The Thai-American graduate from Parsons School of Design is by no means a new name in fashion. Born in Nakhon Phanom, he’s produced romantic and classic designs that have been praised internationally. Most recently, he paired up with American department chain Kohl’s to design their DesigNation Collection, using the city of London as his inspiration. The feminine limited edition collection will launch this fall on Sep 10 on Kohls.com.
Fans of TV talent shows or not, we were impressed by 17-year-old Anuthida “Anu”’s performance on the latest cycle of Germany’s Next Top Model, presented by former Victoria’s Secret Angel Heidi Klum. Born to a Thai family but raised in Germany, Anuthida was determined to make it to the top 20 of the show in the hope of going to the States to see her father, who’s moved to work there since his divorce. With her unique looks and humble personality, she made it all the way to the final round, claiming the runner-up title.
Nong Poonsukwattana is proof that hard work and perseverance pays off, after she took to the stage of TEDx Portland back in April. Experiencing hardship in her childhood, she moved to the US at the tender age of 23 in search of new job opportunities with only 300 dollars to her name. After spending a year working in a restaurant, she opened up a food truck that specializes in just one great item, khao mun gai (chicken rice). Nong’s Khao Man Gai is not only a successful business, but it now produces a bottled sauce that’s available for sale across local supermarkets in Oregon too.
Although our social entrepreneurship scene may still be young, our homegrown social enterprises have actually already been rocking the world stage, and Thailand is now considered a leader in this field. Most recently, the SocialGiver team, led by co-founder Aliza Alice Napartivaumnuay, represented Thailand at The Venture competition in San Francisco, presenting the idea of integrating lifestyle shopping with doing good through the use of spare business capacity, inspiring the rest of us that it is possible to bring positive change through sustainable means.
The contemporary choreographer is the founder of leading Thai dance company 18 Monkeys, who has long been adding color to the Thai cultural scene. Known for his contemporary work drawing on elements from khon and homoerotic literature, he’s been responsible for some of the most exciting productions over the years, from A Love Song, inspired by Jean Genet’s silent film Un Chant d’Amour back in 2011 to the La Fete 2015 production of Les Pecheurs de Perles, based on his interpretation of Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, which launched in June. Most recently, the famed choreographer was spotted on tour in Argentina, performing his latest show, “18 Monkeys,” in Buenos Aires this month in Theatro San Martin, following the story of Rama’s soldier, Kasorntamala, with music by Escalandrum. He's also got a lot in store for the Bangkok fans this November, with more performances lined up at Unfolding Kafka Festival.
Born in Buenos Aires, this conceptual artist and professor at Columbia University School of Arts is known for incorporating cooking and socializing into his installation work. Rirkrit has just launched his first commercial “kitchen” in a former garage in Hancock, New York in collaboration with Gavin Brown. Having just passed a health inspection in July, Uncle Brother is combination of a restaurant, exhibition venue and performance space that’s already being credited as an innovative, sustainable artistic community model.
The winner of the GFA Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition 2014 has been an inspiration for aspiring young talents in Thailand with his continuous success on the global stage. He remains the first and only Thai and Asian artist to receive the prestigious title. Starting off as a trumpet player, he turned to classical guitar in fourth grade. Through hard work, he entered the international music scene back in 2004, winning over 30 awards before landing the much-coveted prize in 2014.
This winter, he’s been invited to perform at the illustrious Carnegie Hall in New York, and you can be a part of the experience too. Sangsom presents Road to Carnegie Hall Inspired by Bird Ekachai invites Thai musicians aged 17 and above to take part in its Free Choice Music competition, using an instrument of their choice to perform a three-minute set. Video submission is now open, available at www.thesangsom.com/roadtocarnegie, through Sep 20. Ten selected acts will compete in the final round on Oct 9. Two winners will fly to New York for a 7-day, money-can’t-buy experience and see the Thai classic guitar soloist perform live. The runner-up will receive a B20,000 scholarship and the rest of the finalists will receive a B5,000 scholarship.
Find out more about the campaign at www.thesangsom.com/roadtocarnegie.
Brought to you by Sangsom, "With a strong passion for success, Thais are second to none in the world"
