Leading fashion house Emilio Pucci is presenting its celebrated "Pucci Girl Exhibition" for the first time in Thailand, featuring images of the brand's iconic styles loved by generations of women around the world. The exhibition is now on view every day at Gaysorn shopping centre at Ratchaprasong intersection.
From silver screen goddess Marilyn Monroe and '60s international film star Sophia Loren to today's most influential leading ladies like Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez, and supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford, Emilio Pucci's style has adorned generations of the world's most highly visible women.
The images on show consist of a colourful fusion of editorial shots from cutting-edge fashion magazines as well as archive reportage that reflects the brand's vibrant and flamboyant style.
The core inspiration underpinning the form of the exhibition is the sinuous, geometric outlines of Pucci's iconic Vivara print motif. This captures the spirit of waves of colour in perpetual movement, a reflection of the Mediterranean Sea,from which Pucci drew his inspiration.
An exhibition backdrop has been created representing "water" and "lightness", elements taken from Mediterranean locations.Transparent or sanded acrylics are used to im-The images on show reflect the brand's iconic styles loved by bue the realised design with a generations of women around the world.sense of lightness. The objective was to produce the most neutral background possible, without going down the obvious route of white minimalism. The overall result is an ethereal, quasi-transparent canvas that ideally complements and showcases the colour palette that Pucci celebrates.
The Emilio Pucci brand shot into the fashion scene in the 1950s when the founder created a streamlined ski outfit for a friend who was photographed for Harper's Bazaar .The brand soon became synonymous with jet-set glamour, captivating a new generation of modern and active women. In the 1990s, Emilio's daughter, Laudomia Pucci, took over the business, and in April 2000, she formed an alliance between the Pucci family and French luxury group LVMH that continues until today. Peter Dundas is the brand new creative director.
For the Pucci Fall/Winter 2009-2010 collection, Peter Dundas took his inspiration from the
noble heritage of the Palio collection (1957), and juxtaposed it with the freedom and ease of today's vibe.
Mini-dresses in prints that recall iconic pieces of the past have been reworked to seem washed and faded,then teamed with slouchy butter-soft suede pirate boots. Silk jersey dresses have been reinterpreted with matelasse appliques like fragments of prints with long silhouettes in bright colours held up by gourmette chains.
The strong contrasts can also be seen with black, bottle green and aubergine-coloured dresses that fade into prints and are worn under coats of mohair-patched fur, leather and gold braiding.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Kenzo reveals new season collection
Fashion house Kenzo recently hosted a stunning autumn-winter 09/10 runway show at the World Fashion Trends event, held at Siam Paragon's Hall of Mirrors, to an audience of celebrities and exclusive guests.
Russian icons - from Matryoshka dolls and Doctor Zhivago to ballet dancers - were the inspiration behind the work of Kenzo's Italianborn designer Antonio Marras.
Bringing out the essence of Russian masculinity on a global runway, Marras's first men's collection is the result of subtle work that contrasts volume with material.
Russian icons - from Matryoshka dolls and Doctor Zhivago to ballet dancers - were the inspiration behind the work of Kenzo's Italianborn designer Antonio Marras.
Bringing out the essence of Russian masculinity on a global runway, Marras's first men's collection is the result of subtle work that contrasts volume with material.
Jeans with character
Introducing yet another creative event last week was the global fashion brand, Diesel,in which Thai artists and celebrities alike were invited to express their artistic side on a pair of jeans.
Entitled "Diesel Denim Tattoo", the event was hosted at Diesel's flagship store at Siam Discovery Centre. Artists Thaweesak "Lolay"Srithongdee and Nadda Thanathan were also present and conducted a workshop for guests,who were invited to reflect on their inner personalities and convey their imaginative designs on a pair of jeans by "tattooing" or painting them on.
As part of the same event, passers-by who entered through the main entrance were greeted with an exciting installation inspired by Diesel's latest Autumn-Winter 2009 collection.
Entitled "Diesel Denim Tattoo", the event was hosted at Diesel's flagship store at Siam Discovery Centre. Artists Thaweesak "Lolay"Srithongdee and Nadda Thanathan were also present and conducted a workshop for guests,who were invited to reflect on their inner personalities and convey their imaginative designs on a pair of jeans by "tattooing" or painting them on.
