FROM RACK TO KLOSET

Adecade ago, Mollika Ruangkritya was selling her sweet, feminine and folksy designs out of a nine-square-metre rack shop in Siam Square. Today, she’s celebrating the tenth anniversary of her leading fashion and lifestyle brand Kloset, which has a steady following of customers not just at home but also in France, Spain, England, Japan and the Middle East.
Born into an affluent family and without any fashion design training, Mollika has overcome hurtful criticisms that her shop was nothing more than a rich girl’s toy and that she created the brand just for fun.
“Kloset is something I want to do for the rest of my life,” she says, a statement that also reflects the sentiments of her best pal and the brand’s creative director, Nat Mangkang.
Back in the Siam Square days, Nat and Mollika sold their clothes out of neighbouring rack shops. They became fast friends and often went to shop for fabric and materials together at Sampeng market. “We still do, though not as often,” laughs Nat.
“Neither of us have earned diplomas in fashion design but we are passionate about what we do and have always been eager to learn the process. It wouldn’t have been so much fun if we hadn’t done it together,” he adds.
Despite the family money, Mollika made considerable personal sacrifices to keep the brand afloat and developing.
Fortunes have now reversed and in addition to clothes, Kloset offers a range of lifestyle products under the brand Kloset Etcetera such as pyjamas, serviettes, towels, fabric bags, cosmetic bags, pencil cases and sandals.
Mollika also recently opened the homey restaurant “Caf