How Sretsis Animated Their Winter Wear Collection With A Show On Ice

Back in November 2020, leading Thai fashion label Sretsis held what was perhaps their most ambitious and memorable runway show to date. Upon receiving the invitation to the show, at least two things would have hinted that something exciting and different was about to go down, even for a brand as playful as Sretsis.

First, the venue.

Rather than a familiar address, like Central Embassy or the Mandarin Oriental, we were obliged to trust our Google Maps to guide us to a very unassuming co-op building next to Major Ekamai.

Secondly, as guests, we were instructed specifically not to wear stilettos, as the ground beneath us would be made of frozen water. 

If you haven’t guessed it already, the runway show for Sretsis’ Fall-Winter 2020 collection, The Dreamers, took place at an ice skating rink, but that is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg of why the show was so unforgettable. If you’ve ever been to Sub-Zero Ice Skate Club Sukhumvit, the venue of the fashion show, you wouldn’t have recognised it on November the 5th. The indoor rink was made to look like an outdoor frozen lake with a surrounding backdrop of blue skies clouds. Extending the illusion—nay, dream—of being outside on a clear winter’s day, gigantic, three-dimensional puffs of cotton were suspended overhead. The most awe-inspiring parts, however, happened when the lights dimmed and the show began. An angel sitting on a glittering crescent moon slowly descended over the ice, serenading the audience in her crystal-clear voice, Doris Day’s Dream a Little Dream of Me.

Actress-singer Ally Nitibhon descends over the ice on a silver crescent moon

That angel was 16-year-old pop sensation Achiraya “Ally” Nitibhon, the niece of Sretsis art director Jeremy Angsuvarnsiri, who was responsible for making the Sukhahuta sisters’ vision for The Dreamers’ show a reality. 

“It was Matina [Sukhahuta] who suggested we do a show on the ice,” explains Jeremy. “Since the pandemic, travel has been a bit of a struggle, and to give everyone a little escape, what better idea than to have a bit of cool breeze at the ice skate rink!”

But as audience, we didn’t just get a cool breeze. We were swept off our feet by the gliding and twirling of models in skates to ethereal music. Employing both real figure skaters as well as professional runway models who could skate, Sretsis creative director Pimdao Sukhahuta tells us about the importance of movement in showcasing this collection of skiwear, a first for the brand.

Athleisure has become a part of the modern wardrobe. Sretsis has included some sports items in past winter seasons, such as PJ flight pants and sweatshirts, but this time we wanted to take it to the next level with a ski holiday in mind, a destination that resonates with our customers and the luxury fashion market. We thought it would be a breath of fresh air to see some professionally-made skiwear with a Sretsis spin, that comes with function as well as design.