Tag Archives: culture

The future world manga capital

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MANGA MUSEUM

The Japan News/Yomiuri
Asia News Network January 18, 2016 1:00 am
The Yokote Masuda Manga Museum last month announced plans to increase its collection to 300,000 pieces. Photo

The Yokote Masuda Manga Museum last month announced plans to increase its collection to 300,000 pieces. Photo

Yokote’s museum devoted to the iconic Japanese comics eyes 300,000 original artworks

The Yokote Masuda Manga Museum has an ambition to gather the world’s biggest collection of original drawings and paintings from published manga.

The museum in Yokote’s Masuda district last month announced that it wants to increase its collection to 300,000 pieces. The city also unveiled a plan to promote sightseeing through combining the museum with the city’s traditional storage chambers, called uchigura.

Some of the ideas include using uchigura as venues for the exhibition of original manga artwork and discussion sessions with artists, as well as hosting an international manga convention.

In January last year the city announced renovation plans for the museum. The initial goal was to have 100,000 pieces in the collection, but that was subsequently expanded to keep pace with Tottori Prefecture, which has launched a campaign to become known as the “manga kingdom”. The prefecture is the childhood home of celebrated manga artist Shigeru Mizuki, who died in November.

It is often difficult for both publishers and artists to preserve original manga art due to space limitations, making it more important for museums to acquire and preserve the works.

The Yokote museum is part of the Masuda Fureai Plaza complex, which also houses a library and a community centre. Renovations call for these facilities to be moved to a municipal office building nearby so that the surface area of the museum can be expanded more than tenfold.

There will be a special exhibition room, a glass-walled archive and a cafe on the first floor, with five additional galleries elsewhere in the facility. The renovation will cost 500 million yen (Bt155 million) and the refurbished facility is scheduled to open in spring 2018.

The annual number of visitors peaked at about 138,000 in 1997 and currently hovers around 60,000. By comparison, in 2014 136,000 people visited the centre of Masuda, which features the Kura-no-Eki tourist information centre and major uchigura chambers.

The museum is about 700 metres from the city centre. By combining the attractions of uchigura and manga, the city hopes to bring more tourists to the museum.

Though the programme for the international manga convention has not yet been determined, the city apparently wants to hold the event in summer 2018. An exhibition of original artwork and artist talks will be key attractions.

“We’d like to make the most of the two different cultures of our city, which exist next to each another, and make this place an integrated tourist hub,” says Yokote Mayor Dai Takahashi.

CHAMBER OF COMICS

– The Yokote Masuda Manga Museum is open from 9 to 5 daily except Mondays and national holidays. Admission is free apart from special exhibitions.

– Find out more at http://www.Manga-Museum.com.

Deep in the DRAGON’S belly

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AFTER DARK

The Nation January 15, 2016 4:41 pm

Bed Supperclub rises from the ashes to become an exciting new night venue called Chi Ultralounge

THE TREND IN Bangkok might be for smaller, hidden-away venues at which to chill but the super-spacious club Chi Ultralounge, launched recently on Sukhumvit Soi 13, is certain to draw night owls with its generous space, terrific food and drinks galore.

Rising from the ashes of Bed Supperclub, which shut up shop in 2013, the Ultralounge’s designers have transformed the spaceship-like white cylinder structure and given it a dark, mysterious and decadent ambience to complement what they calling “funk shui”.

Professing to be the pioneer of “Asian lounge culture” in the city, the club summons up fantasies of eerily cool Yakuza haunts or beautifully lit archaic casinos in Macao. Decadent gold leaf designs and ancient Chinese antique embellishments glow under the watchful eye of the Imperial Dragon, a symbol of protection, affluence and power.

As Thailand’s first world-class Diageo Club, guests can enjoy an exciting array of cocktails concocted by the talents of in-house mixologists selected by nightclub proprietor, Daryl Scott, a veteran of the clubbing circuit with dozens of venue designs and launches to his credit.

Scott has placed huge emphasis on safety, convenience and swift service. The venue now features six fire escapes and an advanced sprinkler system that covers the walls and ceilings of every part of the lounge. There are also electronic bottle service systems that enable staff to deliver a superbly tailored guest experience along with a VIP concierge.

The finishing touch to the gallery in the club area is a stunning seven-metre painting commissioned exclusively for Chi Ultralounge by Dutch artist Peter Klashorst.

