Gays step it up, guys beef it up

Beyond the fluff

No one’s knocking “the third gender” or anything – we root for LGBT rights and giggle at the flamboyant transvestites on the screen as much as anybody – but the gay community earned much more genuine respect last year. The credit goes to the folks who are bringing real substance to the social media – and causing quite a delightful stir. 

Still spearheading the movement is the lifestyle-travel programme “Toey Tiew Thai”, which was met with phenomenal feedback when it first went online three years ago and continues to scoop up fans. 

Then came Maeban Mee Nuad – the Bearded Housewife – on Facebook. Anurak “Bew” Chonmoonee, a chubby self-proclaimed fashionista, has earned more than 600,000 followers in the course of two years by putting on elaborate outfits and voguing it up at Bangkok and Paris landmarks. 

And Theetawit “Khun Sha” Sethchai grabbed everyone’s attention with his “Tood’s Diary” on Facebook, a source of inspiration as well as entertainment for 450,000 fans. The book-form collection of his posts was a major seller. 

There are quite a few lesser-known Internet LGBT idols who’ve begun setting trends and influencing lifestyle and fashion, although some, like Maeban Mee Nuad, do manage to make the leap from social media to mainstream stardom.

The alternative platforms like the social networks and online TV have given these talents a chance to fully express themselves and win over an audience of both straight and gay admirers by doing something constructive and refined. 

It suggests, one hopes, that Thailand is turning over a new leaf when it comes to accepting LGBT lifestyle choices.

– MANTA KLANGBOONKRONG

 

All dressed up

It’s widely expected that 2015 will be another tough year economically, which leaves the fashion industry plotting its survival with a bold new strategy: more “forceful” designs – and groovier gear. 

Meanwhile there will at least be more places to buy the clothes. The Mall Group is leading the charge in plans to build more shopping paradises, not just in Bangkok but also Hua Hin and Phuket. 

Huge investments will also be poured into lifestyle products, more than ever before, say the experts, and that goes for fashionable togs too.

Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok is going to have “District Em” – the Emporium, the EmQuartier and the Emsphere – together covering 650,000 square metres. The original Emporium will gain an atelier floor with top runway fashions from more than 70 brands on sale (at “haute” prices). That’s addition to the 40 brands already exclusive to the mall.

Bangkok Fashion Society president Polpat Asavaprapa says the extra retail space promises more investment. His brand, Asava, will get three more boutiques, plus a restaurant. 

The market is upbeat, he says, but caution is essential. “You must make sure you have customer loyalty!” Meanwhile Thai fashion has to gain a truly global perspective and keep learning, not least to take advantage of the Asean Economic Community to be inaugurated at the end of this year. “Every brand should view itself as a global brand and create something it can specialise in.”

The advent of the AEC means Thai designers will face more competition, but Polpat points out that they’ve got tourism on their side at home and will gain a new market around the region. 

As to fashion predictions for 2015, Polpat says we can expect lighter, “cleaner” colours come spring and summer, such as pale blue and yellow hue, as forecast already on the Paris and New York runways. And the must-have item of the year will be the chain-strap handbag.

– KUPLUTHAI PUNGKANON

 

Beautiful boys

Make no mistake: Guys who care about their health still go to the gym, but the big trend in male health is the useful “shortcuts” involving skin treatment, plastic surgery and the like.

This past year we’ve seen a slew of dudes, including several celebrities, proudly showing off the results of their cosmetic surgery on the social networks, complete with before-and-after photos and, occasionally – awfully, pictures of swollen skin in mid-procedure.

The thrust of these procedures is to achieve the “ideal” V shape to the face, and if that means slicing and dicing, Botox and bandages, then so be it. Get an eyelid tuck for a more Western appearance. Build up that nose bridge. Plant some new hair. And, for Heaven’s sake, whiten that skin. Yes, the doctors say some of the methods are dangerous, but boys will be boys.

And they don’t stop there. How about breast implants? The straight guys don’t want big boobs, of course – they want just a little more to get that sculpted weightlifter’s chest.

Also, if the ladies can undergo liposuction to lose some of their belly and slim down the thighs, surely men can do the same. These days the surgeons can stitch up a pretty convincing six-pack, the perfect babe magnet. And the results are swift, unlike, you know, actually lifting weights.

The chief intent behind all of this is boosting your self-esteem, which in turn helps at work as well as in daily life. Cosmetic surgery costs a bundle, but they assure us it’s worth it.

– PARINYAPORN PAJEE

 

That EDM groove

If you don’t know what EDM is by now, you literally have not been listening. Electronic dance music now dominates the raves in Thailand. The sub-genre dubstep has been around for at least a decade and has made surprise appearances on rock releases like last year’s “Jeb Kwa Khue Chan” by Retrospect and, more recently, on Blackhead’s “Lon” (“Hallucination”). It’s also been used on the soundtrack for the new movie “Jit Sampas 3D” (“The Second Sight 3D”). 

“Dubstep has really drawn us into exploring new sounds,” says Blackhead frontman Anond “Poo” Saisangchan. “We’re being prudent in our use of it, but DJ Skrillex was hugely successful with it in his own electronic work, and the same for the nu-metal outfit Korn.”

Kamol “Sukie” Sukosol Clapp, formerly of the rock band Pru, made a return to the music scene last year with the EDM-oriented project “Monkey Disco Boy”. Among the tracks are “Forever Young” by Boom Boom Cash and “Desire” by Pod Moderndog.

“My son is 20 and all he and his friends listen to is EDM – it’s the sound of their generation, Generation Me,” says Sukie. “He’s been my adviser throughout this entire project, and hopefully what we’ve done will somehow connect with that generation – that would be great. It’s good, listenable dance music.”

 Boom Boom Cash, winner of “Chang Fest” Season 2, is wholly inspired by EDM, as heard in its songs “Blur Blur”, “One Life” and “To Rung” featuring Joey Boy.

Most recently Khan from the hip-hop band Thaitanium pushed the boundaries of EDM on an album with his Australian friend Keezy to give their music an original sound. The first single from the duo Bang Bang Bang is “Higher”.

– KITCHANA LERSAKVANITCHAKUL