Artful experiment

Artful experiment

Thai-American designer Angelys Balek's new beachwear collection celebrates beauty of nature

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Artful experiment

Every collection is an art experimentation for Angelys Balek, whose ready-to-wear collection debuted at New York Fashion Week in 2012.

The Thai-American designer now focuses on luxury swimwear and beachwear, whose designs require understanding of female figures and working with stretch fabrics.

Through the AB Angelys Balek autumn/winter 2022 collection, she threw a garden party -- the garden referring to the one at her home in Phuket, where she's near nature and the Andaman Sea.

Solid colours and eye-catching prints characterise the Garden Party collection, which celebrates the beauty of nature, morning sunshine, and colours of birds and flowers.

The signature ruffle swimsuit is ablaze in Lipstick Red, the classic strapless swimsuit with removable long sleeves is in a red called Goji Berry, and the ruffle shoulder open back swimsuit comes in the green Sea Moss.

Matte and velvet fabrics give a luxurious look while comfortably snuggling the body.

Prints are based on sketches of various bird species, flowers and abstract art particularly those in oil and acrylic paints.

Mixing colours and merging lines through the collage technique also give striking patterns.

The new prints are featured, for instance, in a maxi long dress, a string bikini top with matching peplum high-waist brief, and a one-shoulder tank bra also paired with a high-waist brief.

Balek revisited Thai traditional costumes and employed draped garments such as sabai and tabengmarn for sexy silhouettes. A swimsuit has an open front, a bandeau and a detachable draped sabai over one shoulder while another design features an open front and a shoulder cross wrap that enhances the breast shape.

The brand also highlights craftsmanship involved in fashioning the new collection. Flower-inspired embroidery required the expertise of Italian artisans while haute-couture techniques are used in crafting crystal-embroidered swimsuits.

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