As part of the same event, passers-by who entered through the main entrance were greeted with an exciting installation inspired by Diesel's latest Autumn-Winter 2009 collection.
"GANDHI-CHIC" HITS INDIA'S RUNWAYS AS WESTERN FASHIONS INVADE
"Gandhi chic" - wearing hand-woven fabrics championed by India's independence leader - will be on fashion's cutting edge if the be on fashion's cutting edge if the Communist government and leading designers in West Bengal get their way.
The eastern state, a region famous for its traditional weaves, hosted a fashion show last Saturday night to promote homespun fabrics, or khadi, made famous by Mahatma Gandhi in the 1930s.
He wore them as a statement of national pride during his struggle against British rule and a new generation is hoping to revive them in a display of "Indian-ness" as Western styles make ever-deeper inroads here.
"The show reflects a new trend. Indian youths are taking its as new fashion," said Tajas Gandhi, a well-known local designer who is not related to the Mahatma.
Tajas, 32, who paraded his collection at Kolkata Fashion Week earlier this month, was a guest of honour at the event in a newly-constructed fairground near a five-star hotel in central Kolkata.
The vibrant fabrics on display were a far cry from the modest, plain cloth worn by Mahatma Gandhi, but the principle of supporting village skills remains the same.
Other leading Bengali designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who has dressed leading ladies in Bollywood, have been promoting homespun fabrics as a unique Indian look.
"It's a show with an Indian soul. Hand-woven fabrics are set to hit the international market."
For the state's Communist rulers, showcasing the fabrics is an important way of sustaining jobs.
"The government is promoting 'Gandhi chic' to rejuvenate the hand-woven cotton and silk industry in the state, where unemployment is growing," said West Bengal small cottage industries minister Mamabendra Mukherjee as the show kicked off.
Thousands of people thronged the venue to watch the show, which featured well-known film stars and actors in this city of nearly 14 million people.
"It's not a revolution, but the show has swept the heart of the people," said Mohammed Salim, chairman of the government-run khadi and village industries commission, which organised the show.
Most of the fabrics are woven on handlooms at villages in rural Bengal using wooden wheels.
The glamour and glitz of the catwalk is a far cry from the existence of many of the weavens, who often live in abject poverty in villages, dependent on money lenders who give them loans and raw materials.
Demand for hand-woven fabrics has suffered over the last few decades as synthetics swamped the market. But Bengali designers say new styles and bright shades are increasingly attracting young people.
"We know weavers are in a sorry state. They don't get what they deserve. We are trying to improve their condition," added Salim.
Wearing red-bordered white cotton saris, one of West Bengal's best-known film actresses Locket Chatterjee was one of the stars of the event as she strode down the catwalk.
Other models displayed mixed Indo-Western designs, with red, green and black shades in handspun silk.
"Designers have tried to give a new look to the hand-woven fabrics said designer Lima Dev.
"We have tried to use the show to change that outlook," he said.
The eastern state, a region famous for its traditional weaves, hosted a fashion show last Saturday night to promote homespun fabrics, or khadi, made famous by Mahatma Gandhi in the 1930s.
He wore them as a statement of national pride during his struggle against British rule and a new generation is hoping to revive them in a display of "Indian-ness" as Western styles make ever-deeper inroads here.
"The show reflects a new trend. Indian youths are taking its as new fashion," said Tajas Gandhi, a well-known local designer who is not related to the Mahatma.
Tajas, 32, who paraded his collection at Kolkata Fashion Week earlier this month, was a guest of honour at the event in a newly-constructed fairground near a five-star hotel in central Kolkata.
The vibrant fabrics on display were a far cry from the modest, plain cloth worn by Mahatma Gandhi, but the principle of supporting village skills remains the same.
Other leading Bengali designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who has dressed leading ladies in Bollywood, have been promoting homespun fabrics as a unique Indian look.
"It's a show with an Indian soul. Hand-woven fabrics are set to hit the international market."
For the state's Communist rulers, showcasing the fabrics is an important way of sustaining jobs.
"The government is promoting 'Gandhi chic' to rejuvenate the hand-woven cotton and silk industry in the state, where unemployment is growing," said West Bengal small cottage industries minister Mamabendra Mukherjee as the show kicked off.
Thousands of people thronged the venue to watch the show, which featured well-known film stars and actors in this city of nearly 14 million people.
