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S’pore Fashion Week: Thakoon Panichgul debuts in Asia

On Saturday, Thakoon Panichgul will have his turn on the catwalk at the Singapore Fashion Week — and his Fall 2015 collection showcase will be a doubly meaningful occasion for the 40-year-old Thailand-born American designer. Not only has his eponymous brand crossed the 10-year mark, this is also his first Asian showcase since he left his hometown of Nakhon Phanom at the age of 11.

On Saturday, Thakoon Panichgul will have his turn on the catwalk at the Singapore Fashion Week — and his Fall 2015 collection showcase will be a doubly meaningful occasion for the 40-year-old Thailand-born American designer. Not only has his eponymous brand crossed the 10-year mark, this is also his first Asian showcase since he left his hometown of Nakhon Phanom at the age of 11.

The New York-based designer, whose brand’s growing list of fans includes Emma Stone, Katie Holmes, Katy Perry, Jessica Alba, Alexa Chung and United States First Lady Michelle Obama, is part of the star-studded line-up that includes Cate Blanchett, Godfrey Gao, Victoria Beckham and Diane von Furstenberg, who opened the festival on Wednesday.

“I am excited to meet local designers and share my background and experience with them,” he told TODAY in an e-mail interview. “This is such an exciting market and I am looking forward to seeing the (works) of emerging talents who will be showcased.”

Q: What are you most looking forward to in Singapore?

A: I’ve been to Singapore once and I’m really looking forward to the food. It’s the most interesting combination of all Asian cuisines I’ve ever tasted anywhere.

Q: Do you have any striking memories of your hometown of Nakhon Phanom?

A: I was actually there in March to visit my family. When you’re there, you feel like you’re in a far-flung place, which is such a great feeling. There’s the sense of being in a small village, with people living simply. We would go to the night market where there are many street-food stalls and you’d pick out your dinner. I also have memories of riding around on a moped everywhere and walking along the Mekong River.

Q: Thakoon was launched in 2004. How has the brand evolved?

A: We have stayed very true to our roots and aesthetic codes, so as the global marketplace evolves, the original principles are always there from season to season. We don’t chase trends or fleeting moments. Rather, we have built a wardrobe and customer base. Ten years has allowed us to establish the brand the way we feel is right and the milestone is an affirmation that we should, and will, continue in our direction.

Q: I’m sure you were very happy about the brand crossing the decade mark.

A: (Last year’s) Spring show marked our anniversary and it truly felt like an incredible accomplishment and milestone, especially when looking back at the various high points. To celebrate, we collaborated with Barneys New York for an exclusive collection of “greatest hits” (iconic Thakoon designs) and held two dinners with friends, one in New York and one in Los Angeles. We also launched Thakoon Bags.

Q: Can you talk about this new line of yours?

A: It was launched last year and we first showed the bags on the runway for the Fall 2015 season, which is what you’ll see in Singapore on Saturday. Thakoon Bags are the extension of the Thakoon girl’s wardrobe. For us, it is very important to be able to dress her from head to toe and offer something special and different from other bags in stores.

Q: Why did it take you 10 years to launch a range of bags?

A: We wanted the bags to be perfect if we were going to do them. It took time to cultivate the look and feel, and to find the right partners to develop the quality with. The end result was worth the 10-year wait.

Q: So should we expect an accessories or shoe line in the near future?

A: We are open to the possibility. The goal of a lifestyle collection is always on the horizon.

Q: Michelle Obama has worn one of your dresses. I’m sure it must have been exhilarating to learn about that.

A: Yes, it was. We love to see how women wear Thakoon and the First Lady has a very personal, strong approach to dressing that stands out and never fails to excite.

Q: Any thoughts on the trends for Fall/Winter 2015?

A: I am more inspired by certain moods than trends. For Thakoon, it is always about working around our house codes and continuing to shape the aesthetic for our girl. This leads me to question what she wants, what she needs and how she wants to look this season. For Fall 2015, there was an undercurrent of a minimal ’90s bohemian vibe. But there was also a reference to 19th-century Oscar Wilde-like dandies.

Q: Thakoon is big on Instagram and Twitter. How have social media and the digital landscape affected your business and collections?

A: Social networking, media and digital platforms have unquestionably become an integral part of our global culture. My thoughts are constantly evolving in this arena because there are so many places to go and things to do within it. But what remains paramount for us is to always find the way directly to our customers, to make sure that regardless of the method, we are delivering to them what they want — or even what they didn’t know they wanted until we bring it to them! The immediacy, intimacy and accessibility of social and digital pathways are undeniable and have shaped the way we give and receive information, knowledge and emotions. We are embracing this wholeheartedly, without losing the tradition of design that is at the core of our business.

Thakoon’s Fall 2015 collection will be showcased tomorrow, 8pm, at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. For more information on Singapore Fashion Week, visit http://singaporefashionweek.com.sg.

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