Material Pleasures

Everyone knows you can get a cheap suit in Bangkok. But how about a puffy frock à la Christian Lacroix, or a floor-length silk robe that looks like a find from a Parisian vintage shop? Bangkok has been undergoing a fashion renaissance — but most travelers still don’t realize it’s home to a coterie404 Not Found

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nginx/1.14.0 (Ubuntu) of young, forward-minded designers who are happy to whip up specially tailored creations. Here are three addresses certain to please any style hound hungering for something unique.

ENLEVER SES VETEMENTS: Despite its name (take off their clothes in French), this menswear shop, tel: (66-2) 640 8088, is all about putting on a daily armor that wouldn’t look out of place in a style capital like London or New York City. In fact, artist turned designer Suparerk Bhasaputra is a New York transplant. Born in Bangkok, he spent 25 years in the Big Apple before returning to his birthplace. “When I first got here, the chaos in the way people dressed was giving me a headache,” he says. “So I brought the New York stark sensibility over here.” A minimalist, Comme des Garçonsstyle shirt costs up to $75. A bespoke suit will set you back around $430.

IT’S HAPPENED TO BE A CLOSET: Although the word bohemian springs immediately to mind, designer Siriwan Tharananithikul dislikes the adjective that’s often used to describe her clothes. “That word doesn’t mean anything,” says the graduate of Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute. Siriwan prefers terms like vintage and one of a kind. Indeed, she goes out of her way to supply her customers with unique designs, often made with antique fabrics discovered on buying trips around Asia. Her store on Siam Square, tel: (66-2) 658 4696-7, attracts a diverse clientele, from students to society matrons. Prices range from $65 for a puff-sleeved T shirt to $3,200 for a floor-length ivory slip with lace and pearls.

INSPIRED BY INNER COMPLEXITY: Since its opening nearly three years ago, this brainchild of two Parsons School of Design graduates, tel: (66-2) 258 4488, has become a standby of local socialites and celebrities. That’s partly due to the collaborative relationships that Nuttawat Suthapong and design partner Issariya Virajsilp maintain with clients. Says Nuttawat: “If you’re a customer, I’ll sit down with you and have a chitchat to find out your personality, because you’re representing yourself through fashion.” The general look is frilly, fun and at times suggestive of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, both admired by Nuttawat. Dresses cost up to $1,100. Menswear is also available, with custom suits priced around $320.