"It's not a revolution, but the show has swept the heart of the people," said Mohammed Salim, chairman of the government-run khadi and village industries commission, which organised the show.
Most of the fabrics are woven on handlooms at villages in rural Bengal using wooden wheels.
The glamour and glitz of the catwalk is a far cry from the existence of many of the weavens, who often live in abject poverty in villages, dependent on money lenders who give them loans and raw materials.
Demand for hand-woven fabrics has suffered over the last few decades as synthetics swamped the market. But Bengali designers say new styles and bright shades are increasingly attracting young people.
"We know weavers are in a sorry state. They don't get what they deserve. We are trying to improve their condition," added Salim.
Wearing red-bordered white cotton saris, one of West Bengal's best-known film actresses Locket Chatterjee was one of the stars of the event as she strode down the catwalk.
Other models displayed mixed Indo-Western designs, with red, green and black shades in handspun silk.
"Designers have tried to give a new look to the hand-woven fabrics said designer Lima Dev.
"We have tried to use the show to change that outlook," he said.
ALL TO LONDON AT HIS FEET
British designer Matthew Williamson made his hotly anticipated return to London Fashion Week on September 6, injecting some serious glamour into the event as it celebrated its 25th anniversary.
His spring-summer 2010 collection was typically colourful, ranging from grey to florescent pink and enhanced by intricate beading, metallic fabrics and shards of mirrors that created a strong, sexy, sophisticated look.
After years of showing in New York, the return of the Manchester-born designer caused huge excitement in London - even if it still isn't clear whether this heralds a new commitment to the city that made his name.
"It's great that he's coming back to London," his friend Twiggy said ahead of the show. "I wish they would all come back to London - that's where they originated, that's where they trained."
"I love him," the celebrated 1960s model said of Williamson. "He's gorgeous. I think his clothes are wonderful because they're so feminine, and I love his bright colours.
"Often fashion shows are all black and grey and cream, and then you come to Matthew and it's like, 'Ooh!'"
Williamso is one of a number of big designers back for the 25th anniversary celebrations, others being Antonio Berardi, Pringle of Scotland, Burberry Prorsum and Jonathan Saunders.
Their presence was a major boost for the six-day event, which has in the past struggled to be heard among the fashion-week big guns of Paris, New York and Milan.
The London week saw some magical shows, notably from Italian-born Kinder Aggugini, who built on years of designing for Versace, John Galliano and Calvin Klein to create a truly beautiful solo collection.
But the attraction of having a designer like Williamson, who counts Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss among his clients, was undeniable.
And he didn't disappoint this month, kick-starting his show with a beaded metallic linen dress matched with a stone leather jacket, followed by a gold beaded jacket and high-waist, metallic shorts.
The metallic theme dominated, with his crushed metallic skirts married with bodies adorned with shards of mirrors, and a crushed metallic parka over a silk chiffon shirt- bold outfits for strong women.
And there were jewels everywhere, from black beaded hotpants paired with a brightly printed swimsuit to intricate green and stone-beaded cocktail dresses, and a soft grey leather jacket with gold beads on the shoulders.
"I liked the way he moved forward from that sort of boho [bohemian] look to a much more body conscious, more sophisticated but still very sexy look," said Daily Telegraph fashion editor Hilary Alexander.
"A lot of it was inspired by sea urchins, hence all that rather spiky embroidery. I thought the colour combinations were beautiful.
"But this is what we want from Matthew, we want colour and excitement - and he never fails to deliver."
Williamson was in London in 2007 for a one-off show featuring a surprise performance by pop star Prince to celebrate 10 years since he set up his design house there. But for the past seven years he's been a regular in New York.
His spring-summer 2010 collection was typically colourful, ranging from grey to florescent pink and enhanced by intricate beading, metallic fabrics and shards of mirrors that created a strong, sexy, sophisticated look.
After years of showing in New York, the return of the Manchester-born designer caused huge excitement in London - even if it still isn't clear whether this heralds a new commitment to the city that made his name.
"It's great that he's coming back to London," his friend Twiggy said ahead of the show. "I wish they would all come back to London - that's where they originated, that's where they trained."
"I love him," the celebrated 1960s model said of Williamson. "He's gorgeous. I think his clothes are wonderful because they're so feminine, and I love his bright colours.
