LORI ASHTON ROUNDS UP THE DESIGNERS BEHIND A VARIETY OF DISTINCTIVE WORK THAT’S HELPING PUT THAILAND ON THE WORLD MAP AS A HOT BED OF TALENT

FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS north to the sea-sculpted south, Thailand’s creative energy is sizzling right now, with a number of outstanding designers gathering international recognition for their high quality, original creations.

Creative vision is being masterfully blended with traditional skills and materials to produce exciting contemporary concepts at many of Thailand’s companies, both large and small. Young, trendy minds – having experienced urban life, design schools or perhaps time abroad observing Western wants – are helping to generate explosive cutting-edge designs. Still functional but fresh, they show the emergence of craft as art.

But where do you go to discover these talents? While some artists prefer direct contact through their studios and showrooms, others choose to showcase their work at the bi-annual Bangkok International Gift + Bangkok International Houseware (BIG+BIH) fairs, which roll into town in April (see Best in Show on page 57).

Here, we make it easier for you and introduce a handful of those designers who are shaping Thailand’s design future.

1
WHO: APHICHAT SRICHAN, RICE FOR ASIAN DESIGN
WHAT: WHIMSICAL CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES

Aphichat Srichan is the Chief Designer at Rice for Asian Design, a Chiang Mai-based company for whom he creates innovative clothing and accessories. An education in textile design from Bangkok’s Rajamangala Institute of Technology, a range of freelance design work, and accreditation as one of Thailand’s 10 Northern Young Designers in 2002 by the Department of Industrial Promotion, prepared him well for taking up this new position four years ago.

Ginger is the popular retail arm of Rice, whose shops in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Denmark (one third of the Rice team is Scandinavian textile designer, Hans Christensen) delight customers with each of their collections. Aphichat’s fashion designs blend whimsy and nostalgia, and appeal to all ages – from trendy teens to chic sophisticates. Little wonder that his floaty, feminine yet sexy pieces have also been seen at a number of prêt-a-porter shows, from Hong Kong to Paris.

So what type of women does Aphichat design for? “Women who love to dress-up,” says the young designer. “Women who want something special and beautiful to wear – they inspire my best dreams and give me encouragement.”

2
WHO: LAURENT BEDOUELLE, INTENTIO
WHAT: NATURAL FURNITURE AND COLOURFUL LAMPS

Paris-born Laurent Bedouelle adopted Bangkok as his home about 13 years ago, after he discovered a special connection with the region. The artist and interior designer finds inspiration from natural materials, particularly those abundant in Asia, such as copper, silk and wood.

“I like to spend hours among old wood pieces looking for the right one. If I find one that inspires me to create a beautiful art piece, then I play around with the idea and communicate. Design is my way of communication,” Laurent explains.

Along with his wood creations, luminous lamps with a keen sense of colour highlight the “contemporary style with an Asian touch” that makes him so popular.

An early starter, Bedouelle was already being featured in international design shows and generating sales in Paris by the time he was 15. This success continued over the years, and he made a name for himself in Singapore, Dubai and Thailand. However, recognising that promoting his own talents was not his forte, Bedouelle recently teamed up with retired Carrefour Thailand CEO Luc Dayot for marketing support. Now designing a range of interior products under the name of Intentio, higher levels of exposure (and sales) are being achieved.

These levels are only set to rise with the recent opening of Intentio’s stand-alone showroom in Phuket – a new two-floor, 500sqm space in the elite Royal Phuket Marina, which aims to satisfy all interior design requirements through its range of original furniture, fixtures and fittings.

3
WHO: CINDI NOVKOV, ORIENT DESIGN IMAGE (ODI)
WHAT: BAMBOO ORNAMENTS AND HOME ACCESSORIES

Passion, enthusiasm and vision exude from Washington-born Cindi Novkov who, like many dedicated designers, appears born to create. As a design consultant, Cindi has undertaken commissions for an extensive range of significant residential, commercial and resort projects all over the world, including the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Thailand.

With nearly 30 years of Asian interior and product design under her belt, Cindi first decided to establish Orient Design Image (ODI) in Bangkok and Chiang Mai 12 years ago.

She saw the opportunity to develop and market a range of home-decoration products that incorporate Asian influences into her inherently American style: Cindi’s original spun-bamboo collections inject traditional Thai craft smanship into simple shapes that hold international appeal.

ODI’s ever-growing home accessories range combine function and utility along with classic elegance and timeless beauty.

These winning attributes have resulted in ODI receiving a UNESCO-APHADA Seal of Excellence Award for Handicraft Products in South-East Asia for the Spathe design. Even with such awards, Cindi’s drive and vision remain as strong as ever.

“I am committed to the development of Thai bamboo craft s as high quality, versatile and charming components in the world’s most beautifully decorated offices, hotels and homes,” she says.

