Anyone in their right mind hates malls. Ok, there are some good bits, like the food courts, and the convenience of having bookshops, hairdressers and clothes shops all under one roof. Plus, there’s the air con. But on the whole they are samey and tedious.
However, Bangkok has a few slightly more exciting malls than most cities, including Terminal 21 (packed with tiny boutiques), Platinum (piled high with cheap clothes), Gateway Ekkamai (a Mecca of Japanese tat) and the newly reopened Siam Center.
For an off-beat fashionista (or one who simply can’t afford the luxe labels on offer next door at Siam Paragon), Siam Center is the one-stop destination for all your scary doll-print skirts, unicorn rings and plastic dresses. Now that the initial excitement of its re-opening has passed, we venture inside to scope out our new favourite stores.
Fly Now III
You’ll probably notice the shop’s animal-headed mannequins before you notice its clothes, but this large store is jam-packed with striking pieces. Aside from a few outfits that are far too frou frou, most of the collection is made up of surprisingly wearable girlie chiffon dresses, cool t-shirts (from around THB2,650) and scarves (from around THB2,650 as well). Unsettling dolls’ heads and tarot card prints feature heavily in the shop’s designs. And hey, why not? For a more affordable and low-key collection in the same vein, check out its sister store – Garden Fly Now III.
Fri 27 Nov
Toeing the line perfectly between “What the hell is that?” and “Oh my gosh, it’s fabulous” is Fri 27 Nov. Like most stores in Siam Center, it features some quirky pieces, such as gold-sequinned wrap skirts, jackets with satin prints and metal chokers with bead and sequin flowers, all of which have prices of around THB2,500. Most pieces, however, are classics with a twist. Looking for the perfect white short? Why not get one with colorful sequins sewn on in flower shapes? How about a whimsical and highly impractical dress? If you’re hell-bent on the latter, check out Fri 27 Nov’s entirely sheer pink dress, which will have you wracking your brains as to how best to wear it out in public.
Wonder Anatomie
If you love the likes of Christopher Kane and Manish Arora, Wonder Anatomie may just have you drooling. A steady stream of passersby can be seen snapping pics of the shop’s incredible window display, which is equal parts boutique and art gallery. The shop’s pieces are colorful, highly structured and not for the fashionably faint-of-heart. The current collection employs thick plastic sheets as a fabric, to incredible effect. While you might not imagine yourself wearing these pieces, they are certainly well worth a look. Wonder Anatomie regularly displays some of Thailand’s most exciting fashion design.
da+pp
If Dapper is a little bit out of your price range, take a wander upstairs and look at its sister store – da+pp. It’s younger, slightly more casual and a little more affordable, with Mulberry-style handbags, cotton dresses starting from around THB1,290 and retro sunglasses for THB590. Aimed at the Topshop crowd, the stores items are cute, current and easy to wear.