"Often fashion shows are all black and grey and cream, and then you come to Matthew and it's like, 'Ooh!'"
Williamso is one of a number of big designers back for the 25th anniversary celebrations, others being Antonio Berardi, Pringle of Scotland, Burberry Prorsum and Jonathan Saunders.
Their presence was a major boost for the six-day event, which has in the past struggled to be heard among the fashion-week big guns of Paris, New York and Milan.
The London week saw some magical shows, notably from Italian-born Kinder Aggugini, who built on years of designing for Versace, John Galliano and Calvin Klein to create a truly beautiful solo collection.
But the attraction of having a designer like Williamson, who counts Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss among his clients, was undeniable.
And he didn't disappoint this month, kick-starting his show with a beaded metallic linen dress matched with a stone leather jacket, followed by a gold beaded jacket and high-waist, metallic shorts.
The metallic theme dominated, with his crushed metallic skirts married with bodies adorned with shards of mirrors, and a crushed metallic parka over a silk chiffon shirt- bold outfits for strong women.
And there were jewels everywhere, from black beaded hotpants paired with a brightly printed swimsuit to intricate green and stone-beaded cocktail dresses, and a soft grey leather jacket with gold beads on the shoulders.
"I liked the way he moved forward from that sort of boho [bohemian] look to a much more body conscious, more sophisticated but still very sexy look," said Daily Telegraph fashion editor Hilary Alexander.
"A lot of it was inspired by sea urchins, hence all that rather spiky embroidery. I thought the colour combinations were beautiful.
"But this is what we want from Matthew, we want colour and excitement - and he never fails to deliver."
Williamson was in London in 2007 for a one-off show featuring a surprise performance by pop star Prince to celebrate 10 years since he set up his design house there. But for the past seven years he's been a regular in New York.
CLOTHES FOR ALL SEASONS
New York Fashion Week thinks of spring - and every other time of year
The styles shown over the eight days of New York Fashion Week were meant for next spring - not that you'd know it.
The collections in previews that wrapped up last Thursday were more covered-up than usual. Leather, suede, long sleeves and black were all over the runways.
There were nods to the season - leather was lightened up to be more luxurious and buttery than the rock-star looks in stores for autumn, often in caramels, yellow, silver or white.
Proenza Schouler showed a leather mesh style, similar to the material golfers use for their gloves.
But the clothes speak to the idea of seasonless dressing, which is all the buzz among retailers since the temperate-zone weather - and the economy - are so unpredictable.
RALH LAUREN
Basic means something else when you're Ralph Lauren. It means silver-sequined slashed jeans, organza "work-shirt" dresses and even a metallic blue-lame gown with all the trademark details of coveralls.
Lauren, who embodies the classic American sportswear look, said he wanted to craft spring-season clothes that reflected America's "resilient spirit" - and its work ethic.
The simplest looks on the catwalk, which was lined with the Lauren clan and Janet Jackson, were the floral dresses that featured sweet, delicate floral prints reminiscent of those farm wives wore in the 1930s.
Denim was more dominant than usual, with silhouettes ranging from a tailored, suit-style jacket to rolled-ankle work jeans.
The real highlights were the outfits that somehow seamlessly mixed the two worlds of luxury and the Everywoman, like a pink gauze gown with silver embroidery worn with an indigo-coloured striped jacket.
ISAAC MIZRAHI
Forget clothes for a minute: Isaac Mizrahi knows how to put on a show.
With a rain spray, wind machine, spotlights and a staircase incorporated into his catwalk, Mizrahi even sent out one model in a golf cart wearing a black-sequin shorts suit - and a whitte top hat, of course.
The eveningwear is what sparkled: A strapless black cocktail dress with a giant white rose on the bust line, and a fluted gown covered in black lace and tufts of tulle, both captured classic Mizrahi and his theme of a retro country club.
Mizrahi also needs a fix of kookiness, though, and this go around he accomplished that with an iridescent lava-lamp-fringe coat. He always sends off his audience with a smile.
PROENZA SCHOULER
Feathers or tinsel? Take your pick from the Proenza Schouler runway.
The design duo of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had plenty to keep the fashion flock - including Leighton Meester and Courtney Love - buzzing. The first set of skirts and dresses had the jacket-tied-around-the-waist look with the silhouettes permanently fixed with zippers and buttoms on the backside.
