'Second to none' in the world

ASPIRING THAI clothing designers Pongsak Kobrattanasuk and Thita Kamonnetsawat of the Rotsaniyom-White Label got a nice career boost recently when their Malai collection was featured in the “Next in Line” show at London Fashion Week.
The clothes are already on sale on the third floor of Siam Center.
Brewer Street Car Park in the British capital’s Soho district was the humble setting for what’s been called “the fashion show of the year”, a chance for young designers to strut their stuff for the industry.
This year there were hungry labels from 10 countries. Along with Rotsaniyom-White Label, there was Lena Martorello (Argentina), Sid Neigum (Canada), Zurita Design (Chile), Liucija Kvayte (Lithuania), Siham El Amri (Morocco), Anouk Van Klaveren (the Netherlands), Hamza Bokhari (Pakistan), Adrian Foster (Trinidad and Tobago) and Christina Economou (Greece).
The Thai duo had the backing of Siam Center and the British Council in Thailand, and say they find in white lace – a signature material for them – a reflection of “the true beauty of Thainess”.
“The Malai collection derives from our interpretation of Thainess,” says Pongsak. “We combine Thailand’s characteristic textiles with western lace to create the captivating look. There’s a hint of the ‘Anna and the King’ story – the relationship between two unfamiliar cultures that can still shake hands, that unique harmony between strangers.”
Thita points out how their experimentation with different prints and materials has produced truly fresh results. “In this marriage of cultures, the hint of foreign culture is harmoniously infused into Thai culture. We focus on two key factors – the raw materials and the technique. We also use white on white to create dimension.”
Siam Center’s Chanisa Kaewruen says the mall seeks to “gather the most complete range of fashion labels in Thailand”.
“For more than 40 years it has contributed to the evolution of Thai fashion and has driven the industry to the international level, built an image, upgraded the standards and provided young designers with an opportunity to show their potential and express their imagination.”
With Rotsaniyom-White Label, Chanisa says, Siam Centre is “showing the world that Thai designers are second to none”.
Andrew Glass of the British Council calls its collaboration “a big step to support the Thai fashion industry and personnel to achieve the success and reach the destination in global platform”.
“This collaboration not only incorporates the different culture of each country, but also is a good opportunity to expand the fashion network across the world.”