BEST IN SHOW
The 25th Bangkok International Gift Fair and Bangkok International Houseware Fair (BIG+BIH) 2008 takes place on 17-22 April and will present gifts, souvenirs, home decorative items and handicrafts across 50,000sqm of space at Impact Exhibition and Conventions Centre (IMPACT).

This important event for international buyers takes places
twice a year, and with the continued support of the Department of Export Promotion (DEP), has become a respected showcase of Thailand’s unique, quality designs in gifts and home decorative items. For more information, visit www.impact.co.th

4
WHO: NAMFON KANJANASAYA, CERAMICS OF PHUKET
WHAT: NATIVE CLAY POTTERY

Phuket artist and designer, Namfon Kanjanasaya uses her degree in marine biology and love of the Andaman Sea surrounds as her stimuli. She sculpts and moulds Phuket’s native clay – enhanced by remnants of the town’s tin-mining past – and creates ceramics in serene shapes with fresh textures and distinctive colourings.

The family business, Ceramics of Phuket has been conducting its trade for nearly 18 years, selling quality tableware, spa sets and tiles, along with, in recent years, the addition of Namfon’s one-off creations.

The company’s products are very popular, and diners at resorts in Europe, North America and Asia are likely to have eaten off one of Ceramics of Phuket’s plates. Both private art shows as well as exhibitions such as BIG+BIH secure new clients and repeat business for their latest range of designs. However, Namfon does not usually attend such shows.

“I thank my sister, brother and family for their understanding of my love for creating and letting me focus on this, while they take care of the business side of things,” she reveals.

5
WHO: SAWAT MEEPANYA, GREEN FORUM PRODUCTS & STYLE
WHAT: FREE-FORM BAMBOO FURNITURE

Thai electrical engineer-turned-designer, Sawat Meepanya has been revolutionising people’s thinking about bamboo through his company, Green Forum Products & Style for the past decade. His wife, Manee Meepanya, takes care of the business side of things while his daughters spur stimulation for fresh products and styles.

As Sawat observes, “I saw my daughters sitting on the floor doing their homework. This gave me the feeling that they need a small table so they can work and carry it around to put on the bed or anywhere.” Such moments lead to innovations that are both inspired and practical.

When you see Green Forum’s designs, you may think that the tubular bamboo structures are missing something. The traditional technique is indeed absent: instead, raw bamboo is processed and crushed to form veneer on plywood. The artistry is in the bending, moulding and shaping of the bamboo. Representing a new wave of thinking about this expandable natural resource, Green Forum’s distinctive furniture graces homes, resorts and shops across the world, from Italy, to Sawat’s home province of Phrae in Thailand.

6
WHO: TAM DEVAKUL, T POSITIF
WHAT: SILVER JEWELLERY AND ELEGANT GLASSWARE

Tam Devakul is one of those classic designers who slides easily between different mediums. A Bangkok-based architect-turned-jewellery-designer, Devakul founded T Positif in 2002. She had always been infatuated by the simplicity of pure silver, which led her to create sleek and striking ranges of jewellery. Recently, however, she shift ed her attention to a new medium – glassware.

Devakul’s glassware – and particularly her stemware – oft en applies jewellery techniques to the distinctive collections of long-stemmed glasses that are almost too elegant to use.

In others, unusual combinations of materials such as bamboo, accented with copper or silver, or Swarovski crystals embedded in sterling silver bring her stemware to a higher level. Says Devakul: “My glasses are not just for holding the wine or champagne, but are like gems adorning the wine drinker or dining table.”

This unlikely fusion of materials creates unique and harmonious works of art for every dining table – each of them formed and finished by hand.

WHERE TO BUY

CERAMICS OF PHUKET: 71/3 Vichitsongkram Road, Phuket, tel +66 (0)76 321917, www.ceramicsofphuket.com

GINGER: 95/21 Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai, tel +66 (0)53 215635; 199 Moonmuang Road, Chiang Mai, tel +66 (0)53 419014; The Plaza Surin, 5G Moo 3, Phuket, tel +66 (0)76 271617, www.gingerfashion.com

GREEN FORUM PRODUCTS & STYLE: 95/1 Moo 6, Tambol Cheangdoi, Chiang Mai, tel +66 (0)53 868670

INTENTIO: 10/4 Convent Road, Bangkok, tel +66 (0)2 238-2725; 63/501 Royal Phuket Marina, Thepkrasattri Road, Phuket, tel +66 (0)76 360860, www.intentiodesign.com

ODI: 3rd Floor Baan Koon, 4/5 Soi Pattanasin, Nang Linchi Road, Bangkok, tel +66 (0)2 213238; 221 Soi 3, Moo 4, Baan Pong, Chiang Mai, tel +66 (0)53 817121, www.orientdesignimage.com

T POSITIF: D&O Shop, 3rd Floor Gaysorn Plaza, Bangkok; Central Chidlom Department Store, Bangkok; and Siam Paragon, Bangkok, www.tpositif.com