Skirts were often paired with navy tailored jackets with very sculptured shoulders, an evolution of a current trend.
Next up were short shift dresses that alternated feathers and tinsel at the hemline. Some had a feather print to boot, others had a variety of prints that looked like tropical fish or reptiles in unexpected and brighter-than-normal colours for this label.
Then came the lingerie-inspired cocktail dresses, some with bra tops and cut-out midriffs - another Fashion Week trend - and tiers of mini-ruffles as the skirt.
ANNA SUI
It took some guts to put band-majorette hats on the runway, but the glory in the faces of a clearly entertained audience must have made it worthwhile for Anna Sui.
The bouncy, youthful dresses in the spring collection Sui presented were born from the designer's love of the 1967 movie "Doctor Dolittle". The Victorian circus was the most inspriational part of the film, she said, That came through in bow blouses, and cropped-pants and shorts suits, albeit shrunken ones.
A handful of preppy, cable-knit, tennis-sweater looks didn't seem to quite fit the theme, but they were cute anyway.
Anyone who follows Sui's look knows she is a bit of a '60s junkie - it came through this season in modshaped shift dresses and psychedelic colours, especially purples, yellows, greens and turquoise blue.
Most of the outfits captured the optimistic vibe that Sui said she thinks the industry - and consumers - are ready for now.
MARCHESA
Marchesa turned out some real showstoppers, dresses tailor-made for the label's red-carpet fans.
The greatest feat was a black-and-white duchess satin strapless grown folded like a fan in the front and with a fully laser-cut skirt.
Designer Georgina Chapman said the late Anthony Minghella's production of "Madame Butterfly" served as her inspiration. "The music is so beautiful. I listened to it recently and though about now feminine and fragile it was, and that it was about love."
The Asian aesthetic was carried throughout most of the collection, including an oyster-hued, hand-painted floral obi coat and an embroidered obi jacket, worn with black evening shorts. Chapman also played with some sheer fabrics, often in a nude tone, which ended up a game of strategic peek-a-boo.
Unfortunately, if you're not in Oscar-nominated actress, there might not be many occasions to wear any of the dresses.
The styles shown over the eight days of New York Fashion Week were meant for next spring - not that you'd know it.
The collections in previews that wrapped up last Thursday were more covered-up than usual. Leather, suede, long sleeves and black were all over the runways.
There were nods to the season - leather was lightened up to be more luxurious and buttery than the rock-star looks in stores for autumn, often in caramels, yellow, silver or white.
Proenza Schouler showed a leather mesh style, similar to the material golfers use for their gloves.
But the clothes speak to the idea of seasonless dressing, which is all the buzz among retailers since the temperate-zone weather - and the economy - are so unpredictable.
RALH LAUREN
Basic means something else when you're Ralph Lauren. It means silver-sequined slashed jeans, organza "work-shirt" dresses and even a metallic blue-lame gown with all the trademark details of coveralls.
Lauren, who embodies the classic American sportswear look, said he wanted to craft spring-season clothes that reflected America's "resilient spirit" - and its work ethic.
The simplest looks on the catwalk, which was lined with the Lauren clan and Janet Jackson, were the floral dresses that featured sweet, delicate floral prints reminiscent of those farm wives wore in the 1930s.
Denim was more dominant than usual, with silhouettes ranging from a tailored, suit-style jacket to rolled-ankle work jeans.
The real highlights were the outfits that somehow seamlessly mixed the two worlds of luxury and the Everywoman, like a pink gauze gown with silver embroidery worn with an indigo-coloured striped jacket.
ISAAC MIZRAHI
Forget clothes for a minute: Isaac Mizrahi knows how to put on a show.
With a rain spray, wind machine, spotlights and a staircase incorporated into his catwalk, Mizrahi even sent out one model in a golf cart wearing a black-sequin shorts suit - and a whitte top hat, of course.
The eveningwear is what sparkled: A strapless black cocktail dress with a giant white rose on the bust line, and a fluted gown covered in black lace and tufts of tulle, both captured classic Mizrahi and his theme of a retro country club.
Mizrahi also needs a fix of kookiness, though, and this go around he accomplished that with an iridescent lava-lamp-fringe coat. He always sends off his audience with a smile.
PROENZA SCHOULER
Feathers or tinsel? Take your pick from the Proenza Schouler runway.
