My flight from Singapore to Bangkok was slightly delayed, but luckily I managed to be in Bangkok Siam Square on time. Boonyanuch Vitayasamrit (Kae),  Creative Director of 31thanwa, was a bit late due to heavy traffic, so I used this time to pass by Paragon Centre and check out her new collection. I used to live and work  in Bangkok 10 years ago, and I am still fascinated by its culture and creative minds in fashion scene. Definitely, Boonyanuch Vitayasamrit is one of them.

31 Thanwa (31 December) is the day when I was born from the love of my family. I was born into a family of a craftsman who has been making leather shoes for more than 70 years. This is why I wanted this day to stand for the love and the life of our family.

Spy News Magazine: You was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. We do not know much about fashion scene in Thailand. As for Western people, first of all, Thailand is a paradise get away destination mostly. Tell us more about your background and childhood. How did you get into fashion?

BV:When I was young, my parents took me shopping with them all the time. Whether it’s Siam Square, Siam Center, or World Trade Center, most of them are at the heart of fashion destinations in Bangkok. I naturally become used to going to these places to hang out and shop. Also, my mom has always been a fan of Thai designers ever since I remember. So I pretty much grew up enjoying fashion, especially during my teenage years (at the age of around 13-14) when I spent a lot of time around Siam Square area where most tutoring schools were also located. I’ve grown up with and have since been loyal to many of the Thai brands from then on.

Spy News Magazine: How does living in Bangkok affects your personal style and work routine?

BV: Bangkok is literally the center for everything from fashion, culture, food, and most significantly, the dynamic lifestyle. People are becoming more and more expressive with dynamic and ever-changing preferences. We see independent cafes and boutique shops in additions to the traditional shopping malls. Many new activities fill the already busy routine. The fast-pace and dynamic city lifestyle has greatly influenced my life. When I was younger, I was  all into dressing up and everything. But as I get older, my all-day-all-night lifestyle has got me into the all-in-one type of looks. On an average stay-in-factory day, I’d be wearing simple and easy clothes with no make-up. But on days when I have to be out, I’d have to be ready to represent my brand anywhere anytime.

With the many activities I normally schedule for days out, from working to hanging out with friends at the end of the day, I don’t have the time to dress all up like when I was young. What I do is have a uniform for myself that also makes a statement for my brand – a blazer, a hat, and of course, 31 Thanwa handbag. With the concept ‘ONE IS ENOUGH,’ I create a simple classic look that is appropriate for the occasion, and effortlessly represents my brand and who I am with as little items as possible.

Spy News Magazine: Did you know right away you were going to design bags? Tell us more about your passion for bags, and how many  you have in your collection. What are your favourite styles?

BV: I actually started off knowing nothing about fashion design. I graduated with a degree in architecture, and had since pursued a career in interior design. All along, however, I’ve always had a passion for fashion, and have always had a weakness for bags. When I quitted my job to take on a 70-years old family business in handcrafted leather shoes, I got to learn about and became fascinated with the passion and dedication of our craftsmen.

Kae with her father

I realised that their lifetime worth of work is what have raised me to who I am today. It thus sparked an idea to incorporate their knowledge and expertise in leather shoemaking with my love for creative design and fashion to cater the modern lifestyle – whether in the forms of handbags or other leather works.

We currently have 6 collections of handbags. In terms of my favorite styles, I prefer classic, black-and-white monotone, but bold and makes a lasting impression – not minimal or with too much accessories.

Spy News Magazine: How is working in fashion in Thailand is different today from European market? Is it less or more competitive?

BV: I must admit that it’s fun working in fashion in Thailand because we are not limited to the 4 season – winter, summer, spring, and autumn. That’s why we can be really dynamic when it comes to forms and colours. In the European market, fashion is, to a certain extent, functional with seasonality as one of the key criteria for colours and forms.

When it comes to handbags though, there’s a common grounds in both markets for functionality, craftsmanship, and style.  There’s much interest in the European market for that quality of craftsmanship in Thai products which also opens a lot of doors for us. The key difference is rather in the preferred type of leather and functionality. This is something we need to do more research in.

Spy News Magazine: Tell us about you collection and inspirations behind the idea.

BV: Every collection reflects my own lifestyle and interests – from movies, arts, music, to pressing social issues. Each collection tells a story of a journey I want to take people along with me. For example, the ODYSSEY collection was inspired by the movie 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. The colours and the patterns in the design take you straight into the movie. The latest collection, HEROES, was inspired by one of my favourite artist, David Bowie. He wasn’t only an artist or singer, but to me he was also an inspiring leader in fashion as well as in social movements. The collection features design expressions of his songs.

Spy News Magazine: How does Thai heritage and traditional man crafting skills affect your creative process while designing the collection?

BV: I believe that if we have a strong basic knowledge foundation, we can develop our capability and knowledge to create something new and exciting. We are considered lucky that we have strong assets whether they be the knowledge and expertise in our craftsmen, or my own background in creative designs.

When we put the two together, we get something that is quite fun and unique. I always tell everybody that our brand didn’t start making bags or from a bag factory, but rather with heritage in leather shoemaking. The lifetime worth of expertise and knowledge have proven to us that machines cannot replace the values and passion we see and feel in our work.

Spy News Magazine: You consider yourself as a young designer who just started her own label. What are the difficulties of today’s realities when you launch your own brand.

BV: I started my label with a belief that branding is more meaningful and powerful than simply making products to sell and earn money. I have always believed that meaningful values will naturally bring business values. It’s like raising a child, as she grows, I want her to be of value to the society and to be loved. So it’s not difficult nor easy, but rather it feels more like I’m growing with her, learning things I’ve never known and crossing over obstacles as we go along.

It’s a fun and charmful ride for me. When I look back to where I’d started, I’d smile to myself thinking how far I’ve come along through the ups and the downs. Life has taught me that nothing is easy and everything is a result of our own doings. So I keep practicing and going at it until I reach where I want to be.

Spy News Magazine: Who is your customer? Can you describe your woman and her habits?

BV: With 60% Thai and 40% foreign customer base, 31 Thanwa woman is a strong working women who knows who she is, what she wants, and seeks good things for herself. She understands and values our designs. Strong and self-made, she is not a celebrity, doesn’t follow the trend, and is courageous to be herself.

Values and quality take priority before trends, thus her fashion sense is unique and bold – simple and classic ready for an all-day-all-night lifestyle. She makes a statement with her sense of fashion every time she appears.

Spy News Magazine: What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?

BV: I’m very interested in sustainability, and am very much into incorporating that into my work. The fashion business is anything but sustainable – it comes and goes. Everyone is looking to be someone and somebody. Meanings and values are placed mostly on how things look on the outside. Influencers act as if they are above and beyond the rest of us, and we follow them without thinking twice in hope of also being someone someday.

Businesses on the other hands want to be survivors – how to make the most profits, how to increase sales, and how to be the most well-known – without caring for quality or the consequences just as long as I’ll be on top of the world. It’s way beyond the fashion business, because no one no longer cares about the essential meanings that lies beneath of what we do. What if we think of others instead of ourselves?! The world of fashion can do much more for the community and its people.

Creating a sustainable relationship from the very headwater to midwater and downstream to the end-users will make us realize the meanings and the values in the work that we do – making us realize that every process is part of a whole, from manufacturing, design, and even to the end-users. Sustainability does not start from one person, but rather everybody.

Each and every bag does not only hold your life, but the life of a craftsperson who has put their passion into each bag creating a craftwork that is both beautiful and meaningful.

 

 

By Russ Ev