THE TOYMAKER
You call the toys “CE”. What does that mean?
CE is an abbreviation which stands for Creative Enhancement.
Another name you use to refer to them is “platform toys”. What does that mean?
A platform toy is basically a blank toy that can be customised into something different. Most of the platform toys in the world are concerned only with the form of the toys, but Mafia Factory developed our CE Toys which are customisable in its form and “play” function, due to its interchangeable parts. This is why we have many styles and designs.
What gave you the idea to create toys like these in the first place?
We wanted to produce something different in the market among the other platform toys in the world. We want people to recognise us as as the only functional platform toy, developing something that was easy for artists to customise using their own creative imagination.
What’s the weirdest CE design you’ve seen so far? Who made it?
Two of the funniest CE Toy designs I’ve seen was FRIEZA and Kaiju. They were customised by Jeff Bazak, a Spanish artist.
What do you think about the designer toy scene in Thailand?
Nowadays, there are many Thai artists who also have designed their own toys. Street artist and graphic designer MAMAFAKA, who passed away in 2013, created his own CE when his career first started out. Some other artists such as Alex Face, Benzilla, October29 and Tikky Waw all have come up with cool toys which incorporate their well-known designs or characters. TABUN Studio, another toy designer, helps others in creating their own resin toys. We have quite a lot of events for Designer Toys in Thailand now. The amount of toy designers is growing year by year.
Where can we find CE?
We don’t sell them in any conventional toy stores. You can buy them in fashion brand shops, art and design stores and premium lifestyle product stores such as Happening Shop at BACC. For CEs that are done in collaboration with a partner, they’re always sold at the brand partners’ official or online store.
How did the collaboration with V EYEWEAR come about?
V Eyewear talked to us about the possibility of this project last year with the concept “Wear Your Independence”. They wanted to bring creativity to eyewear. This was our first time collaborating with an eyewear brand. The design is very simple yet unique and I believe creations like these are gaining popularity, making them a must-have item for collectors who appreciate fashion and design.
You’ve collaborated with many artists and brands. Who else would you like to collaborate with? Why?
Now we have a plan to make a big move. It won’t be a collaboration with just one artist. We want to collaborate with many cities and help develop new positioning content and merchandise for that particular city.