Roj's 'Spices' fire up the runway
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A beloved royal poem and shiny beetle wings tantalise in the new collection from issue
Although absent from Thai catwalks for almost a year, veteran clothing designer Bhubawit “Roj” Kritpholnara of the brand Issue is always busy creating exotic outfits. Roj has just unveiled a charming and vibrant autumn-winter line called “Spices” that’s inspired by a beautiful poem King Rama II wrote about the food Queen Sri Suriyandra cooked for him.
Thus Roj’s signature use of Thai culture continues in this collection, which he describes as “taste beautified by appearances”. The Siamese king cleverly deployed similes to express taste and delicacy in different kinds of food, in a poem that is considered one of the country’s great works of literature.
Roj has spiced up his clothes with the tasty heat of Thai cuisine and the allure of classical Benjarong ceramics. Red and green predominate, echoing the spices that cooks most commonly use, with hand-embroidered highlights in a variety of vivid hues like lime and the turquoise of the maeng tab beetle.
There is classic black as well, but it’s the colourful graphic decoration that adds the glamour. Some of the outfits are delightful in pastel pink and blue.
For women there are maxi dresses and micro pants, loose blouses, Indian trousers, mini-dresses and playsuits. Men will get noticed in suits made colourful with graphic prints and in layer trousers, short pants, embroidered shirts and print T-shirts. Everything in the collection is made for mixing and matching.
Roj has a gift for adorning his accessories with gorgeous natural materials. Feathers and the maeng tab’s beautiful wings add sparkle and flair to headdresses, caps, clutches and handbags, belts and shoes as well as decorating the clothes.
Roj founded his brand in 2002, in time for Elle Fashion Week that year, and since then Issue has become one of Thailand’s top |fashion houses. It exports its |gear – including to Europe and the Middle East – and has appeared on catwalks from Singapore to London.
Taste Roj’s “Spices” at his boutique at Siam Paragon and in Siam Square Soi 3.