Scott’s vision for Chi centres on “funk shui”, the fun and feisty volley of cohesive yet eclectic elements that walk patrons through heavy swing doors, on interconnected mezzanine gantries, through private VIP bars and wow them with insane audio and a domed ceiling video display.

“Chi Ultralounge features an uber-cool Asian motif with a one-off metallic design while the Zen cultural styling of the lounge gives it an authentic feng shui vibe.

“The quirky Chinese dragon design concept, incredible 3D video projections onto the domed ceiling, gold leaf and Zen-inspired DJ booth lend to an international ambience for the iconic club design space that was once the famed Bed Supperclub,” Scott says.

The Chi Ultra Dining Experience launches this month with the introduction of “Manna”, a culinary mash-up designed by the renowned Blue Elephant restaurant group and fronted by New York executive chef Tony Bish.

Guests can dine in the belly of the imperial dragon, before the clubbing really begins from 10.30pm until very, very late.

Chi Ultralounge is on Sukhumvit Soi 13, close to Asoke BTS and Sukhumvit MRT. It is open daily from7pm till 2am.

Visit http://www.ChiUltralounge.com and http://www.Facebook.com /ChiUltralounge.

We DANCE to conquer

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AFTER DARK

MANTA KLANGBOONKRONG
THE NATION January 15, 2016 4:35 pm

Gravity Thailand

Gravity Thailand

Kaskade

Kaskade

 

Ready to rave? The year is shaping up to be another feverish electronic dance marathon

SO MANY EDM festivals and other big music events are planned for the year ahead that it’s hard to believe electronic dance music only just caught on in Thailand a few years ago.

We’ve had a slew of big-name foreign DJs working the dance floors in clubs all around the country, and Bangkok has hosted quite a few international “party brands”, such as Gravity from Britain, the Miami-based Ultra Music Festival and the Netherlands-originated Sensation.

Last year’s EDM calendar had important events and festivals almost every month, on top of appearances in the clubs by A-list DJs, and 2016 looks like it’s going to be every bit as busy, if not more so.

The year kicks off with a wallop next Saturday with “Arcadia – The Bangkok Takeover”, the second edition of Gravity Thailand, this time being held in Lumpini Square (just pile out of the Lumpini subway station), which is certainly far more accessible than Minburi, host to the previous gathering.

Gravity’s bringing in a fire-breathing, award-winning production created by Arcadia Spectacular, complete with a 360-degree “sound field” – which means there’ll be no escape from the music that must make you move. And just in case the music does have any trouble finding you, there’ll be three times more lasers than last time slashing through the crowd.

DJs Kaskade, Zomboy, Bl3nd, Must Die and DVBBS will be flying in – to be joined by a raft of homegrown talent – for the rave-up right in the heart of Bangkok, a mere stumble from the MRT line and also with ample parking space if you’re driving.

On February 20 it’s the turn of the Maya Festival to have its second edition, this time taking place on bigger turf in Pattaya.

Last year’s event can only be described as unforgettable, the stage itself mesmerising thanks to thousands of dancing LED lights and 20-metre-tall naga motifs on both sides, also illuminated so they looked like they were slithering in time to the beats pumped out by globally renowned DJs.

EDM giants including Tiesto and Dash Berlin are headlining the 2016 festival, which is entirely Thai-owned. They’ll perform on one stage alongside Don Diablo, AN21, D-Block & S-te-Fan and Voicetone, while a second “live stage” will have top Thai acts like Thaitanium, Potato, Da Endorphine, Big Ass, 25 Hour and Cocktail.

With April begins the Thai New Year, its birth eased by a great deal of cooling, splashing water, and the second S2O Songkran Music Festival is taking shape for April 13 and 14 at the same venue as last year – the S2O Factory near RCA.

The same purpose-built “waterproof” venue will reopen ready for two very wet, extremely fun days and nights of dance-floor gymnastics. The full line-up of participating acts has yet to be announced but, judging from the huge success of the inaugural event last year – when big names like Deadmau5, Graham Gold, Sydney Samson and Afrojack were on the bill – this year should be equally jaw-dropping, and maybe even better!

