Weird, wild and wonderful
Jewellery designer Prawit Nammungkun offers funky and fascinating pieces that promise to catch the eye
PRAWIT NAMMUNGKUN’S accessories range from the chic and excessive to the wild and weird. Among his designs: a necklace made of exquisite crochet, a funky one made from the acrylic drops of a chandelier that are coiled with colourful nylon thread and vivid tassel earrings adorned with Marrakesh-style ornaments.
But it’s not just the designs that make his work unique but his materials – all of them recycled – which range from resin, acrylic, wood, bead to yarn, rope, precious stone and metal. The result is distinctive and original, and the wearer can be sure she won’t bump into anyone wearing the same.
Prawit didn’t originally choose art for his career but stuck to a safe path, graduating with a degree in accountancy. Always interested in mix-and-match fashions, he designed pieces of jewellery for his personal use and was surprised to discover that he had a natural talent.
Friends coveted his gems and orders started pouring in. Soon he had enough work to drop his accounting books and open his own shop – Golf R Porn Accessories in Suan Lum Night Bazaar.
That was 10 years ago and he’s never looked back.
“My accessories are particularly suitable independent types. As most of them are fairly large, just one piece is enough to go with an outfit,” says Prawit or Golf as he’s known to friends and family.
“You can highlight a plain t-shirt with a colourful accessory to make yourself stand out.”
When Suan Lum Night closed three ago. Prawit moved to Amarin Plaza. With downtown rents so high, he recently relocated to Chatuchak Weekend Market and changed the name of the shop to Sombat Pudee, which translates as etiquette.
“I’ve never taken a course in jewellery design nor do I work from sketches. I just mix and match according to my imagination and the materials. From the simple chains I made 10 years ago, my work has evolved into free-from dynamic creations of different materials. I learn by doing and the unusual patterns come about almost accidentally,” says Prawit.
“I always source my materials at Chatuchak and Sampeng markets and ask for the stuff that shop owners want to dispose of. The price is not high and the materials are not popular alone but I mix and match them to come out with distinctive pieces,” he adds.
His necklaces, earrings, bracelets and chokers range from Bt300 to Bt1,500.
“Some people say my work looks cheap but other love it because it’s wild and weird. Young people today have so many styles from which to choose yet they prefer to copy their favourite stars. My advice to them is ‘Be yourself and have your own style’,” he says.
Prawit refuses orders for custom-made accessories.
“I used to make customised works but it was a real headache. Customers should believe in my designs. Those that come back for more always tell me that they’ve received several admiring glances.”
STAND OUT IN THE CROWD
>>Sombat Pudee shop is at Chatuchak Weekend Market, section 2 (near gate number 29). It is open Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 6pm. Call (081) 566 8815.
>>You can shop online by searching for “Golf R_Porn” on Facebook.
