An A-Z of key events, movements and happenings in 2012 for Thailand and the world.
A A-list & Alfred Dunhill
After indulging all shoe fetishes with glamorous footwear in the name of Jimmy Choo for years, A-List Corp, the parent company of Disaya and distributor of Jimmy Choo, finally turns to the menswear market. Sticking to the credos of championing brands with heritage and character, they look to British men's luxury house Alfred Dunhill. From its first counter at Central Chidlom last year, Dunhill emerges in 2012 with a new store at Emporium for the gentleman who cares more about style and premium quality than fleeting trends.
B Balenciaga's change of heart
In a year when both Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent have welcomed new designers, fashion people thought all was right with the world, until the November chill brought news of the Parisian house Balenciaga's split with long-time creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere. As Alexander Wang replaced the experimental Parisian, we still keep fingers crossed as to what lies ahead for the talented Mr Ghesquiere.
C Celebrities and stars
Celebrities and stars rule fashion business in Thailand. They are fixtures at all fashion events during which they glide on the red carpet in creations by their designers of choice. They even change clothes during fashion events to make sure they have pleased all host labels. Designers' favourite stars include Chermarn Boonyasak, Araya Hargate, Cris Horwang, Apitsada "Ice" Kruakongka and Jarinporn Joonkiat.
Celebrities also become designers and they have a way of building their brand through the use of their celebrity friends as presenters. We are waiting for the day they blossom into a full-blown designers that survive by a strong business system, instead of a familiar last name, connections, and bottomless back-up cash.
D Designers' collaborations
Forget the ubiquitous collaborations between high street brands and stars or renowned designers, the Thai fashion market has welcomed collaborations that induced intense massive sales as international partnerships. BOYY 4 CPS got shoppers queuing excitedly while Kloset's collaboration with PS Material, a fashion line by blogger Chavaporn Laohapongchana, had tails wagging on both sides. Sadly, what was expected to be the most exciting collaboration - Jaspal and the New York-based Thai designer Nuj Novakhett - turns out to be a notorious copycat case after Nuj Novakhett was accused of plagiarising Cushnie Et Ochs.
E Elle Fashion Week goes mass
The sudden change of management behind Post International Media cast doubts over fashionistas' favourite annual style extravaganza. Fortunately, Elle Fashion Week emerged this year as a less exclusive and more accessible fashion banquet for all. Behind-the-scenes video Under The White Roof: The Making Of Elle Fashion Week revealed what had long been hidden backstage, while pop-up stores inside CentralWorld allowed fans to shop right after the show for the first time.
F Fendi Baguette's 15th year anniversary
How time flies! It feels like just yesterday when Sex And The City's Carrie Bradshaw strutted down a New York City street snuggling a Fendi Baguette close to her body. Now, this contemporary "It" bag is 15 years old. Fendi staged events throughout the year to celebrate the occasion, including a pop-up store and window display dubbed "Baguettemania", which culminated in the launch of the bulky volume, Fendi Baguette.
G Goodbye Siam Square
No, Thailand's one and only true shopping street isn't gone yet, but the doubt over its future existence was one of the biggest headlines this year. The predicament of the country losing independent cinemas such as Lido spurred debates and arguments, while designers and tenants voiced concerns over plans to eliminate the shopping street and replace it with a shopping mall. While several still have time to decide, some of Siam Square's long-standing magnets such as It's Happened To Be A Closet have already relocated to Siam Paragon.
H H&M in Thailand
It's the last piece of the high street jigsaw puzzle and the most highly-anticipated arrival of the year. The Swedish retail giant's arrival shook the structural floor plan of Siam Paragon - a few luxury automobile showrooms had to make way for H&M's duplex store. The opening was the talk of the town, with the most stellar social personalities, A-list showbiz stars and magazine editors lining up at the tills with baskets full of clothes.
I Instagram
Forget the lengthy features and the 140-character catchphrase of Twitter, 2012 is the year of Instagram, and it's not about the US$1 billion for which Facebook acquired it. Instagram has become a compulsory digital marketing tool for brands and fashion glossies alike, and is the catalyst for celebrity endorsements as brands send clothes for their luminary clientele to wear in Instagram posts. And indeed, it works wonders.