Just as the S2O squirt-fest is wrapping up, gCircuit will be launching into its 10th edition of SongKran 10, which runs from April 14 to 17. No rush for your dancing shoes for this moist marathon, because it begins with the Glam Gala, a posh banquet raising funds for the Thai Aids Society and the Poz Home Centre Foundation. It’s being held at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok and tickets cost Bt5,000. Once the dishes are cleared, though, grab the comfy slippers, because DJ Leomeo will be cranking the tunes for the after-party.

And then it’s all dancing, all the time, with the “Olympus”, “Dynasty” and “Prism” parties arranged for consecutive nights at Central World’s GMM Live House. Leomeo will be around again, joined by DJs Spectrum K, Alyson Calagna, Alex Costa, Twisted Dee, Able, Oscar Velazquez and Paulo.

Afternoons will not be wasted. The gCircuit crew is hosting more of its notorious pool parties at the Double Tree by Hilton on Sukhumvit Soi 26. Be warned – tickets for these are selling fast.

There’s a lot of rumbling going on about other events in the pipeline, for which negotiations are continuing, so dates, locations and entertainment rosters are still up in the air.

What we do know so far is that the Together Festival will be happening in May and a “Road to Ultra: Thailand” event in June. You can also count on attending more light-and-sound extravaganzas like the second Warp Music Festival, likely in October, and the third Waterzonic in November.

And in December another Thai-owned bash, the pioneering 808 Festival, is expected to return for its sixth edition. Put together by Retox Sessions, that festival came to life in 2012 at Bitec in Bang Na and featured monster acts like LMFAO and Afrojack. It’s since become one of Bangkok’s longest-running EDM gigs.

A lot of local folks have their white outfits already picked out for the next White Party, a lavish affair that graced Bangkok in 2012 and 2014, but – apart from Moscow and Hyderabad – the full destination list has not yet been unveiled for this year. You might want to check the price of flights to Russia and India just in case.

 

Baby can wait as Nat tries on the producer’s hat

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SOOPSIP

The Nation January 15, 2016 4:30 pm
Tata Young and Mor

Tata Young and Mor

SHOWBIZ STARS CERTAINLY get to do a lot, but few can actually say, “I’ve done it all.” One who can indeed make the claim, though, after almost two decades on the scene, is 37-year-old Myria “Nat” Benedetti.

The Thai-Swiss actress-singer has also done turns as a TV personality, event emcee and model, and recently she embarked on a new challenge as a series producer for digital channel True 4U.

Nat’s in charge of the new three-season series “Jao Wei Ha”, a star-studded production starring big names like Woranuch “Noon” Pirompakdee, Andrew Gregson, Khemanit “Pancake” Jamikorn and Jesdaporn “Tik” Pholdee. It’s also got Atichart “Aum” Chumnanon, who also happens to Nat’s husband, which just goes to show that connections are important!

Experienced film-industry hand Bandit Thongdee is directing the series, which has a Bt150-million budget and is scheduled to premiere in March.

Being a producer is “much more difficult and detail-oriented than acting”, Nat tells Manager Online. “There are a lot of people involved and there are always surprises hidden in every step – mostly troubles and complications. For a newbie like me it’s been quite an overwhelming experience. I’d consulted my best friend Anne [Thongprasom], who was producing TV shows long before I tried, and she did warn me about this. So it’s a lot of work, but at the same time I enjoy it very much.”

Nat’s asked if she’s given up on acting. “There have been a few proposals, but the biggeast problem for me right now is time,” she says. “The series takes all of my time and energy, and there are the second and third seasons to work on after this, so I guess you won’t see me acting anytime soon.”

Since their marriage in 2014, Nat and Aum are among the celebrity couples who’ve been trying to have a baby. But with both of them working so hard on this show, that’s a wish that, like Nat’s acting, is going to have to wait awhile. “We’ve stopped trying for now so we can focus on work,” Nat says.

Ray lights up Tata’s life

Pop singer Amita “Tata” Young has joined the roster of new celebrity mums, giving birth to her firstborn a few days ago at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital. She’s been married to entrepreneur Chatadul “Mor” Seenapongpipit for two years.

Their son arrived by caesarean section and is in perfect health. They’ve named him Ray, as in a ray of light, a nice match for “Amita”, which means “eternal light” in Sanskrit.

