Among Thailand’s rising batch of young and talented fashion entrepreneurs is Thipvipa Kitakkaranon who last year officially launched L’Astelle, a brand specialising in meticulously hand-stitched bridal and evening gowns. Making a notable debut, the brand was unveiled to the world at a fashion show at the InterContinental Le Grand hotel in Paris. “It really was a dream come true,” smiles Thipvipa. “I mean, aside from being one of my favourite cities in the world, Paris is the city of love— the perfect match for my debut Love Sonnet collection.”
It is not uncommon for young girls to fall in love with fashion. For Thipvipa though it was always more than just flipping through magazines and playing dress-up. She had always felt a strong connection to the creative side of life. “My family owns a mass production denim factory,” she says. “Having often travelled with my mother to meet customers and suppliers overseas and admired her work throughout the years, I think my appreciation for fashion was natural.”
Founder of L’Astelle, Thipvipa Kitakkaranon wears a black silk bow off-shoulder dress while her muse Wendy Yu rocks a light pink chiffon embroidered gown
Set on the world of couture and pursuing her childhood dreams of becoming a designer, Thipvipa earned a bachelor’s degree from the London College of Fashion. It was there that the now 27-year-old was able to truly hone her ideas and learn to execute them in the most efficient manner. “I loved it because the school really championed individuality, allowing each student to carve out their own path,” she says.
While she learned a great deal from the family business and college, not least the intricacies of the fabrication process, Thipvipa followed that individual path to strike out on her own in the glamorous world of fashion, the only one of five siblings to do so. “It’s because I wanted to work in haute couture,” she says. “It requires scrupulous attention to detail and precision, which I believe are among my biggest strengths.”
Related: Behind The Scenes With February 2021 Cover Star Thipvipa Kitakkaranon