J Jil Sander is back home at Jil Sander
She is the one and only designer once feared by one of the most respected fashion critics, Suzy Menkes. The queen of minimalism Jil Sander is now back at the eponymous fashion house she founded. Her collections for both menswear and womenswear showed no signs of someone who's been out of the game for so many years. Sander's purist aesthetic reigns supreme, and it's rendered with perfection in both proportions and tailoring.
But most of all, it's heart-warming to welcome the comeback queen, especially in this age when female designers are taking up a bigger market share.
K Kids
On an international level, we have seen supermodels become mothers. Givenchy's muse Mariacarla Boscono posed with her baby daughter for the coming Givenchy spring/summer 2013 campaign. Julia Restoin Roitfeld made former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld a grandmother with her first child, Romy Nicole, as model Gisele Bundchen confirmed she was expecting her second child.
In Bangkok, Central Chidlom's brainchild Luxe Kids - the luxury children's wear zone housing brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Armani Kids - has become a haven for all stylish youngsters in town, while Siam Paragon's second edition of Kids International Fashion Week saw participation from leading local designers, such as Kloset and Tube Gallery, who tried their hands at kids' apparel.
L Louis Vuitton's first new store in 10 years
It's been a decade since the French luxury powerhouse opened its last store in Bangkok, and this explains why the new Louis Vuitton boutique at Siam Paragon deserves the accolade of opening of the year. The opening welcomed Thailand's most prominent socialites, while the exclusive dinner in a special set-up inside the shopping mall was comprised of a specially-designed menu that mixed flavour with spectacular culinary execution. The boutique was also the only one in Thailand that offered the special collaboration collection between Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusuma.
M Magazines
The second half of 2012 saw international glossy titles making their move onto the racks. New titles include Numero and Nylon, while the year also marked the beginning of production for titles to be launched next year, such as Vogue and the digital version of Dazed & Confused, Dazed Digital.
N No.5
It generated a huge impact, although you can't say it's all been positive, as Brad Pitt became the first male face of Chanel's most celebrated perfume, No.5. His lovelorn monologue to the perfume prompted numerous spoofs on YouTube.
O Olympic style
The Olympics have always been a sporting banquet for designers to flex their patriotic muscles. Ralph Lauren designed the uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies for the US team, while Stella McCartney made a big step ahead of other designers in creating the competition kits for Team GB.
In addition, the closing ceremony featured a celebration of British culture, in which fashion was included in a section where Britain's's most famous supermodels - Stella Tennant, Lily Cole, Karen Elson, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Donaldson, Georgia May Jagger and David Gandy - walked in clothes by British designers.
Although this part of the ceremony probably failed to make an impression on those not into fashion, it was championed by those who understand that fashion is like sport - it's culture you can sell.
P Prada
Prada was featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - in "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" - which explored the work of two Italian female designers, Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. Next up, the brand's autumn/winter 2012 runway show made fashion-week headlines thanks to star-studded appearances by Hollywood veterans such as Gary Oldman, Willem Dafoe and Adrien Brody.
Q Queuing
Krispy Kreme and iPhone started it. Now, queuing has become part of openings and launches of all things deemed "big". Last year, Uniqlo boasted the biggest queue for its opening and now, H&M and its lines for designers' collaborations has hit Bangkok. At H&M, stars and mere mortals queued to be the first to buy Anna Dello Russo's accessories collection, while the wait for the Maison Martin Margiela collaboration ended in a physical fight over the few remaining Candy clutches.
Queuing isn't about food and mass retailers alone. We'd have to say that finally, Thailand has moved to the same level as Hong Kong, where you're made to queue to get into luxury stores during crowded times. Just check out Louis Vuitton!
R Renovation
Who said the economy was bad? It doesn't seem so, at least if you judge from a retail perspective. With new openings such as Megabangna and Thanya Shopping Park, as well those those slated to open next year such as Central Embassy - the existing malls can't become complacent in the fast-moving retail business.
