Makeup maestro 'Ajarn Ped' dies

The eighth of 12 children in his family, he once unhesitatingly donated a kidney when an elder sister fell ill.

In the Thai fashion limelight for almost 30 years, “Ajarn Ped”, as he was called with great affection, was always a trend-setter when it came to beauty. 

His grandfather’s long service as a tailor to the royals doubtless ensured that Apichart would be a royalist too. And his work did indeed catch the eye of the Royal Family. Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Naratana Sirivannavari Nariratana recruited him as a stylist when she made her debut in Paris as a fashion designer in 2007. 

Apichart’s creativity was constantly on view in the fashion magazines, primarily Lips, the striking faces of the models garnering as much interest as the couture they wore. Most recently he made up supermodel Aline Weber for Vogue Thailand, despite already being in the throes of illness. 

Often by his side in the makeup room was hairstylist Somporn “Kookkai” Thirin. The duo were famously known as “Ped lae Kai” – “Duck and Chicken”.

An economics graduate, Apichart chose a career in fashion and makeup instead, capitalising on his personality – he was an irrepressibly positive thinker with a sharp tongue – to build a national reputation. 

Some of his fame stemmed from his two books – “Fee Pak Fee Praeng” (“Skilful Talking, Skilful Brushing”) and “Dharma Leads Trends”, co-written with Phra Maha Vuthichai Vachiramethi. 

His outspokenness was most in evidence at the anti-government rallies this year, when he riveted the crowd with speeches in his lavish and witty style. 

Like other artists, he said, makeup specialists should never be afraid to break the rules.