Just hours after Ray’s debut, his 35-year-old mum broke the news on Instagram (TataAmitaYoung) with a cute and moving “message” to her little boy. “Finally this day has arrived,” she declared, “the day that Mummy and Daddy get to meet you in person after waiting for 238 days.

“During those days we were waiting for your arrival in happiness and we got to enjoy a lot of new experiences, all thanks to you. Sometimes it was hard, but we fought harder for you, Ray. You are the love of our lives and we love you so much. There is so much to talk about. Let’s talk soon now that you’re here with us!”

We look forward to eavesdropping on their happy conversations as the little guy grows up.

Royal lives entwined

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MUSEUM

KUPLUTHAI PUNGKANON
THE NATION January 14, 2016 1:00 am

 

The Queen Savang Vadhana Museum pays homage to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit with a remarkably hi-tech show

ADDING TO THE many wonderful memories Her Majesty the Queen will be recalling as her seventh-cycle birthday approaches in August, an exhibition has just opened in her honour at the Queen Savang Vadhana Museum – in the palace where she and His Majesty the King were married.

The exhibition “Sappatamawat Borom Khattiya Rajininat” – which continues through March 31 – reviews her creative endeavours and their tradition-steeped inspirations.

Srapratum Palace was the home of Queen Savang, His Majesty’s grandmother. On an open-air terrace adjoining her living quarters, Their Majesties took their wedding vows and received her formal blessings on April 28, 1950.

The museum has done a remarkable job of encapsulating the immense amount of work undertaken by Queen Sirikit and the multitude of projects she initiated. To cover all the ground, it’s made good use of modern technology, displaying objects matched to QR (quick response) codes that can be scanned so that explanatory text, photos and video and audio clips can be viewed on tablets that are provided along with audio-tour headsets.

Credit for the wealth of fascinating additional visual and aural information presented electronically goes to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who chairs the Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation. Chavalee Amatyakul, her deputy private secretary, says with a smile that she works for “the IT princess”.

In the first section, “”Pratumnivasrajapravati”, one wall is covered in photographs documenting Her Majesty’s life and duties and postage stamps bearing Their Majesties’ portraits. Most of these images have a QR code, and among the treasures shared is a short film of the wedding in 1960.

The second section has more about the royal duties and gives testimony to the Queen’s dedication to the people’s wellbeing. It’s notable that Queen Savang chaired the Thai Red Cross Society from 1920 to 1946 and that Queen Sirikit has held that role since 1956.

Her Majesty’s kindness is evident in many displays. Her efforts for the Red Cross extended to lending a hand to the masses of Cambodian refugees who had poured into Thailand by 1979. The QR code here summons an interview with Princess Sirindhorn about her and the Queen’s work at Baan Khao Lan in Trat.

“There were many people starving, injured and dying,” you hear the Princess saying. “Some of the foreign assistance came in the form of instant foods, but we gave them normal meals to help gradually bring them back their health. When they got better, we sent teachers so they could learn work skills and the children could have lessons. We consulted with Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University to bring the people the knowledge they’d need to start again.”

Chavalee was there at the refugee camp with the royal mother and daughter. “They travelled to the camp in Trat as soon as she heard about the situation, on May 26, 1979. I had followed Thanpuying Suprapada Kasemsan and Thanpuying Charungchit Teekara to the camp in advance. We had to go to the market to prepare food for the refugees, such as boiled rice with pork. We did this every day for almost a month, and the children went from being very thin to being stronger and with brighter hope in their eyes.”

Among the video clips are brief interviews with other palace officials sharing their recollections of historical events.

Her Majesty’s royal projects delved into clothing design and environmental preservation, but she is chiefly admired for supporting indigent arts and crafts through her Support Foundation, which since 1976 has been based at the Chitralada Royal Villa and Garden on the grounds of Dusit Palace.

There are startling comparisons of objects from Queen Savang’s time and the “modern” variations produced by the Support Foundation. These include a yan lipao handbag inspired by a venerable betel-nut serving tray, and room partitions – one ornately carved in days gone by and the other, more recent, adorned with panels of hand-stitched bird and floral motifs.

A video clip has Queen Sirikit explaining how she derived inspiration from Queen Savang’s lipao betel box and cupboards decorated with the lustrous wings of beetles.

Replicas of Hanuman and Dhosakan masks from Royal Khon performances are displayed in the centre of the hall with a scanner code for viewing video of both a performance and the process by which the masks were made.

