TRADITION WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST

If fashion is about creativity, style and good taste, then Natnicha Opassukastit is a winner. The judges of this year’s Contemporary Fashion Contest certainly agreed, awarding the 21-year-old fledging designer with a degree from Chulalongkorn University the top prize for her Super Normal collection.
Organised by the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, this extravagant fashion show saw 10 finalists showing their creations at Studio 61. The contest aims not just to encourage creativity in fashion design and also to promote harmonisation between the Thai identity and contemporary clothes.
“Our project looks to discover the rising stars of Thailand’s fashion industry while simultaneously promoting Thai traditional textiles and indigenous materials in order to create awareness about the value of the genuine Thai identity,” says Chai Nakornchai, director general of Office of Contemporary Art and Culture.
Now in his second year of representing Thailand in competitions and fashion shows in ASEAN, judge T-Ra Chantasawasdee of T-Ra brand says he think that Thailand has a truly unique style. “The 10 finalists at this year’s event are all unique in their own way too, each with their own style. We are always in search of designers with a positive attitude as well as with great talent in design. Someone wanting to become a great designer should not let go of these two traits, as lacking either one will make one a ‘follower’ rather than a ‘leader or creator’ as designers should be.”
For the final round of the contest, the 10 finalists had to create seven looks. Winner Natnicha says “Beauty is more than meets the eye.” For “Super Normal”, she interprets “normal” fashions to create a new appearance, new understanding and new space. “What remains is the iconic factor, which is the combination of the most basic forms. The collection is fresh and simple, normal but
 unique and very wearable, a kind of casual wear but with a conceptualised design,” she notes. “Thai fabrics are the main material and they are adapted to create newness to the look. I only use two main colours, black and white yet the black is not whole black. There is grey-black, green-black, glossy black. Likewise, white is not pure white,” she adds.
Natnicha’s collection offers some interesting silhouettes too along with simple collars and sleeves.
Second runner-up Chatnupon Kuechan created the “Arts and Crafts” collection, drawing his inspiration from the Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, initiated by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. He incorporates the weaving process into the design, along dying techniques, and integrates various handicrafts and traditional Thai masked play ornaments
Another second runner-up award went to Phinitnan Kanghae for the collection “Building Blocks of Life.” His creation was inspired by German biologist and artist, Ernst Haeckel. Interesting forms are translated into clothes that use Thai traditional embroidery techniques on Thai silk tailored pieces.
Wuthigrai Siriphon won the first runner-up award. His concept “The Dawning” presents a spectacular sight of architectural decorations through various materials, including pots and the enamel tiles on the stupa at the Temple of Down, long worn out due to long exposure to the sunlight but which truly reflect the beauty of art that has long existed. “I have taken the beauty and details of art and harmonised the colour tones and shapes to create this collection,” says Wuthigrai who has been working in textiles business.
The Craftsmanship Award went to Wiruwan Hnuyung, under the concept, “To Begin”.
She uses lines, shapes and forms from traditional Thai design such as “Poom Khao Bin”, “Mae Krajang.”
“Design and edgings and the roof corners of temples inspired my collection,” she says. “The main idea is to gaze into the exquisite core of the design and unveil the beauty that surrounds us. Traditional Thai design requires sharp line drawings in order to create exquisite designs.
The other finalists included Nichamon Promchanuk with “Fowl Pixelate”, Saruti Tuntivithayakul for “Hidden Scenery” and Sarut Wuttipacharaton and “Time-Restoration” collection. Najton Pimmueangkao presented “The Royal Orchid” collection while Kritsada Sansuk offered Pub Jeeb Bai Tong.