By Rupak D Sharma
Bangkok, March 7
On the last day of Thailand’s Emporium World Fashion Showcase, Kriengsak Tantiphipop was spotted walking around the bar in front of the catwalk hall entrance gate on the sixth floor of Emporium mall.
Amidst the frenzy of photographers surrounding the models, fashion designers and other prominent figures of fashion industry, he was attending to his guests and saying final adieus looking contented.
He has organised countless fashion shows before—more than 200 to be precise. But none of the previous shows gave him similar joy and happiness as this one.
“This one is special,” Kriengsak, senior managing director of Emporium Shopping Complex, the organiser of the US$1.26-million event, told Asia News. Special because more than a fashion show he considered it a reward for his several years of hard work.
“After years of effort I was finally able to bring prominent names of Paris and Milan under one roof in Bangkok,” he said. “This is not only an accomplishment for me and my shopping complex but a feat for the entire Thai fashion industry.”
It was indeed a feat, as seven renowned international brands ranging from Chanel, Chloe, Emilio Pucci and Fendi to Giorgio Armani, Kenzo and Valentino had shared the same runway of the ‘Emporium World Fashion Showcase 2008’ for first the time in Thailand’s fashion history.
Adding some more feathers to the cap, Giorgio Armani also used the Fashion Showcase as a platform to launch its Samsung-Giorgio Armani mobile phones in Asia; and of all the fashion events and cities in the region, Fendi agreed to unveil its Fendi 10+ collection of bags here, together with Milan and New York.
Compared to strides made by some other fashion cities in Asia, many call Kriengsak’s achievement a rather small one. “But these small endorsements and favours are enhancing the credibility of Bangkok in the world fashion circle and bringing us an inch closer to the greater goal of establishing the country as an international fashion hub,” Kriengsak said.
Kriengsak, a relatively short man, has always thought tall. His aim of transforming the country into one of the world’s fashion centre may sound hollow to many but the moves he has made for almost one and a half decades demonstrate his resoluteness to achieve this end.
He took the first step some 11 years ago by helping establish Emporium Shopping Complex in Phrom Pong, Bangkok. The luxury mall opened during the Asian financial crisis of 1997, now houses classic brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Hermes and Cartier and is a famous playground for local and international fashionistas.
“The opening of Emporium played a crucial role in generating awareness about luxury branded apparels among Thais. It also helped us to introduce Thailand as a shopping destination for high-end tourists,” Kriengsak said, calling them the “first important steps towards transforming the country into an international fashion hub”.
He then went on to organise fashion events, but on smaller scales. “The purpose again was to generate awareness as without educating people and making them fashionable we knew we would never be able to bring the idea to full fruition,” he said. In the meantime, he also helped open another luxury shopping complex, Siam Paragon, in Siam Square, Bangkok, now known as one of the best shopping complexes in Asia.
Then the turning point came when he and some other fashion enthusiasts were able to convince Thaksin Shinawatra’s government to convert their aim of establishing Thailand as an international fashion hub into a national policy in 2005.
A committee was formed under the Ministry of Industry and a fund of 1.8 billion baht ($57 million) was allocated for 11 priority projects ranging from training, education, road show to fashion events. Kriengsak was made the chairman of the project called Bangkok Fashion Week, which was entrusted with the task of organising fashion shows in Thailand.
“With the government’s backing we thought we would be able to reach our destination in shorter time,” Kriengsak said. But his dreams were shattered when the government withdrew its hand after organising two fashion events.
“For a moment I was taken aback but I was not ready to put a brake on my journey. And since I had set my foot on this voyage long before the government extended its support, I was confident in achieving what I had desired without their backing,” Kriengsak said.
Another reason that compelled Kriengsak to move ahead was the fear of losing credibility in the world market. “When we announce long-term projects, buyers and media expect that to take place at one time of the year and if we suddenly retract it would be hard to win their confidence and support next time,” he said.
Fearing this consequence, he has been organising Bangkok Fashion Week—now renamed to Bangkok International Fashion Week (BIFW)—through financial resources mobilised by his shopping complexes since then. BIFW, organised twice a year, has emerged as a mega fashion event which provides a platform for local designers to showcase their products.
For Kriengsak all these little achievements are another brick laid on his dream project of turning the country into a fashion hub. But there are some who consider his works as mere marketing gimmicks aimed at promoting his shopping complexes and expanding his influence in the Thai fashion market.
This may be true to some extent but at the same time the critics must acknowledge that his works are also creating a synergy in Thai fashion industry.
Taking the cue from his works many have now started organising fashion events or erecting new fashion complexes, which, in turn, are creating awareness about brands among people, generating market for fashion designers and fashion related goods, encouraging those in business to show enhance their quality, design and craftsmanship, and helping internationalise Thai fashion.
In addition, international fashion events like the World Fashion Showcase are motivating local fashion industry to develop their style, design concept and attitude to meet international high-end fashion standard.
These ultimately are strengthening the foundations of the country which aspires to turn itself into international fashion hub.
“The prospects are great for this country,” Guillanume Sauzin, managing director of Chanel (Thailand) said. “The local players are showing their passion for the cause and international brands are also expressing interest in organising more shows. This is what Thailand needs to turn itself into a fashion capital.”(Published in Asia News)
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