The design duo of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had plenty to keep the fashion flock - including Leighton Meester and Courtney Love - buzzing. The first set of skirts and dresses had the jacket-tied-around-the-waist look with the silhouettes permanently fixed with zippers and buttoms on the backside.
Skirts were often paired with navy tailored jackets with very sculptured shoulders, an evolution of a current trend.
Next up were short shift dresses that alternated feathers and tinsel at the hemline. Some had a feather print to boot, others had a variety of prints that looked like tropical fish or reptiles in unexpected and brighter-than-normal colours for this label.
Then came the lingerie-inspired cocktail dresses, some with bra tops and cut-out midriffs - another Fashion Week trend - and tiers of mini-ruffles as the skirt.
ANNA SUI
It took some guts to put band-majorette hats on the runway, but the glory in the faces of a clearly entertained audience must have made it worthwhile for Anna Sui.
The bouncy, youthful dresses in the spring collection Sui presented were born from the designer's love of the 1967 movie "Doctor Dolittle". The Victorian circus was the most inspriational part of the film, she said, That came through in bow blouses, and cropped-pants and shorts suits, albeit shrunken ones.
A handful of preppy, cable-knit, tennis-sweater looks didn't seem to quite fit the theme, but they were cute anyway.
Anyone who follows Sui's look knows she is a bit of a '60s junkie - it came through this season in modshaped shift dresses and psychedelic colours, especially purples, yellows, greens and turquoise blue.
Most of the outfits captured the optimistic vibe that Sui said she thinks the industry - and consumers - are ready for now.
MARCHESA
Marchesa turned out some real showstoppers, dresses tailor-made for the label's red-carpet fans.
The greatest feat was a black-and-white duchess satin strapless grown folded like a fan in the front and with a fully laser-cut skirt.
Designer Georgina Chapman said the late Anthony Minghella's production of "Madame Butterfly" served as her inspiration. "The music is so beautiful. I listened to it recently and though about now feminine and fragile it was, and that it was about love."
The Asian aesthetic was carried throughout most of the collection, including an oyster-hued, hand-painted floral obi coat and an embroidered obi jacket, worn with black evening shorts. Chapman also played with some sheer fabrics, often in a nude tone, which ended up a game of strategic peek-a-boo.
Unfortunately, if you're not in Oscar-nominated actress, there might not be many occasions to wear any of the dresses.
JIM THOMPSON CAMPAIGNS TO SAVE SILK FARMS
In a small village in Nong Sang district, middle aged women cultivate silkworms, once a prized industry in the Northeast.
"Thirty years ago, almost every home in the Northeast weave silk. Today, there are only a few thousand households that are actively producing it," says Thongchai Popaibul, a purchasing manager for Thai Silk Company, the maker of Jim Thompson silk products.
This proud culture is in danger of disappearing, he warned.
"Most young men and women here go to the cities to find work, leaving the elderly to tend the farms," Thongchai said.
"This trend is true of most provinces, including nearby Khon Kaen and Mukdahan."
There is none of the hustle and bustle of big cities in Nong Sang, only the barking of small terriers and other toy dogs, some of the few visible imports from Bangkok.
The farmers here cultivate rice, apparent by the vast fields of paddy that surround the small village.
But there are also patches of mulberry, the essential food of skillsworms, proof the cottage industry still has legs.
Thongchai, 48, is a veteran buyer of raw silk, which the company depends on for its Bt1-billion global business.
In a push to secure more farmers to cultivate the traditional crop, the Jim Thompson Group supports contract-farming schemes to provide additional incomes for farmers.
The programme enables increased earnings and serves as a safety net when price volatility disrupts the market.
"Silk is one of the more profitable industries in Thailand. Farmers do not need to spend a huge sum of money on machinery and other expensive equipment," Thongchai said.
There is also no need to bear the cost of high electricity bills. Much of the work is performed by manual labour.
"All they need is minimum 2-rai plot of land and hard work to make sure the silkworms are properly fed," Thongchai said.
Once the cocoons are ready, they are boileld for the silk or sold to the company to complete the process, which takes no more than 26 days.
Sirirat Rattanakajorn, another executive of the silk company, said the industry needed protection.
Dwindling supplies in recent years have forced the company to buy from foreign suppliers.
"Our silk programme in the Northeast is part of our corporate-social-responsibility initiative to promote and revive the industry," she says.