The last segment of the exhibition, “Phra Khun Pisitasapsakol”, examines Her Majesty’s role as Thailand’s “first lady” on the international stage.

The exhibition is as impressive as it is comprehensive. Visitors are well advised to arrive with plenty of time to spend at the museum. There is much to learn – and much to enjoy.

MAGICAL MEMORIES

– The Queen Savang Vadhana Museum is open from 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday. The entrance is near the Siam Kempinski Hotel.

– Attire must be appropriate to the palace. Women should wear skirts. You won’t get in wearing sleeveless tops, shorts or all-black outfits.

– Admission is Bt150 (Bt50 for students). Advance reservations are required. Call (02) 252 1965-7.

 

Not just another melodrama

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STAGE PREVIEW

PAWIT MAHASARINAND
SPECIAL TO THE NATION January 14, 2016 1:00 am

A new theatre company debuts with a must-see musical

THE NEW YEAR gets off to a good start with the launch of new theatre company Bangkok Studio 41. The brainchild of young producer and director Chavatvit Muangkeo, it takes its name from his cosy studio and restaurant on Rama IX Soi 41.

Making good on his premise that “Entertainment in Bangkok can be sophisticated and funky at the same time”, Chavatvit is staging a new musical adaptation of national artist Krissana Asoksin’s novel “Mia Luang” – “The Wife” in English – on which he’s been working diligently with his musical loving friends for the past two years.

“I was finishing my master’s degree in India when my former classmate Malinda Pamornsuwan contacted me about this project,” says Kiattipoom Nantanukul, musical writer, composer, self-confessed musical enthusiast and one of Chavatvit’s collaborators.

“She had turned the 800-plus page novel into a musical book and Chavatvit was already on board as the director. And so I further worked on the book and asked other lyricists and composers to come on board. First staged in October 2013, it was a graduation project for a group of theatre students at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. We were determined that given the amount of effort we had put in, this wasn’t going to be simply a university production. Even then, we were challenging the student actors with the sophistication of the music and lyrics. We certainly had no intention of dumbing it down because it’s a school work.”

“After discussions with Chavatvit and Malinda, we agreed that this was not going to be staged in the all-too-familiar proscenium stage configuration. In short, it wouldn’t be fun. So we did it in a traverse stage set up with two groups of audience members directly facing each other. And that decision strongly affected the narrative of my musical book,” he explains.

“We got many positive comments, most memorably from the national artist herself.

Noting that we had managed to retain the heart of the story while being concise, she was very open-minded to our interpretation. We had to leave out many characters for this stage adaptation – for example, we kept only one male character Anirut, who, despite his limited stage time, caused a lot of trouble for others – and really focused on the protagonist Wikanda, the other women who came into her life and what they did to one another.”

And in comparison with many TV soap adaptations, he notes, “The audience, without judging who’s right or wrong, sees there’s more to the story than the fights between Anirut’s women.”

After the first production, the creative team kept working on “The Wife”, adding some new songs, cutting others and inviting some cast members to try them out to see how they worked. A Korean expat music director has also come onboard and, Kiattipoom notes, his limited command of Thai has been a plus for the creative process as he can listen to the music and lyrics from a fresh new perspective.

Having frequented musical play productions in New York for many years as well as taken musical book writing and composition classes at New York University, he also notes that most Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway works are traditionally not staged in proscenium settings.

“The audience is closer to the stage action, hearing the real voices of the actors who’re not on microphones, and the director can do much more with his staging. In Thailand, where the number of musical theatre fans keeps growing, I think the audience needs a new experience and so for this professional production, we’ll do it in an arena stage. With about 300 audience members in the theatre, we’re taking this as something like an Off-Broadway production with a piano and a violin and some percussion.”

Kanda “Net” Witthayanuparpyuenyong, highly commended for her title roles in “Miss Saigon” and “Cixi Taihou”, takes the female lead. Another magnet is Nansinee “Nooknick AF6” Namwong, as On In.

And unusually for a musical, “The Wife” will have English surtitles for all dialogue and lyrics, making sure that expat audiences can also get into the vibe of Thailand’s blossoming musical theatre scene.

