We met with Banky at his little office in Chonburi. The office sits next to a large warehouse--Banky's family's wood factory. Step inside the 29-year-old's lair and it's like a teenager's dream hangout. A few friends are chiling and playing vinyls. There's a drum set in the middle. One wall is lined with original art from the late artist, Mamafaka, a beloved hero of Thailand's street art scene. The other has shelf upon shelf of helmets in bold colors. These helmets are so desirable that they are now ordered by customers from Bahrain to the UK, Italy, Spain and Indonesia.

 

"I love vintage stuff," says Banky. "I owned a vespa, I have friends who fix up old bikes. I was in a band, playing in pubs, and I just couldn't afford the helmets I really wanted, those classic Bell helmets from the 1970s."

 

Banky then went looking for someone to make his dream helmet and found one such factory in Bangkok. His first design, a full face helmet, is very much inspired by a Bell. Only it's new and it comes at a mere B4,500 for us lucky locals--or US$200 for deliveries abroad.

 

Then came a second helment, a tracker/scrambler style with a protruding jaw element and a bulbous visor. Both have Thai safety certification, but now Banky is working on a third helment, an open face style. "This one will get international DOT certification," he promises.

 

Elders helmets are available in four sizes: S, M, L, XL. Contact Banky on his facebook page or https://www.facebook.com/elders.helmet or instagram @eldershelmet