THE WHIFF OF sophistication
Jewellery has never been about function, but with Sarran’s latest collection of flower-centric necklaces, earrings and bracelets, there is an interchangeable function that was never there before: customers can now customise the fragrance each piece will give off. The eponymous designer, Sarran Youkongdee, brings his brand to new ground this season — something his collection clearly embodies with its name “Ja-rern”, which means prosper or progress in Thai.
That is, after all, what the designer hopes to spread with his new collection, which was inspired by a ja-rern tray — a beautiful piece of antique porcelain made during the reign of Rama V that he had inherited from his grandmother. There are Western flowers and the actual word ja-rern on the antique porcelain, but Sarran’s collection manifests that luck on the olfactory level by blending three fragrances for his customers to choose from.
“When we interpreted the word ja-rern, it was not about material possessions, but that of mind, body and speech that make our life progress,” the 35-year-old designer explains. “We then made these words into three different fragrances that will help you feel ready to take on the day. We use scenting techniques from the past — the way people did to sabai cloths or flowers — so your jewellery will retain its smell for up to six months.”
Fabric felt is one of the main materials used to create Sarran’s flower parts. Made from compressed leftover bits of fabric, one of its shining qualities is how it is
JEWELLERY THAT NOT ONLY LOOKS GOOD BUT GIVES OFF AN APPEALING FRAGRANCE TOO
lightweight, waterproof and able to absorb smells. Depending on the fragrance one chooses, the scent goes beyond a pleasant whiff and was carefully designed to touch on a deeper, emotional level.
“For Body, we created a scent that gives you energy,” says Sarran. “It should make you want to wake up and feel fresh all the time. For Speech, I see this as a very crucial factor because it’s a first impression that decides whether people will love or hate you. Some people are hated just because of a few words they utter, so when speaking, we need to be conscious always. We went with heavy smells from pine and cedar to remind you to be conscious of the things you are saying. For Mind, we used a blend of Western and Thai flowers to give you a sense of stillness and peace, because I feel that a mind that can progress is a mind that is at peace.”
“Last year was a year of mourning, sadness and hopelessness,” he adds. “This year, we hope to create a sign that things are going to change for Thai people.”
This explains the brighter-hued turn his collection is taking, as it embraces colours like pink and green for the very first time, after a long run in darker shades like purple and black in the previous collections. Precious stones, such as rubies and jade, are also part of the ensemble, not only to add a new variety and depth to his pieces, but to elevate the brand to heirloom-worthy objects.
Not that Sarran’s jewellery pieces only have a place at fancy events. His customers in Paris, where the brand was first born five years ago, are seen to wear his necklaces with casual tees, jeans and flats.
“There is no restriction where you have to dress up posh for my jewellery because I feel that jewellery is for fulfilling positive energy for women,” the designer says. “If you’re having a bad day or are feeling sad, putting on a piece of jewellery can help with that. My jewellery wants women to recognise their tenderness and to live a life that doesn’t have to be in the fast lane all the time. We don’t always have to be in a hurry — we just need to understand ourselves so we know what we want.”
The slow life that Sarran encourages stems from the romantic past that his brand draws most of its inspiration from. He appreciates handiwork and craftsmanship because he grew up in a household “just like in a Thai period lakorn”, with a mother and grandmother who were always seen baking sweets or grating coconuts. Yet, it is mainly women that have pushed this interior designer to also take up jewellery-designing.
“My family was not particularly loving and my mum had to fight hard all her life,” he recalls. “I am impressed by a woman’s strength and I’m sure it’s not just my mother — there are tonnes of Thai women out there who are strong. I have faith in that and wanted to communicate those things.”
Coupled with his experiences of travelling with Thai female friends who always had immigration trouble abroad, simply because they were tanned and had curly hair, Sarran has worked to bring a lesserseen side of Thai women into the spotlight.
“They assume that my friend would be there to do bad things, but she was an award-winning designer of the year,” he frustratedly laments. “I wanted to communicate things about Thai people that people don’t really know — that women are not just easy and fun-loving, but that they are extremely elegant and refined. It can be seen within Thai women across different eras and how flowers were crafted back in the day embodies that.”
For Sarran, it is hardly difficult to fashion antiquity into something contemporary for modern-day fashion. The trend may be shifting conveniently his way, but for the designer, there is always a strong footing in looking back.
“Things that I am surrounded by remind me to not forget who I am and where I have come from. It makes me live with the past and to embrace your past lets you step to the future confidently because you know what your foundations are. If you take a closer look, modern people are running back towards ancient herbs and ingredients that people from the past have used to heal themselves.
“Even the lifestyles of women, from dawn to dusk, incorporate some sort of old-fashioned practice, be it the order of eating certain foods first or to add herbs to your water. People are pining for longevity from the past.”