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Published on October 9, 2007

After the four major fashion capitals - New York, London, Milan, and Paris - bring down the curtains on their shows, Bangkok fashionistas can start looking forward to catching the latest collections from Thailand's designers at Elle Fashion Week 2007 Autumn/Winter, which takes place at CentralWorld from October 16 to 21.

Elle (Thailand) usually organises just one event each year but the magazine's editor in chief, Kullawit Laosuksri, says the time has come for Thai designers to step forward into the limelight of international markets.

"That means our designers must start producing collections according to the world's fashion seasons. The scale of this event will be much broader. I believe each designer and each brand will bring out their best," he adds.

"Despite the high budget, Elle (Thailand) is a private company that is determined to demonstrate the capacity of Thai designers and also the potential of young talent who attain good standards."

The highlight of the six-day event will be its opening night, when HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana will showcase her semi-couture "Presence from the Past" collection, currently being shown at Paris Fashion Week.

Bangkok fashionistas will enjoy an extra show of the Princess' menswear collection that the Paris crowds won't have experienced.

The Elle event will also feature the latest designs from both up-and-coming and established talents, including Kai, Pisit, Metta, Pichita, Headquarter, Zenithorial, Theatre, Issue, 27 Friday, T-ra, Playhound by Greyhound, Senada Theory, Sretsis, Disaya, Munchu's, Kloset Red Carpet and Cps Chaps, plus the works by four new designers sponsored by Nokia - Seksarit Thanaprasittikul, Tipayaphone Poosanaphong, Atiroj Rojratanawalee and Saran Yenpanya.

Elle Fashion Week's success is evident in how the young designers have evolved. Many are now selling their clothes on the international fashion scene.

Outfits by Disaya Sorakriakitikul for Boudoir (her new brand is Disaya) are now available at leading English department stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols, while Mollika Ruangkritya for Kloset has received a good response for the brand's  Spring/Summer collections for the past few years at several international fashion outlets.

Munchu's Munchumart Numbenjapol says this is the first year that her clothes have been available in New York and Hong Kong, even if on a small scale.

"Elle Fashion Week is a professional fashion show with a unique personality. The progress is impressive," says Mollika.

Kupluthai Pungkanon

The Nation