BANGKOK FABULOUS — Bangkok may be the birthplace of fashion designer Rudi Joti, but he never really called it home. The spunky 28-year-old spent most of his life overseas, studying at the University of Arts in London, then reaping internships at Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo, — so it seemed natural he would launch his career in the United Kingdom’s high-faluting fashion scene.
That’s when Joti shocked everyone by packing up his London apartment and shipping back to Thailand to start his own label. For Joti, it was simple — the burgeoning designer saw his creative juices bubbling here more than anywhere else.
“I saw an opportunity to start up my own label,” he said, “And I knew I had to jump on it. It was a now-or-never kind of moment.”
That’s how the label Rudimentary was born, now in its third collection of accessories and handbags for women. Joti’s known for his groovy prints — flowers and leopard spots and American flags — that translate flawlessly from the city to the beach. The fabrics are printed in plush and unusual colors, always classed-up with an ample trim of supple leather. The last collection “Americana” is where Joti really found his mojo — vintage-looking fabrics, with patriotic themes and fringes. The style is retro, but not in a trying-too-hard way.
All the material is sourced locally and it’s not unusual to find Joti running around town, fabric swatches in tow. It’s this workhorse ethic that’s turning heads in Thailand’s fashion industry, an ambition that was seasoned during the designer’s time as an intern.
“Lee (Alexander McQueen) was in and out of the studio sporadically, but on the occasions he came in it was such an inspiration to see the artist at work,” said Joti. “I used to sneak behind the partitions and watch him drape fabrics on mannequins and discuss about the samples with his design team. There was always a buzz around the studio whenever he was around.”
He spent the majority of his time working under creative director Sarah Burton, who now helms the luxury fashion house after McQueen’s death. Joti calls his other mentor, legendary shoe designer Jimmy Choo, “generous and kind.”
“Jimmy felt more like a teacher than a boss to me,” he said. “He’s so supportive of young talents, and he’s very willing to teach.”
Rudimentary recently opened its first stand-alone shop on the second floor of Siam Center. There’s also a concession stand on the main floor of Siam Paragon and an online store. Joti’s dream is to eventually hit the shelves of Selfridge’s in London or Barney’s in New York.
“I’m in this for the long haul,” he said. “Next year I want to start exhibiting at trade fairs both in Asia and Europe. Thailand is a good base market for the beginning, but I have my eyes set on overseas markets. Ultimately, I want Rudimentary to become an internationally recognized brand.”
Joti is one disciplined fella, spending countless hours in his Ekkamai studio and even hitting the gym everyday. Rudimentary’s logo is a teddy bear — a drawing by one of Joti’s friends said to be the likeness of the designer — but he looks nothing like that now.
Between this and that, somehow Joti still finds the time to collaborate. He designed accessories for the new menswear brand Leisure Project and also worked with long-time friend and fellow designer Kemissara for a collection debuting at Elle Fashion Week this month.
He says the hardest part of being a new designer has been discovering his own identity and “having the confidence to stick to it.” But as Joti finds out more about himself everyday, he’s still learning how to pick and choose what’s important.
“‘Simple luxury’ is kind of a mantra that I often refer to when I am working,” he said. “Sometimes things that may appear simple can actually be quite complicated to achieve and figuring out the solution to that problem is the kind of challenge that I love about my work.”
