We speak to Pipatchara Kaeojinda, co-founder of her eponymous label Pipatchara about her life, collections and collaboration with AiSPi.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
“My sister Jittrinee and I were born in an artist family,” says Pipatchara. “Back then we were taught to see aesthetics in everything around us and to appreciate all things we see. That is the basic fundamental part of design that we naturally adopted.”
“When we both grew up, I was immersed in art and design, and thought that it could be a part of living every single day. I decided to study fashion design, got an internship and worked with fashion houses. Working with professionals helped sharpen my perspective in design. Since then, I have found what I am in love with and have passion for.”
What is the story behind the brand?
“As I found my passion at fashion houses, I was working in ready-to-wear but there was something about leather that intrigued me more. I wanted to work with it. One day, my sister was back home from the workshop and she was holding a macramé handmade design in her hands. I thought–How fantastic would it be if we could have it and be able to use this crafting design every day! How would it be if people could carry such art in their everyday life? I was already passionate about leather, I knew I had to work on it with this craft. That’s the starting point of our brand Pipatchara.”
“Although Pipatchara is my name, the brand isn’t limited to me. The community we work with makes Pipatchara come alive. All macrame is due to the 100% craftsmanship from our community. My sister has a strong desire to support the local community. That’s why, on the very first day we started our own business, community has been the most important part of us. We ensure that you carry not just art, but our community sustainability as well.”
If you had to describe the brand aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
“I would sum it up like this:
Sustainability is our core business philosophy.
Simplicity is a part of the designs, you can carry a look for every occasion and it will last forever.
Empowerment is the motive behind the brand where we encourage you are to express your own aesthetic with our designs.”
Tell us a little about your design process.
“To sum it up briefly: We have brainstorming sessions to share what we like and select the most favourite designs–so if people asked me which one I like the most, I would say Pipatchara.
There needs to be a connection between the design and material. We always select and pick the best choice keeping the brand in mind. We create a variety of alternative options but our character remains in all the pieces. As macrame is completely reliant on artisans, the community makes them by hand and sends it to our team for enabling and finishing goods.”
What role do materials play in your designs?
“During brainstorming sessions, the materials help us see the concept and idea. It also sets the tonality of the design. If we designed first and then tried to source, it would be extremely tough. All material and textile are displayed and chosen one by one till it perfectly fits the designs we planned,” she says.
“All stages on our end are paid special attention to and crafted with details. Especially when we were working on the Infinitude collection, using plastic for upcycling, colour tone, stamp of design piece by piece for each style.”
Who is your ideal customer?
“Everyone!” exclaims Pipatchara. “Particularly people who appreciate art, design, and value in craftsmanship. Pipatchara aims to enable connection between living and arts. We hope our goods are able to elevate the customer’s lifestyle one way or another.”
What are some of your most treasured pieces from all the collections?
“It is our honour to get the chance to introduce ‘infinitude’. This collection is beyond any other that we have at the moment. More than the community we have been supporting, this collection is a call-out piece to invite world citizens to be a part of global sustainability by upcycling all daily use plastics into long-lasting art pieces.”
“This collection helps at all levels. Firstly, Infinitude helps enhance recycling perception. Secondly, it raises awareness about the issue. Thirdly, it remains within our community—as the community is a part of product enabling. Lastly, the more you carry it around, the more people you can inform about the importance of global sustainability.”
What does social and environmental sustainability mean to you?
“It means a lot to everyone. The fashion industry is making a big move to adjust and change to help the environment. From materials, production and awareness, the goal is to uplift the industry and keep driving new movements. For Pipatchara, we make it a part of our business model.”
Tell us about the connection between macramé and the brand.
“The connection simply happened once my sister carried macramé home from her workshop. I was suddenly mesmerised by its aesthetic!” Pipatchara tells us. Then my sister taught me how to do it and we started exploring the technique of our own to be more contemporary. Macrame is the tight knot for both of us as founders and the brand. It also serves as the bridge of community sustainability.
Tell us a little about your connection with Thailand and the community.
“Thailand is a place of unique arts and culture which reflects its traditional craftsmanship. The unique arts are in our slice of lives including traditional Thai cuisine, fabric patterns and more. This shows Thai wisdom in design and arts, along with life,” explains PIpatchara.
“We create contemporary macramé by what we naturally absorb from our background. With a strong desire to support our community, we started teaching them to explore the possibilities. When they practised and successfully created it as we trained, their craftsmenship came to life. It shows craftsmanship by the community that was brought out by hidden potential with the culture of Thailand.
Why is there a need to spotlight handmade products like Pipatchara’s?
“Pipatchara offers unique designs made with contemporary macrame, designed by Thai craftsmanship. We create alternative choices for customers from the usual designs, something that’s different and beautiful. Other designers may also aspire to create new products that help the community and environment.”
How do you continue to strive towards sustainability in your design process and use of materials?
“We experiment with product designs and materials. One such example is our collection Infinitude. The development process has taught us a lot, all of which we will use when working on our next sustainable collection. We look forward to creating more colour options by exploring other materials.”
How do you feel about launching in India?
“This is a first for the brand!” says the founder. “We’re extremely honoured and excited to see you all carry it in your own style. Pipatchara appreciates arts and culture—all of which is present in India. We look forward to seeing how the creative Indians carry our bags.”
How do you think the AiSPi customer can make your products a part of their life?
“When you think of AiSPi, we want people to think of Pipatchara. Similar to AiSPi’s goal, our brand is built on the philosophy of discovery and fashion. The truly stylish customer can create many looks with Pipatchara’s statement pieces. Hope you all enjoy life and enhance your lifestyle with us!”
What do you think of the AiSPi concept?
“Discover just how cool life can be with AiSPi! These days, we have so many channels to consume content, and a wide range of styles to adopt. But right here at AiSPi, it is like a shortcut way you can choose all selected statements to match yourself, your lifestyle, and any of your special occasions to express how you truly are.”