MISTRESSES AND SONG

– “The Wife: A New Musical” runs from January 21 to 23 and January 28 to 30 at 7.30 nightly and 2pm on Saturdays at the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre for Dramatic Arts. It’s in Thai with English surtitles. The venue is on Henri Dunant Road, a 10-minute walk from BTS Siam, Exit 6.

– Tickets are Bt800 (Bt600 for four or more; Bt300 for students). Call (094) 931 3434 or visit http://www.BangkokStudio41.com.

Toilet cleaner has a swell set of pipes

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SOOPSIP

The Nation January 14, 2016 1:00 am

 

Since last year film director Prachya Pinkaew has been weaving his 13 favourite songs into a movie called “Luk Thung Signature”, about seven couples involved in some way in the folk music of the Northeast.

SINCE LAST YEAR film director Prachya Pinkaew has been weaving his 13 favourite songs into a movie called “Luk Thung Signature”, about seven couples involved in some way in the folk music of the Northeast.

Naturally the cast has to be able to carry a tune, so Rungrat “Khai Mook” Mengphanit was a natural choice with her beautiful voice. She plays an office cleaner named Kaem who’s polishing the men’s restroom while crooning the Sunaree Ratchasima hit “Rao Ror Khor Luem”. The company’s overseas-educated CEO, Boy, (played by Krissada Sukosol Clapp) happens to be in there, attending to business, as it were.

Listening unseen to the singing gives Boy more relief than he expected when he entered the toilet, but Kaem, being shy, immediately stops singing when she realises she’s not alone and hurries out. Too late – she’s become Boy’s Cinderella, and he’s off in search of that gorgeous voice.

Khai Mook was cast in the film months before she passed a blind audition to appear on “The Voice Thailand”. Until then, Prachya had wanted to keep her and her talent a secret until his movie came out. “But when she became ‘Khai Mook The Voice’,” he says, “my plan was demolished!”

The first trailer for the movie highlights Khai Mook and co-star Tanon Jamroenj, winner of “The Voice” in its first season. Both the film and the TV contest got another boost when Khai Mook reprised “Rao Ror Khao Leum” on the TV show en route to becoming a finalist.

Por’s dad blasts press

Press updates on the condition of actor Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong have slowed somewhat two months after he entered intensive care at Ramathibodi Hospital, though not for lack of actual news.

Por’s latest operation, last month, involved the removal of a lung to stop the spread of his dengue fever-related infection. He’s currently in stable condition. On Tuesday his father, Sa-nguan, talked to reporters for the first time in weeks, basically asking them to stop being so nosy about the fine details of Por’s treatment – and a little more careful in what they tell the public.

With Por’s state of health going up and down over the past two months, Sa-nguan’s been dismayed to find errors and misinformation in the news reports, and is particularly galled by pessimistic commentary, which he said has a terrible effect on both the patient and his family.

“That’s why we sometimes feel uncomfortable giving out all the details about the medication and such,” the father said. “We don’t want to cross a line with the doctors and there’s a risk that what we say might be incorrect.”

He doesn’t feel he needs to tell the press everything, such as what an operation entailed. “I think we have the right to give you information or withhold it. Sometimes I’ve felt violated by your questions, so I didn’t answer in great detail.”

Sa-nguan said he’s grateful for the tremendous show of public support for his son, but he doesn’t want to make people even more pitying by releasing every detail. “I hope you just report the good news instead of spreading negative rumours that not only make our family feel bad but also the hospital staff.”

 

‘Wonder Boy’ no snail

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FASHION

EDOUARD GUIHAIRE
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE January 14, 2016 1:00 am

JW Anderson

JW Anderson

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen

 

Fantasy becomes reality as Jonathan Anderson shows London his men’s togs

WITH CARTOON PRINTS, snail-shaped stickers and speckled ermine coats, British designer Jonathan Anderson delivered on his promise to put the “fantasy in fashion” as he presented his latest collection in London on Sunday.

The British capital’s fashion elite were up early to cram into the military building that provided the backdrop for the autumn-winter 2016 collection of JW Anderson, the eponymous label set up by the 31-year-old in 2008.

The Northern Irishman is widely regarded as one of Britain’s brightest fashion stars, having made his name as the artistic director of Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe and scoring a double success at last year’s British Fashion Awards for both his male and female collections.

“Wonder Boy”, as he’s been nicknamed by the British press, lived up to his billing as he showcased his innovative and uninhibited collection on Sunday.

