CATWALK REVOLUTION
The pattern of Thai fashion development has closely followed that of the world at large,
Ahand-drawn illustration of a faceless, stick-thin figure wearing a straightforward, white halter-neck gown was once, supposedly, enough to conjure fantasies for the fashion crowd. This was about as far as fashion visuals went in the Bangkok Post half a century ago.
Whether they were pictures that accompanied a story or fashion advertisements, black and white illustrations were all readers had to aid their imaginations. Thankfully, these illustrations did become more detailed and attractive across the ages, and eventually, when technology finally permitted, began appearing in colour.
With the advancement that comes with the times, striking changes can be seen clearest in this industry: photographs of models completing the extinction of these charming illustrations, while advertisements flaunt more than a mere store name and sketch of a generic maxi-skirt.
Crude pictures of mannequins dressed up in the latest styles, in advertisements that look like they were made by cut and paste in Word documents, were a benchmark for some time, but then again, fashion ads never did pack the pages. Dating all the way back to the 50s, it was always the airlines that continuously made up the bulk of adverts in our paper.
Nevertheless, a glimpse into the old archives clearly shows the unlikely but close relationship that fashion houses and airlines had until the 70s. Large, glossy flagship stores of high-end European brands (Versace, Zegna) may only have reached our shores in the grunge age, but big names such as Balmain and Christian Dior have long been holding official fashion shows that date back to the 60s. Bringing with them their collections of haute couture, these brands would make their seasonal tour across the region, making stops in cities such as Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore, thus establishing carriers such as Air France as integral sponsors.
Fashion and high society were intertwined as a staple of the social pages, and it was mostly the elite who were present at these fashion shows, usually hosted in hotels. Alongside those society snapshots, the Bang
kok Post’s coverage of fashion has long catalogued the latest looks — the 60s saw solid columns where Western writers wrote about Western styles and how to wear them.
Never quite the authority on fashion, it wasn’t until the 80s, when the fashion stories took a more analytical turn, that our writers offered more insight on the stories and business of local fashion. After all, it was this decade that saw the birth of glossy fashion magazines and Bangkok’s brightest clothing brands (Soda, Greyhound, Flynow), plus the proliferation of ready-to-wear garments.
The 90s, meanwhile, marked the height of the fashion scene as a band of newcomers broke into the market, allowing fashion lovers a greater diversity in settling on their own sense of style. The decade saw an influx of international fashion retailers that opened their first stores in town, including Cerruti 1881, Escada and Joy Boutique.
After the turn of the millennium, a new wave of talents strode the runway, with many emerging successfully in the global market, while revered couturiers Kai, Tirapan, Pichitra and Nagara have made it throughout the decades and placed themselves proudly in the nation’s hall of fame.