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Kimono her house
Japan’s Takahashi Hiroko will lead free workshops in Bangkok on November 30 and Chiang Mai on December 3 about the kimonos she fashions in a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. She uses only circles and straight lines, seeking conceptually to change fixed ideas and foment “the beginning of a new tradition”.
Workshop participants will be challenged to consider all possibilities in design from black and white cotton, with no waste.
Hosted by the Japan Foundation, the sessions are part of the Bangkok Design Festival. Find out more at (02) 260 8560-4 and TakahashiHiroko.com or www.JFBkk.or.th.
The elephants come home
Having trumpeted its charms in 11 cities, from London to Milan to Singapore, the Elephant Parade – an open-air exhibition of life-size pachyderm sculptures – has earned a permanent home in Chiang Mai.
Father and son Marc and Mike Spits launched the Elephant Parade in 2007 to raise money to help the beleaguered wild Asian elephant. Their inspiration was a young tusker named Mosha that had lost a front leg to a landmine.
The Spitses had sculptors around the globe fashion nearly 1,000 brightly coloured statues to liven up city streets and raise awareness about the elephants’ dire circumstances. The money comes mainly from donations and sales of a cute elephant figurine with a leg raised like Mosha.
Elephant Parade House at 420/1 Chiang Mai Land Village – where visitors can learn about elephant conservation and paint their own miniatures – has sculptures big and small inside and out, in all the colours of the rainbow. Learn more at www.ElephantParade.com.
She’s got some bottle
Diane von Furstenberg has followed in the footsteps of fellow fashion designers Issey Miyake, Paul Smith, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix and Courreges in creating a limited-edition bottle for Evian water.
Her concept incorporates the mantra “Water is Life is Love is Life is Water is…” in her own distinct handwriting. It also has her ubiquitous DVF heart logo. Quench your thirst with one at just about any supermarket.