Showing off his knack for luxury, Anderson dazzled the gathered fashionistas, buyers and journalists with a series of black ermine mantles flecked with red and blue. Next came woollen trousers, asymmetrical jackets decorated with cartoon prints, coats with cloud-shaped pockets and metal necklaces.

“Today it was about telling an urban tale,” in a tech-driven world of ever-decreasing distances, he told the press. “It’s like how we live our lives – we go from one thing to another. It’s about travelling, about a journey, about speed.

“It’s like falling into a club, falling into a Japanese garden and then falling into a bank.”

Women’s Wear Daily, sometimes referred to as the “bible of fashion”, decided that Anderson has “once again raced to the head of the pack”.

On the evidence of Sunday’s show, Anderson’s disciples will soon be strutting around in wide, aubergine-hued suits of silk, brightened by irreverent snail-shaped stickers. In winter they will wrap up in loose-knit woollen sweaters that fall to the knees.

The show was broadcast live on gay-dating app Grindr, demonstrating the designer’s innovative relationship with modern communication channels. “For me it was, like, ‘How could we reach like 196 countries in one moment?'” he said. “We’re in this moment where medias [sic] have changed, so we need to explore. It’s quite amazing to be able to access seven million people at once.”

The Alexander McQueen label showed off its collection in the grand Durbar Court of the British government’s ornate Foreign Office building, which features vast marble floors and classical columns.

The show kicked off to the sounds of Chopin before shifting to ambient electronic music, and viewers were treated to the label’s new fitted black suits festooned with elegant white and grey butterfly prints.

Artistic director Sarah Burton, a close collaborator with the label’s celebrated founder before his death in 2010, plays with materials – cotton gabardine, flannel, cavalry twill, camel hair and silk, among others. One coat was made from a floral tapestry based on oil paintings.

The show drew on designs from nature, part of the label’s theme of Darwinian discovery and scientific classification, and also nodded to military styles, all the while retaining McQueen’s sense of exploration and reinvention. The collection is “obsessed with the elegance that ‘survives’ the struggle for life”, the brand explains.

Shows for the autumn-winter 2016 season began on Friday and ended yesterday. Men’s Fashion Week now heads for Milan and Paris before ending in New York.

 

How to age gracefully

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SKINDEEP

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD
Special to The Nation January 14, 2016 1:00 am

Happy 2016! We are nearly three weeks into this brand new year and most of us have a foot in one of two camps.

Happy 2016! We are nearly three weeks into this brand new year and most of us have a foot in one of two camps. Either we are excited and motivated to try something new or make changes to better our lives or we are thinking “oh no, I’m going to be another year older”. If the passage of time is weighing heavily on your mind, here are six simple steps you should take in order to age gracefully.

1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep

Getting adequate rest contributes to many aspects of your health. According to Jerome Siegel, Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, free radicals, molecules that can cause cellular damage, accumulate during the waking hours and diminish during sleep. Because of the decreased rate of free radical formation and increased efficiency of antioxidant mechanisms, fighting free radicals is accomplished during your sleeping hours. Thus, sleep is a means of preventing danger from free radicals. And your body needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night in order to repair itself.

2. Exercise 30 minutes a day

Exercise helps lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. It also strengthens the lungs, heart and bones, keeps joints flexible and muscles strong, gives more energy, reduces stress, anxiety and depression and improves balance. A new study, published in the American Journal of Physiology, shows that 30 minutes of exercise a day may provide additional weight loss benefits.

3. Protect your skin

The age your appear is partially determined by skin-ageing signs. Sun exposure is the most important external influence on skin ageing. You should take preventive measures to protect your skin by avoiding sun exposure between 9am and 4pm and using sunscreen, hats and protective clothing. Antioxidants are also important in helping skin protect itself from sun damage and improve its appearance, providing more youthful-looking skin tone and texture. Antioxidants are found in vitamins C, E, and A, which should be a regular part of a healthy diet. A particular cosmetic procedure now can deliver antioxidants into your skin as well.

4. Watch your diet

Eat a well-balanced diet , avoid loading up on white sugar or processed food and choose foods high in fibre instead. A high-fibre diet can help reduce your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer .Try to add extra vegetables, nuts and fruits to your daily meals. Flaxseeds and chia seeds are other excellent fibre sources. It’s also important to try to maintain a healthy weight throughout your life. “Yo-yo” dieters whose weight fluctuates dramatically can speed up the ageing process as well as end up with sagging skin.

