I love art, so I never dreamed of being anything but a designer. I studied fine arts in Australia where I really loved the whole approach to studying. I didn’t need to attend classes every day; I could sit in the studio and create art.

I became bored with my life in Australia, so I decided to study elsewhere. As I loved fashion, it was only natural that I applied to study at the Accademia Italiana in Florence.

I nearly packed my bags to go home on my first day in Italy. I couldn’t speak Italian and the people there didn’t speak English. All the classes were taught in Italian. I survived by using hand gestures.

I had a big crush on the UK since I regularly flew there to visit my friends on weekends. I liked that it was a city for young people, with lots of culture, shops, pubs and museums. After one year in Florence, I moved to London to study fashion at  St. Martins.

The best times of my life were I studying there. I loved their educational style. There were no classes. I studied fashion design for women’s wear and they just gave us open briefs and we had to submit our work two weeks later. It taught me to be responsible and manage my time.

The Thai education system spoon-feeds everything to students. This eliminates free thought and innovation.

I got a job with Hussein Chalayan, but it so happened that I was contacted by Khun Ford [ex-Elle Magazine editor and current Vogue Thailand editor Kullawit Laosuksri] to help out with the Thailand Young Designer Award in 2005. I chose Thailand because no matter how long I stayed abroad, I knew I would have to come back someday.

I launched my brand Vickteerut right after receiving plaudits at the Young Designer Award. But I had to close it down after just a couple of years.

It was entirely my own fault. I was too hung up on my ego and only wanted to sell clothes that represented my style, which was too conceptual to make money in Thailand. I didn’t put my full effort into it, either. I would open the shop for two days and close to hang out with friends for three days. I was  irresponsible.

To have a bright future you need to stand on your own two feet. I was living comfortably but I was just playing around while others my age were building their careers. I realized I could no longer live like this if I wanted to succeed.

Pinpoint your weaknesses before you set to work. I knew I would end up like I did before, so I asked my brother, sister and my friends to be my partners when I reopened my shop two years ago. Having them on board forces me to work harder.

I’m like a factory worker now. I wake up at 7am to start work at 9am and I eat lunch with my tailors in my factory. I never imagined that I would be like this.

I really love yoga. It helps me concentrate and keep my emotions in check. I used to explode with anger and bad-mouth my tailors when they made mistakes. Then I would feel guilty afterwards. Now I really love to chat with them. We enjoy working together which helps with productivity.

A lack of continuity is what keeps Bangkok from being a true fashion city. We have the potential but the government needs to show unwavering support for fashion. Blowing the budget on a single show doesn’t achieve anything. Just look at Comme des Garçons; the Japanese government continuously supported them to do shows abroad until they became the huge success they are now.

It’s hard to change Thailand’s notorious reputation for copyright infringement. My brand is also copied and all I can do is try to understand it. We are a country with a B300 minimum daily wage. It’s hard for everyone to afford brand name products, so people choose cheaper knock-offs.

My last collection caused controversy after it was discovered that it copied a Western designer [Portuguese fashion designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista]. It was my mistake. I let my assistants come up with a design and I didn’t check whether it was original or not. I sent an apology to him and my customers for this huge error. This is a big lesson for Thai designers.

I try to build my brand’s identity with every collection. I’m not afraid that foreign labels keep coming to town because I know customers really like what we stand for.

Build an individual style and stick with it. Don’t buy something just because it’s trendy. Trends don’t suit everybody. Only pay for clothes that make you look better.

If you do something and never get bored of it then that’s a career for life. I’ve already found mine.