Siam Paragon renovated the entire women's clothing floor, along with the opening of H&M's new premises. The newly renovated space includes Uniqlo and the much-loved It's Happened To Be A Closet. The renovations will continue until next year, which will see the arrival of a few more international luxury powerhouses.
Siam Centre also went for massive, head-to-toe renovation for several months and the once Mecca of local fashion will reopen in January under a new concept.
S Stella McCartney
For the past few years, the famous Beatle daughter has let her former assistant/friend shine. Phoebe Philo's return to fashion with Celine brought such immense impact that she's regarded as one of the strongest female designers alongside Miuccia Prada and probably Jil Sander.
Stella McCartney, however, pushes to be on the same radar this year with collections that never cease to evolve, with a strong contrast between feminine curves and masculine tailoring, plus a rebellious take on prints and a penchant for sportswear. The Designer Brand and Designer of the Year awards she received during the British Fashion Awards, as well as her being chosen to design the Great Britain's Olympic kit say much about how she's the true designer of the year. The designer also boasts her new stand-alone store at Erawan Bangkok this year, too.
T TV loves designers
It's a good sign, perhaps, that designers have become presenters appearing in mass media. Whether it's Disaya Sorakraikitikul driving a Toyota Prius, or Milin Yuvacharuskul swiping a Galaxy Note 10.1, these commercials are proof that designers are gaining so much significance in popular culture that they can inspire television audiences.
U Uncensored's The Last Winter show
It's been a while since we witnessed a show by any multi-brand store after Code 10 decided not to stage any showcases during the past two seasons. This year, the multi-brand store at CentralWorld Uncensored stepped out with a huge show at Studio 61, delighting fashionistas with the latest collections from niche Scandinavian brands that matter only to the fashion die-hards.
V Verbal battle
Usually, the period after Paris Fashion Week is a time for recovery - when all members of the press and designers rest in peace after some long, hard work. This year, however, we had a verbal lash-out between new YSL designer Hedi Slimane and New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn, when Slimane, unhappy with the negative report of his show by Horyn (who was banned from proceedings), retaliated by questioning Horyn's bias for Christian Dior's Raf Simons and her prejudice against him.
W Wisharawish Akarasantisook
The young designer made a name for the country when he was named winner of the much-coveted, 12 million baht Mango Fashion Awards 2012 with his 10-piece Reincarnation collection. His winning work explores the theme of shapeshifting forms and the remnants of character and identity as one's essence moves to a new form, like a soul inhabiting a new body after reincarnation.
X Xth anniversary
It's been a year when the fashion crowd were treated to bash after bash in celebration of 10th anniversaries. Sretsis threw a fashion show at Aksra Theatre with an awe-inspiring shifting stage and the latest collection that more or less revealed the new direction of the brand. Stretsis' insistence on breaking its own creative limits for a surprise element in each and every collection, as well as its international conquests, have always done us proud.
Next up is Kloset, whose 10th anniversary party at S31 Sukhumvit Hotel was dubbed the "Party of the Year" by all the hard-to-please fashionistas.
Y Yves Saint Laurent
Not the brand, but the man and his first name, which has been the subject of much debate. With new creative director Hedi Slimane opting to drop "Yves" from the ready-to-wear collection, fans cried in disapproval, while many stopped whining and began to save up to buy all the "Y" logo products they were sure Slimane would not carry on making.
Also, fans will soon get to see two new biopics of Yves Saint Laurent with French actor Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising) playing the revolutionary designer in one. While the first is directed by Palm d'Or-nominated Bertrand Bonello, the second, which will be directed by Jalil Lespert, has won approval from the late designer's long-time partner, Pierre Berge.
Z Zegna loves Stefano Pilati
The former Yves Saint Laurent designer wasn't out of work for long. After showcasing his final autumn/winter 2012 collection back in March, Pilati has kept a relatively low profile and not much was revealed about his future until September, when he was named head of design at Italian menswear giant Ermenegildo Zegna, and creative director of the womenswear line Agnona.