To ensure high-quality silk output, the firm assigns supervisors to visit the farms and assist the producers.
In Khon Kaen, a 90-minute drive away, another manager, Chatchai Puliwakin, 57, buys bales of silk at the company's branch.
"This may seem like a busy time for us, but its actually quite slow compared with the long queues we had 30 years ago."
The shop, located across from the main bus terminal, was chosen so that farmers coming in could trade conveniently without having to commute long distances.
The shop is known for its fairness in the purely cash business.
Originally from Bangkok, Chatchai said he preferred life in Khon Kaen.
"I was 27 when I came here. Its amazing how the years slip away so quickly," he said." "Khon Kaen was Jim Thompson's first upcountry branch. This is still the centre for silk traders. Even the best weaves from Surin come here for supplies."
Today, the company is buiding a replica of silk communities in neigh-bouring Nakhon Ratchasima as part of a cultural park for tourists.
"So much has changed in the last 15 years that most of the wooden homes of farmers are gone," Chatchai said.
"We had to search for these old homes and transport them to Nakohn Ratchasima to be reassembled. Most farmers now live in brick houses."
He said there was a need to preserve the romantic setting, in order to remind future generations of the rich heritage that was almost lost in our mad rush to modernise.
"Thirty years ago, almost every home in the Northeast weave silk. Today, there are only a few thousand households that are actively producing it," says Thongchai Popaibul, a purchasing manager for Thai Silk Company, the maker of Jim Thompson silk products.
This proud culture is in danger of disappearing, he warned.
"Most young men and women here go to the cities to find work, leaving the elderly to tend the farms," Thongchai said.
"This trend is true of most provinces, including nearby Khon Kaen and Mukdahan."
There is none of the hustle and bustle of big cities in Nong Sang, only the barking of small terriers and other toy dogs, some of the few visible imports from Bangkok.
The farmers here cultivate rice, apparent by the vast fields of paddy that surround the small village.
But there are also patches of mulberry, the essential food of skillsworms, proof the cottage industry still has legs.
Thongchai, 48, is a veteran buyer of raw silk, which the company depends on for its Bt1-billion global business.
In a push to secure more farmers to cultivate the traditional crop, the Jim Thompson Group supports contract-farming schemes to provide additional incomes for farmers.
The programme enables increased earnings and serves as a safety net when price volatility disrupts the market.
"Silk is one of the more profitable industries in Thailand. Farmers do not need to spend a huge sum of money on machinery and other expensive equipment," Thongchai said.
There is also no need to bear the cost of high electricity bills. Much of the work is performed by manual labour.
"All they need is minimum 2-rai plot of land and hard work to make sure the silkworms are properly fed," Thongchai said.
Once the cocoons are ready, they are boileld for the silk or sold to the company to complete the process, which takes no more than 26 days.
Sirirat Rattanakajorn, another executive of the silk company, said the industry needed protection.
Dwindling supplies in recent years have forced the company to buy from foreign suppliers.
"Our silk programme in the Northeast is part of our corporate-social-responsibility initiative to promote and revive the industry," she says.
To ensure high-quality silk output, the firm assigns supervisors to visit the farms and assist the producers.
In Khon Kaen, a 90-minute drive away, another manager, Chatchai Puliwakin, 57, buys bales of silk at the company's branch.
"This may seem like a busy time for us, but its actually quite slow compared with the long queues we had 30 years ago."
The shop, located across from the main bus terminal, was chosen so that farmers coming in could trade conveniently without having to commute long distances.
The shop is known for its fairness in the purely cash business.
Originally from Bangkok, Chatchai said he preferred life in Khon Kaen.
"I was 27 when I came here. Its amazing how the years slip away so quickly," he said." "Khon Kaen was Jim Thompson's first upcountry branch. This is still the centre for silk traders. Even the best weaves from Surin come here for supplies."
Today, the company is buiding a replica of silk communities in neigh-bouring Nakhon Ratchasima as part of a cultural park for tourists.
"So much has changed in the last 15 years that most of the wooden homes of farmers are gone," Chatchai said.
"We had to search for these old homes and transport them to Nakohn Ratchasima to be reassembled. Most farmers now live in brick houses."
He said there was a need to preserve the romantic setting, in order to remind future generations of the rich heritage that was almost lost in our mad rush to modernise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)