5. Avoid dehydration

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day and don’t drink too much alcohol, which can cause dehydration. Drinking lots of water is one of the easiest ways to look your best. Water keeps the skin moist, plump and supple. Fine lines and wrinkles appear more pronounced when you are dehydrated.

6. De-stress every day

Retirement, the death of friends or family members, chronic illness, loneliness and financial concerns can trigger stress and depression. You may need to be treated with medication or counselling or talk to people you trust just to relieve stress. Yoga can also help reduce stress because it promotes relaxation. One simple way to incorporate relaxation is to meditate for 5 to 10 minutes a day before you get out of bed.

Remember, if you feel energetic and youthful internally, you will look younger. So this year, committing to a healthier life is the most graceful choice you can make.

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD is a|member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and certified in dermatological laser surgery. Send your questions for her to info@romrawin.com

Smiles, tears and unconditional love

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STAGE REVIEW

PAWIT MAHASARINAND
SPECIAL TO THE NATION January 14, 2016 1:00 am

 

Dreambox’s heartfelt ‘Mom: The Musical’ is a rare delight

YOU DON’T HAVE to be a dog lover to fall head over four heels with “Mom: The Musical”, a new stage adaptation of MR Kukrit Pramoj’s short story. You just have to know how to love, unconditionally.

After more than a year away from their home base M Theatre, Dreambox made a triumphant comeback with Daraka Wongsiri’s book and lyrics, which grasps the heart of the much-loved original story as much as hearts of the audience.

The audience cannot help but be deeply touched by how Mom, a mixed breed stray dog adopted by a small middle-class family torn apart by World War II, remains loyal to his master, notwithstanding many difficult circumstances.

And while the rendition of the war background scenes might seem to slow down the play at first, the audience is quick to understand the message: while men keep making wars, the pooches are doing the opposite.

Daraka’s lifelong collaborator veteran director Suwandee Jakravoravudh has made the right decision in choosing to use life-sized puppets, each manipulated by one actor-puppeteer, to portray the canine characters. She has also cast the right actors to play each dog and evidently spent long hours training them to work with puppets as many really look, sound and move like them. Much credit is also due to young puppet master Supthanit Thitachaiyasit. The stage illusion is as real as it could get and oftentimes the audience is watching and listening to these dog puppets as if they were actual dogs and could really talk.

Songsin Sirikhunarat as Mom is both sincere in his acting and excellent in his singing and can really carry the play. Equally unforgettable is Vasuthida Punwattana as his love interest Si Nuan and Kaewkarn Chuenpennit as his mother Waen. I’m sure I’m not the only member of the audience who will look forward to watching and hearing all three of them, professional singers who can also act equally well, in their next stage musicals. As Mom’s mistress, Teeranai Na Nongkhai is also convincing. With such a strong cast of singers and actors with more stage experience, Jitrakup Suntornsilpchai, as Mom’s master, is somewhat overshadowed, especially in his duet with Teeranai, and only shines when his character returned home after the war.

Composer Suthee Sangsereechon has delivered a masterpiece with the musical theme song “A dog’s shadow in the moon” and its two reprisals have enough variations to avoid repetition. His experiment in using dogs’ barking and howling sounds in some songs is also effective and endearing, though some tunes might sound just a little too familiar to fans of his work. Another letdown is the overwrought projection design, which makes the visual overview of this simple and touching play too busy.

A middle-aged man with long hair and a moustache was seen wiping his tears as he left the M Theatre last Saturday afternoon. He too has a dog, a slightly overweight and hopefully fully-grown one year old. The musical reminded him that there are two persons in this whole wide world who give him their unconditional love and for whom he hasn’t been able to do much in return. Perhaps that’s about to change.

PAWS FOR THOUGHT

– “Mom: The Musical” continues on Saturday and Sunday and on January 23 and 24 at M Theatre on New Petchaburi Road, between Thong Lor and Ekamai. Shows are at 2pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday.

– Tickets are from Bt1,000 to Bt 2,500. For details, (085) 416 6661-4 or online at http://www.Dreambox.co.th.