Word: thai
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...fashion scene in Bangkok can be traced to two converging forces, one grassroots and the other government-driven. Rising incomes and increasing exposure to international trends have built up a critical mass of Thai consumers with a taste for fashion and money to spend, creating demand for domestic designs that suit Thailand's climate and social scene without breaking the bank. Meanwhile, Thailand's Ministry of Industry?in an effort to shift the country's garment industry, which generated $3.25 billion in exports last year, higher up the value chain?has been nurturing the local designers, spending $45 million since...
...chiffon dress sells for $550. But that doesn't seem to be hurting her business?this year's plans include tripling the size of her flagship store and opening two new branches in Bangkok. "Everything is moving so fast," she says. "It's a good time to be a Thai designer...
...There's still no obvious Thai look. Some designers target Bangkok teenagers, others Paris socialites; some are foreign-educated, others are self-taught. But there are certain shared qualities: an attention to detail, a preference for handmade materials and designs, and a taste for natural textiles and light fabrics made from silk and cotton. Much of what distinguishes Thai fashion, in fact, is in the details?made possible because of the country's vast supply of skilled craftspeople, whose traditional styles get incorporated into utterly contemporary final products...
...inclination towards intricacy and handwork is especially pronounced among Thai designers selling their wares overseas. Senada designer Chanita mines traditional crafts for inspiration, borrowing elements from vintage wallpaper, temple paintings, battle murals, and antique textiles. But she insists that the objective is never to look Thai?it's to be stylish. "We don't want our clothes to look eth-nic," she says. Greyhound's Bhanu takes a similar approach. The spring-summer collection from Grey, the company's international line, features a range of handcrafted components: embroidery and silver ornaments from northern hill tribes are paired with hand-dyed...
...Getting raves from Europe, though, has proved easier than selling clothes to ordinary Thai consumers. "Fashion still isn't a big part of Thai culture," says Chaichon Savantrat, whose Good Mixer label has more foreign buyers than Thai, despite being sold mostly in Bangkok. But Senada's Chanita says that 60% of her business is now local, and that number has been growing for the past several years. Greyhound's Bhanu, for his part, has launched more affordable domestic sub-brands. "The marketplace has a lot of potential," says Bhanu. "It's up to the brands to make it happen...