Our country's parks, museums and libraries are in a sorry state, but at least we get our malls right. Imagine if our malls were complete rubbish as well! At least the ones made by Siam Piwat aren't and their latest unveiling of Siam Discovery, 4 billion baht of renovations later, is a spectacular splash of cubic and futuristic interiors, with a wide, modern space that is quite unlike what other places offer. Literally a retail wonderland with a brightly-lit ambience that no longer skimps on the wattage, the dazzling, digital vibes this mall gives off now cements itself as a marvel to be gaped at by even the most sophisticated shoppers from around the world. It's only the fact that there isn't a toilet on every single floor that's keeping us from giving this new revamp full points.
The biggest change (perhaps a quibble for some) is in the fact that most of the separate stores are now gone, which results in whole floors turning into a huge-ass void of a department store. They're called "labs" and are categorised by lifestyle and interests rather than by brands -- there are the obvious floors of menswear, womenswear, digital gadgets, streetwear, designer home furnishings and the "fun" floor which houses all the books and hobby thingamajigs.
This is a maddening concept for yours truly, because walking through these labs pretty much means getting bombarded by all of their glimmering bounty on platforms that surround you from every angle. It has never been easier to get seduced by a top from another brand just a step away, which can prove to be dangerous when you've already set your mind on something particular. The endless amount of stuff to browse through can easily render you indecisive, so beware of wavering on your choices at the new Discovery. Factor in some time too to get distracted by their stunning crystal chandelier that belongs more in a swank period series than a mall.
Discovery has always been described as the younger Siam Paragon, where the young urbanites and younger rich crowd do their shopping -- so it's only fitting that cutting-edge names, like Yohji Yamamoto, pack the space. The most avant-garde of designers are available, as well as the hottest names from other Asian shores: the best of Tokyo Fashion Week now has a staple home in the labs. Club 21 too has unleashed another empire here, which consists of not only the World of Issey Miyake and a large Comme des Garcons store, but an impressive selection of brands also dot the labs. There is much serious shopping to be done here, while dining is secondary. Cafés and juice bars embedded within the labs means a more open-space eating area with people walking by able to crane their necks to see what you're eating. But if you dig the communal vibes and crave to be spotted while having your coffee, then you'll like these undivided eating areas.
For the first time in 18 years, it feels like Siam Discovery is finally embodying its name and becoming a bright, young location with a dazzling retail wonderland that is worth discovering, even if you couldn't care less about shopping. For some time, bits and bobs of the mall would get patched up with some futuristic abstractions, resulting in some parts of the mall looking dandy -- only to make the rest of the mall that didn't get an upgrade looking noticeably dingy. It's been a long wait with the renovation that's taken a whole year, but the full-blown facelift leaves no dark corners makeover-free. Even waiting for the elevator at the hidden hallways can be an event, as you can take the seconds of waiting to gush over the gorgeous golden wall that surrounds it. They definitely know Thai customers well -- that we're a bunch of hysterical shutterbugs -- and the dressing rooms they've concocted on the women's floor is a bricky palace of mirrors, at the same time dizzying as it is exhilarating.
Not that those are the only spots worth snapping. One of the other best corners in the mall is the co-working space on the fourth floor, where you (shriek!) don't actually have to buy anything to lounge around on their inviting sofas/bean bags/floor/benches/bars/desks. A large wooden staircase which not only connects the third to the fourth floor also serves as a great light-splashed deck for people-watching or for shoppers to catch their breath. Props to the mall for finally creating a substantial and expansive spot for us forced-to-wait-at-a-mall folk to linger around in.
Newbies now officially open inside Discovery
ISSEY MIYAKE
Thais swarm over these Japanese goodies like locusts targeting a crop, so it's no surprise that a massive duplex that houses every single brand by Issey Miyake has chosen Bangkok as their mecca of retail. Located on the G and M floor, the spacious interiors have been designed to make all clothing look like it's floating on air. Browse through the complete clothing line for both men and women, as well as the collection of Bao Bao bags. What's totally worth checking out is me ISSEY MIYAKE, the more relaxed brand that makes one-size-fits-all casual pieces. Lightweight and easy to care for, since you can just throw them into the washer unlike other Issey numbers, they're comfortable to wear and convenient for travelling. But if you need a bit more avant-garde oomph, 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE offers a line of origami-like shirts, skirts and dresses that have 3D folds, but lie paper-thin and flat when folded on the table.
Hackett
Founded in 1979, this Brit menswear brand first started out selling second-hand traditional British men's clothing before eventually manufacturing brand new duds in the mid-80s due to immense popularity. You can expect to find a substantial selection of sartorial suits and propah formal wear, but what the brand is also strong in, is in fact, their offering of sportswear. As Hackett is the sponsor for various sporting events and sports teams, from polo, rugby, boat racing to the Aston Martin Racing team, you can look posh while sporting — although the HKT Sport Performance range also offers pieces for less attention-seeking activities like running.
The women's dressing room.
The men's lab.