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Published on August 28, 2007

With a quirkiness and flair for witty details, English label Ted Baker thumbs its nose at the conservative mainstream fashion scene in Britain.

Its bright flower-prints for men, decorative buttoned jackets cuffs and jacquard suits push the British male to be a little bolder, a little prouder. And there's the devil in the details - the brand's signature is the discreet message added to necklines, a nice surprise for buyers new to Ted.

"Ted Baker is beautiful inside and out," says Louise Elstone,  head of international marketing for the brand, as she hands me a flowery shirt. On the outside there's a pattern of blue and lavender flowers but they change to pink flowers when I turn the shirt inside out.

Elstone shows us another shirt peeling back the hem to reveal a funky message in the lining: "Rock on my radio, hearts on my sleeve". The care label continues the amusing banter with "Ted says take care of your shirt". This, says Elstone, often brings a smile from customers.

The brand has traditional tailoring sown up, too. The Endurance Ted Baker line of suits uses a special durable lining designed for men on the move. Jackets have internal pockets for mobile phones and other gadgets, and a special hidden pocket for your stash of cash. They are also made to be crumple-free, even after being folded in a suitcase.

Apparently, Ted girls like quality and attention to detail, too. Jerseys and dresses come in delicate silk with sewn-on beads. Look closer at what seems a plain jersey top and you'll find distinctive beading and a fishtailed back. There's versatility too, with little mini dresses that can be paired with trousers or tight jeans.

Although the styles look fairly daring, Elstone says the range is targeted at young and old and everything in between.

"My parents are in their 60s and they wear Ted," she says.

Model Eva Herzigova and members of the Black Eyed Peas are also big fans, and so is a costume designer for the latest James Bond movie according to eagle-eyed fashion-conscious cinema goers.

It's hard to say that Ted Baker has an aversion to advertising, relying instead on a small but passionately loyal group of followers. But marketing guru Elstone confirms that the army of Ted guys and girls has grown almost exclusively through word-of-mouth.

Prices ranges from Bt3,000 to upward of Bt10,000 - the idea being to fill a gap in the market between traditional high-street labels and designer brands. Dedicated followers of the brand tend to mix everything from designer labels to high-street wear to vintage styles.

From its beginnings as a menswear brand in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1987, Ted Baker has climbed the fashion ladder to become one of the best-selling lifestyle brands in Britain. The name, already recognised in the US and France, is now spreading in Asia - Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and Hong Kong are just a few of the countries Ted's ticked off on his list.

The clothes have been available in Thailand for a year now, from the Ted Baker shop at Bangkok's Central World Plaza.

If you want to see more Ted Baker fashions, visit http://blog. nationmultimedia.com/lisnaree.

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

The Nation