Dream coming true for leaf-draped Thai Baan Fashionista

Apichet "Madaew"  Atilattana is an Internet sensation at 16 – and not for singing wicked cover versions of Justin Bieber. He designs and models dresses that he cobbles together out of the most unusual materials, like mosquito netting, clothes hangers, cooking utensils, bicycle tyres and even various forms of plant life.

Amassing more than 200,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram since he began uploading his pictures in February, the Khon Kaen high-school student who goes by the “stage name” Thai Baan Fashionista has been featured in Attitude magazine’s online edition and on the Facebook pages of China’s CCTV News and BBC Thailand.

That’s the sort of attention you can probably expect when you go around wearing leaves, vegetables and flowers. (It certainly worked for the hippies!) The flora that Madaew turns into fashion are all native to his home province, and the household objects he uses, such as clothes hangers, fishnet and baskets, come from his actual home – or at least from his parents’ market stall.

What began as a lark among friends – with the images and video clips uploaded straight from a mobile phone since Madaew doesn’t own a proper computer – has become a launching pad for a career in the clothing trade.

“Ever since I was small I’ve been designing special outfits to wear and posing for the camera,” Madaew tells Bright TV. “I played with my grandmother’s old trousers and other clothes and made all sorts of dresses just by wrapping and draping fabrics that weren’t tailored to begin with.

“My family isn’t rich, so I have no money for my designing. I just wrap and drape the un-tailored fabric because I have no time for sewing either. I use everything I can find. My parents sell vegetables at the market and they give me loads of baskets and vegetables, which I turn into dresses!”

Neither the outfits nor the pictures and videos that result are the least bit haphazard. Madaew, who says he’d love to be a professional model but yearns mainly to become a fashion designer, puts a lot of thought into the creative process. Friends and his father take the pictures and his grandmother lends a hand with the dresses when needed. 

“My parents and grandparents are very supportive,” he says. “They’ve never scolded me for who I am or for what I’m doing – they even encourage me. I only get told off by my mum if I use a household utensil and forget to clean it up later.” 

Needless to say, the voracious social media have put Madaew firmly on the path to achieving his dream.

“The social networks are a great way to show my potential to the world,” he says. “I want to let people know that a transvestite Khon Kaen boy can be as creative as anybody else. I want to finish school and then pursue my dream of becoming a designer. I plan to study fashion design after high school.”

Witness a dream turning into reality at www.Facebook.com/daewlovely.