Hunka Bunka Comes To BKK

We’re en route to becoming the region’s fashion hub (or so TAT tells us), and that’s why we need more fashion design training programs. Though there are already a fair number of fashion institutions (BIFA, Chanapatana, Raffles, Taxila and many courses available in universities), yet another option is brewing. Originating in Japan, Bunka Fashion Academy [pronounced “boon-ka”] (16/F, United Center Bldg., 323 Silom Rd., 02-235-8240. Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm. www.bunkafashion.com) might be new to Thais but this is where Kenzo and Yohji Yamamoto graduated—so expect those cutting edge styles. Both short (up to 30 hours) and full courses (two years) are available and are led by skilled professionals.

Live Creative, Do Creative

Creative Living magazine (B90) has just been launched, filling space in design/architecture/lifestyle shelves with their sleek contemporary pages. Compared to those big boys on the shelf, Creative Living is not as international as Wallpaper* but still younger than Baan Lae Suan. It has several pages about Steve Jobs of Apple and how creative thinking leads to success. Also, it has a huge travel section (that they claimed they did it themselves) and is collated thematically: The first issue was New York and the second was Paris. Let’s see what city they pick next…

Work Out in Style

Have you noticed the blue/purple neon lights on the ground floor of that very NYC-looking building at Asok junction? That’s the headquarters for a Singapore-based fitness operator’s newest branch in Bangkok. True Fitness (1/F, Exchange Tower, Asok, 02-02-663-4999) covers 6,000 sq.m of the “Batman building,” and is decked out in a funky, futuristic style with a wide range of classes every week. From yoga to aerobics to spinning and free weights, this fitness center will get you worked up in a sweat in no time at all, no matter how you like to do it. Equipped with 70 showers, 1,400 lockers as well as steam rooms, True also houses a café, a nursery for the kiddies and a retail store selling fitness apparel and accessories. Look out, California!

Old Leng, New Leng

A long-running vintage watch retailer has recently opened a new shop. The new Leng Watch (a.k.a. Leng Nalika; Petchaburi Rd., opp. First Hotel, 02-629-2997. Open daily 10am-7:45pm. www.lwg.co.th) offers a rich line-up of vintage watches for every collector, from rare Audemars Piquet or Patek Philippe to more popular Rolex models. You can also make trades here.