Mon Tresor, Diorclub’s sunglasses, Chanel’s boots and Burberry coats.

 A YOUNG couple in love, separated and yearning – a military officer and a farm girl at the end of World War II. The countryside itself seems blessed with romance. Flowers bloom everywhere. You can hear the sound of a horse running – and of a typewriter.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana had all these elements in a poem she wrote last year that became the inspiration for “Horse, Helen, and Henri”, her latest line of clothing for the Sirivannavari and S’Homme labels.

The spring-summer collection was unveiled last week, replete with ultra-feminine silhouettes, state-of-the-art embroidery and her signature graphic prints.

“The poem is the story of the love between a young military officer and a farm girl, and that turned out to be the beginning of this collection,” explained Princess Sirivannavari, the 31-year-old daughter of His Majesty the King and the creative director at both labels.

“I found it quite astonishing to translate this poem into a fashion collection. All the details in the collection can be found in the story shared in the poem, such as the horse and horse tack, the yellow of canola, ears of barley, sealing wax, poppy flowers and buzzing bees.”

Princess Sirivannavari became interested in the arts in general and clothing design in particular while she was a student. She studied fashion and textiles at Chulalongkorn University and L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris.

Her first collection, “Red Hobby”, was shown in 2004, and three years later she founded her own brand, Sirivannavari Bangkok. Its debut spring-summer line was shown at Paris Fashion Week 2008, at the invitation of famed French couturier Pierre Balmain. The royal stylist has since become a familiar face on the international fashion scene. She was among “the 20 Hottest Young Royals” compiled by Forbes in 2008.

To present her new collection, the runway at Siam Paragon’s Royal Paragon Hall was decked out with red poppy flowers, echoing the red lips of Helen, the heroine of her poem. The clacking of a typewriter signalled the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra to begin playing a score that Princess Sirivannavari composed for the occasion.

“The show consists of five and a half acts,” she said. “The music is neo-romantic with a modern twist and a touch of acoustic gui

tar. It narrates the story of the romance that develops between Henri and Helen. The sound of a typewriter signifies the correspondence typed by Helen.”

The love story opens in early spring, with fields of vibrant yellow canola in full bloom. Helen sees a horse running through the field carrying an unconscious young soldier, Henri. She tends to his wounds, and as he recovers, romance blossoms.

However, when Henri has fully recovered, a sense of duty compels him to rejoin the army. Before they exchange farewells, Helen gives him a painting of his horse, and Henri gives her his military tunic. He promises he will come back and spend the rest of his life with her.

As the relationship becomes long-distance, Henri writes her letters by hand, while she relies on a typewriter. As time goes by, they lose touch. After a year has passed, Helen has lost hope. Then one day she walks to the field where the poppy flowers are blooming as red as her lips and again hears the sound of a running horse.

Her heart begins to pound like a drum in nervous anticipation. Once she sees who is standing in front of her, she bursts into tears of joy. Henri has kept his promise.

The Sirivannavari and S’Homme spring-summer lines consist of 57 looks – 50 for women and seven for men.

The show commenced with a romantic white dress with ruffle details, an evening gown with poppy flowers and feather applique and crystals encrusted in the shape of a horseshoe, and a leather bustier with a hand-painted motif.

A more masculine look took the shape of a Napoleonic jacket with gold-thread embroidery in a pattern of ears of barley and bees. It was matched with high-waist slacks and a deconstructed jacket with raw edge details paired with pristine white jeans.

“The silhouettes and structures of this season are quite varied and complicated, from a mermaid dress and ball gown to deconstructed looks,” the Princess said. “In addition, I added some details and techniques to create new dimensions, such as a quilted pattern and pleating technique from Gerard Lognon’s workshop in Paris and our own maison’s embroidery craftsmanship.”

She established the Sirivannavari Atelier and Academy, an in-house workshop for couture embroidery.

As anticipated, graphic prints – so characteristic of the brand – remains a highlight. The Princess created the latest prints by visually translating her poem. There were two themes – the horses and tack, and the flowers, bees and ears of barley. The prints are also incorporated into the textile collection, such as a square scarf and a miniature rectangular version used for handbag handles.

The Bijoux Collection adheres to the same inspiration – horses and tack, barley and poppies – in jewellery settings. The brand’s new Fine Jewellery collection includes rings, necklaces and earrings.

To complete a look, there are leather goods, such as a beautiful bucket bag with an interwoven leather strap and adorned with gilded metal and flower, and a laser-cut tote featuring hand-painted graphics. The shoes are sexy in transparent materials, with the shoestrings resembling corset laces. There are flats, top boots and heels up to four inches high.

And there’s beachwear, too, meant to empower by instilling confidence. The swimwear has cut-outs and custom-made Swarovski crystals. An elegant cover-up robe would suit both men and women.

The S’Homme menswear collection combines the luxe of the modern urban gentlemen with the casualness of the countryside, reflecting Henri’s personality. The key pieces are the exquisitely embroidered Napoleonic tunic, a double-breasted jacket with red piping and matching trousers, a herringbone military jacket paired with white jeans, a woollen hoodie, and a white shirt with pleats at the back and cuffs.

The men’s shoes and accessories are outstanding, including Derby shoes, sneakers, jacket pins and neckties in the customary prints.

INSPIRATION IN VERSE

•   The spring-summer 2018 collection is available at the Sirivannavari Boutique on the first floor of Fashion Gallery 3 at Siam Paragon.
•  The 2017 poem by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana:

Henri said

“Love drove me to renounce my pain. I promise to return.

