Khun Sittichok and Khun Anont

Invariably, when visiting Sompor-Collection’s small but fascinating boutique in Chiang Mai’s Central Airport Plaza, designer Sittichok Pompuak will be arranging their rich, tribally-inspired clothes, while business partner Khun Anont will be ironing or sewing. Theirs is a working shop where creations often get final details in plain view, and with their ever-present smiles, we’re sure this emerging fashion team feels as though they’ve got the best job on the planet.

Like many of Thailand’s best designers, Khun Sittichok didn’t grow up with the idea of being a designer. He studied Asian history, and was particularly fascinated by tribal cultures. Soon, he began studying their clothing and how it was made, a concept not entirely foreign to him, since his mother was a tailor.

Sompor-Collection

Khun Sittichok began designing on a small scale, and brought photographs of his work into a Kodak shop for developing. Behind the counter was Khun Anont, who was impressed with Sittichok’s eye for quality and design. Soon, with Anont’s marketing and accounting expertise, and Sittichok’s designs, they were in business together. They now employ 20 people, and, with a responsibility to the welfare of the villages, try to employ older people and AIDS patients.

Sompor-Collection

Sompor-Collection’s clothing makes the most of traditional hilltribe designs, utilizing tribal colors, silk fabrics, and details. The clothes, however, are contemporary and dressy, with finely-crafted bronze buttons, beaded accents, elaborate silver breastplates and necklaces, and even the occasional traditional boar’s tusk worked into the design.

Their colors are a riot of deep blues, fiery maroons, and strong blacks, taken from the Lanna palette.

Every piece of clothing is unique, much of it is hand-sewn, and their customers are as much clothing collectors as wearers of fashion. They produce 1000 pieces of clothing a year, and can make any design to fit Westerners, in one week, for the rack price, unless they use more fabric, in which case the price will increase slightly.

“It’s important to touch the clothes,” notes Khun Anont. “Our elements come from Asian history, and we invite Westerners to visit us, and see up close how tribal elements can be utilized in contemporary fashion.”

Click here for the bold and elegant Sompor-Collection!

In Chiang Mai, Visit Khun Sittichok’s exceptional shop at:

Sompor Collection (NV-056), First Floor, Northern Village, Central Airport Plaza (corner of Maidol and Chiang Mai-Hod Roads), Chiang Mai, Thailand. Tel: (01)180-3041. Open 10:30 am – 9 pm.

In 2006, they’ll move to their new shop at:

Sompor Collection (B-27) JJ Market, Tesco/Lotus Kamtiang, 19 Talad Kamtiang, Paton, Chiang Mai. Map & directions at: http://tescolotus.net/company/store.asp