An elephant in Thailand

LUXURY HANDBAG BRAND Judith Leiber that has recently put a cupcake purse in Katy Perry’s hand, gave Miley Cyrus a unicorn tote and supplied a koi-fish carry-all for Blake Lively – is next planning to furnish its |A-list clientele with bags in Thai motifs for their red-carpet appearances. 

Judith Leiber Couture has just opened its first store in Thailand, at the EmQuartier mall, and announced its presence with a limited edition “Thai Style” line. There are 16 patterns to choose among, including orchids, woven lipao vines, khu dan (a four-petal flower), phum kao bin (lotus bud) and dhammajak (the dharma wheel), plus a couple of extraordinary shapes, including, of course, an elephant.

“The collection is really inspired by Thai basketry, textile prints and the beauty of jewels and flowers,” said Jana Matheson, the luxury brand’s chief creative officer, who flew in from New York for the opening.

“There are different layers of inspiration, but it’s all kind of ‘East meets West’. My team and I did a lot of research and Thai friends gave us some great ideas. Choosing the right patterns, working it out on the computer, getting the colours right and selecting the crystal beads that best fit the bags and ‘look Thai’ involved a long process.”

The jewel-embellished Queen Sirikit Cattleya Orchid clutch, of which just 83 were made, commemorates Her Majesty’s 83rd birthday this past August. It has a detachable chain-link strap and push-lock closure. Beads form the outline of the white orchid named after the Queen, who asked that the species become the symbol of Thai Women’s Day.

Another stunning clutch is inspired by the Phalaenopsis Princess Chulabhorn orchid, an elegant hybrid of two Sri Lankan varieties, Phalaenopsis Rose Miva and Phalaenopsis Kandy Queen, which that country’s government named in honour of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn during her visit there in 1999.

The blossoms, encrusted with crystals, are depicted with a florescent branch. One bag has rose flowers on a silver crystal background, the other white blooms against black crystals.

Woven yan lipao basketwork is replicated on another crystal-bedecked bag with a corded handle, while still another bejewelled piece bears the classical dao lom deun motif based on the stars in the night sky. It’s considered an auspicious design and is often seen on the ceiling of temple ordination halls.

“My design team and artisans spend one and a half to two years on each design concept,” says Matheson, who points out that Leiber also made evening bags for US First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower, Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush. 

“Luxury to me means the best materials, the best craftsmanship and the best manufacturing. Some of our bags have 20,000 crystals and 18 colours. We now have more than 80 crystal colour-palettes to choose from!”

The brand’s novelty items are equally coveted, bags in whimsical shapes like a dachshund, an ultra-fluffy cat, a watermelon slice and a pyramid. The “Thai Style” collection adds the Chang Phuak minaudiere (a small, gem-trimmed purse) in the form of a white elephant and the Sat Ta Bong Khot purse shaped like a lotus bud.

The 83 Queen Sirikit Cattleya Orchid bags represent “mass production” compared to the rest of the Thai line, of which a mere five of each have been made so far. They’re available at the Bangkok shop, but the plan is to have more made for sale around the world by next March.

The boutique is only the fifth in Asia, after Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and India. It also carries Matheson’s “Holiday and Resort 2015” collection – bags resembling ice-cream cones and peppermint sticks.

“I like the idea of playing around with sweets, like our cupcake minaudiere, which made its first appearance in the movie ‘Sex and the City’,” she says. “I like to modernise, but there’s a certain DNA to the brand that must be respected. I focus on surprises in terms of whimsical shapes and materials like resin, satin, semi-precious stones and exotic skins. One of the biggest surprises was our camera-shaped minaudiere with multicoloured crystals.”

A lot of the Leiber bags are tiny, affording room for little more than lipstick and a credit card, which hardly seems compatible in the era of smartphones and tablets, but Matheson says she’s tackling that issue too.

“The technology has an impact on the way I design,” she says. “People need a phone and a lot of people carry two phones, so the handbag size is getting bigger. Our regular bag is big enough to fit an iPhone 6 Plus, but the novelty line – the dogs and flowers – won’t hold one.”

Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian have also been seen with Judith Leiber bags in hand at red-carpet events. Asked if she keeps anyone in particular in mind when she’s designing, Matheson has a ready answer: “A woman who loves style.”

 

 

ORCHIDS IN BLOOM

>>Judith Leiber Couture is on G Floor at the EmQuartier mall and open daily from 10 to 10. 

>>Call (02) 003 6014 or (084) 555 6676.