In his first collection, Moi Anan, embraces the elegance of Thai tradition and of formal occidental fashion. This young designer, who presents for the very first time during the Parisian Fashion Week, mixes references and gets inspiration from Thai « local » dresses, both royal costumes and working clothes. The collection consists more than thirty pieces, proposing a sophisticate universe where traditional fabrics are processed with new and unusual treatment.

What was the inspiration for your first collection?

M.A : It’s a reflection on traditional Thai dresses, both in its sophisticate and in its humblest style. Especially on the working clothes of the countryside, which are inspiration I have taken from where I come from.

The Thai society references during the Rama reign are very strong. Why?

M.A : It’s a dynasty that had a strong relationship with the European culture. A dynasty that began travelling and studying in Western Europe. So they brought to Thailand a European style of beauty and elegance in both construction and shape and they mixed it with the traditional Thai costumes. I like this fusion; I think it is very charming, elegant and unique. That’s why I love playing with these two aspects.

Silk is dominating fabric in your collection, but you disguise it with treatments that change the visual effect and touch?

M.A : It’s a material that I find interesting and I mainly use Jim Thompson. For the most I aim to transform the idea of silk and its perception in our culture. In Thailand the silk is a very precious fabric that people wear in a very strict and codified way, like the very steep tailors. I’m trying to find a less conventional way to use silk, that’s why I like to try different treatments. In this collection there are plenty of washed silk fabrics, with this process I can get an aged and shiny fabric. This type of silk has a nice aging process as well as a different and stiffer look.

How is does the structured manufacturing work?

M.A : We are a very small structure that keeps a family dimension. At the moment we are a team of four people besides my cousin and my mother. It’s truly «craft made». I’m trying as well to teach locals to keep a small and family structure. The embroidery techniques are the same used by my mother…

What is your vision of the woman?

M.A : I don’t like when it becomes too feminine and soft. I prefer the idea of a strong woman because I think that women have power and a strong character. That’s an idea that I want to highlight, because in our Thai cultural tradition women are delicate, but I have experienced the contrary…in my village the women were very strong. That’s the woman I want to show in my creations.

© Allesandra Fanari for Modemonline