“I will find you, marry you and love you with dignity and without shame.”

Helen said

“Gliding with each step, the earth sighs with each hoof-touch.

“His every move with purpose and grace.

“And I have found happiness in his presence.

“Through him I sense power, inner peace and resolve.”

Renowned Thai and foreign designers representing 29 brands will show their spring-summer collections alongside promising rookies, the future leaders of the Thai fashion industry.

Plans for the week were recently unveiled at a press conference on the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok Rotunda Lawn, where attendees also got a sneak preview of clothes from several Thai brands.

There were outfits from Issue, Vatanika, Fri27Nov, Rotsaniyom White Label, Asava, Nagara, Absolute Siam, the Wonder Room, Wee and Tube Gallery. Up-and-coming designers on view included students from Srinakarinwirot University’s College of Creative Industry, presenting as Fash SWU.

Arriving direct from London Fashion Week will be the latest collection from Palmer//Harding, the British brand co-founded by Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding.

Palmer//Harding is currently one of the most-watched brands in the industry and Thailand will be the first to see the new collection after the London debut.

“Throughout the past 11 years, we have been very well received by our partners in both the domestic and international fashion industry, as well as annually gaining more designers and interested parties who value the BIFW,” said Chanisa Kaewruen, senior deputy managing director at Siam Piwat.

“This reflects our intention to truly encourage and internationally promote a great image for Thai designer brands. Organising this year’s event is an important step in strengthening the Thai fashion industry.”

There will be four days of runway shows in Parc Paragon beginning on Thursday (March 22). The first of the 11 shows will be Palmer//Harding, known for its garment style, pattern cutting and unpredictability.

Atrium 1 on G Floor at Siam Center will meanwhile host the forum “In Conversation with Palmer//Harding” featuring the founders, Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding.

Another early show at Parc Paragon will be “FOS” (“Fashion of the South”) by RMUTSV Srivijaya, who taps into the region’s unique local culture. Then it’s Fash SWU from Srinakarinwirot University, a display by students at the Chanapatana International Design Institute, Valentier by Donnawat Perkchinnaworn, and new-blood designers such as Kanapot Aunsorn.

Fashion guru Apiwat Yodpraphan will hold court and discuss coming trends in “First Come, First Served” at Siam Center, students from Kasetsart University will present “Fashion Business Kasetsart”, and Bangkok University will offer “Ultimate Showcase”.

Keep updated and watch all the shows in real time at http://www.SiamParagon.co.th/bifw2018 and http://www.Facebook.com/siamparagonshopping.

Learn more at (02) 610 8000.

The history of the lady’s wristwatch was recently unveiled by the last family-owned, independent Geneva based watch manufacture, Patek Philippe, in a viewing that celebrated the beauty of feminine timepieces.

The private viewing, dubbed “The Mechanical Art for Ladies” was held at House No. 1 in Bang Rak district with an intimate high tea session.

Deepa Chatrath, general manager of the brand in South East Asia, shared the brand’s origins and long standing history with its female clientele.

Highlights included the Ladies First Minute Repeater Ref 7000R-001 as well as recent launches including the Annual Calendar Ref 4947G with an opaline dial finished to resemble shantung silk. The watches took the spotlight alongside traditional fabric installations curated by renowned historian, Paothong Thongchua, who shared his expertise on how the creation process of Thai textiles mirrored Patek Philippe’s mechanical art of watchmaking.

Patek Philippe’s long-standing commitment to producing exceptional timepieces for ladies started in 1839, and one of its first customers was Mrs Goscinska, who ordered three timepieces.

Over the years, the brand continued to demonstrate its creativity and willingness to offer unique watches to its female clients. In 1868, when the avant-garde Countess Koscowicz of Hungary declined to follow the prevailing female habit of wearing a watch as a brooch or pendant, Patek Philippe developed one to be worn on the wrist – a trend that would eventually take off.

In 1916, Patek Philippe made a horological breakthough by producing a chiming mechanism on a wristwatch – a five-minute repeater in platinum.

“Anything we design has to be of the utmost beauty so that you will want to wear it for many years. We achieve this by devoting our full attention to the smallest details,” says Patek Philippe President, Thierry Stern.

This philosophy is translated by the creations department headed by Sandrine Stern, who ensures that each piece is designed around an in-house movement before other elements are considered, from diamonds to mini cabochon indexes or individual stars on a moonphase, resulting in a distinctly feminine dial or case.

Patek Philippe ladies timepieces continues to be a symbol of the manufacture’s tradition in the art of fine watch making today, from the classic design of the Bauhaus inspired Calatrava, the modern femininity of Twenty-4, the casual elegance of the Aquanaut and Nautilus. to the array of mechanical complications like the Perpetual Calendar.

Highlighted pieces included the Ref 7130, the feminine version of the World Time Watch designed with the jet-setting woman in mind. It boasts a split seconds chronograph with column-wheel control and an elegant rose gold case with 226 diamonds. Also shown was the 2017 reference of Patek Philippe’s Ladies First Perpetual Calendar with a silvery opaline dial, white gold bezel set with 68 diamonds as well as two hand-stitched Alligator strap options for the ladies in charcoal grey or turquoise green.

The Calatrava is a classic creation with a cream-coloured dial and the moon and stars depicted with gold-dust symbols.