Multi-label retailers have been popular for a long time in progressive urban cultures such as Los Angeles, Melbourne and Tokyo, so where has Bangkok been? Obsessing over high-rise luxury malls housing tonnes and tonnes of single-label shops. But at last, it seems we are evolving, refining our tastes to prefer low-key, even local splendours. We're also becoming lazier. Wouldn't we all rather visit one cool little store that conveniently brings together the best items from the best labels? You know that's the truth, so here are the one-stop shops in Bangkok you need to know about.
Statement
141 Thong Lor Soi 11
Brand count: 47
Shopping at Statement is a therapeutic experience, and that's not just because there's a cafe and gin bar inside. Everything in this spacious multi-label, multi-category standalone outlet seems so thoughtfully selected and placed. The store even smells good, courtesy of the Ma Chandelle home fragrances being sold. From lipsticks and leather oxfords to teas and granola, all products are the work of Thai designers. The three young fashionistas who own Statement are adamant about supporting local imaginations and craftsmanship, recently taking their mission up a notch by collaborating with the store's carried designers to create limited-edition products and monthly workshops. Although on the high end of the multi-label stores we visited, we found no fault in product quality and also noticed that some items like editorial swimwear and elegant dresses are priced more than fairly.
Highlights: Mercer clutches, Yolo shades, a variety of affordable luxury swimwear, refreshments while shopping and, of course, that pleasant soft vanilla store aroma.
Check out: http://fb.com/statementofficialbkk, IG: @statementofficial.
SOS
Thong Lor Soi 16
Brand count: 50
If you're still (shamelessly) a regular strutter in the Siam Square scene, chances are you're already familiar with the metallic, embossed letters of SOS above a bustling women's fashion outlet. SOS, which stands for "Sense of Style", has recently expanded its multi-label chain to Sukhumvit, securing a coveted spot on Soi Thong Lor, near the mouth of Soi 16. The interior of the store, much like its two Siam branches, is marked by white luminescence and that trending theme of faux marble. The main change-up for the Thong Lor outlet, however, is the sale of international high-end labels, mostly in the form of handbags. Nevertheless, many of your favourite affordable brands, such as Chou Shoes, Suda and Minx, remain. Overall, the products you'll find at SOS won't break the bank, but whether or not the shop is the fashion source for you can be determined by your reaction to this: The fashion on offer here is major reflection of what's mainstream for Bangkok's urban young women.
Highlights: Easy-to-wear pieces for office and outings. (Sorry guys, women only.)
Check out: http://fb.com/sos.senseofstyleshop, IG: @sos.senseofstyle.
Gin and Milk
3/F, Siam Center
Brand count: 25
This is an absolute gem of a micro menswear outlet. Gin and Milk provides relative exclusivity for a multi-label store in Siam Center and offers everything a fashionable man needs. From bow ties, hair wax and customisable suits to hoodies, tees and ripped jeans, the spectrum is as wide as that between liquor and lactose. All labels are Thai, even if they're called London Brown or SSAP NYC (which, FYI, is a menswear brand conceived in New York by a female Thai designer). We know by now that Thai brands, especially those sold in a place like Siam Center, don't spell cheap anymore. But the distinction from mass-production quality is so clear that if you're smitten with something, you'll be screaming, "Take my money!"
Highlights: Suit accessories and the Leisure Project Store x Ando Kuroshiba charity collaboration.
Check out: http://fb.com/ginandmilkstore, IG: @ginandmilkstore.
The Wonder Room
3/F, Siam Center
Brand count: 20
The first thing we asked when we walked into The Wonder Room was, "Has Lady Gaga ever shopped here?" No, seriously. Though one of the smallest of our listed contenders, this couture multi-label womenswear boutique packs a punch. Beyond an apparent affinity for things that glitter, sparkle and shine, the shop is currently featuring a lot of pop art-attributing accessories, as well as texture-intense clothing, all from Thai designers. Thus, confidence and fashion-fowardness are non-negotiable prerequisites for customers. And just as it appears, the cost of such fabulosity is fierce.
Highlights: Bejeweled Mickey Mouse ears headband by Revival. Please, we want to see someone pull this off.
Check out: http://fb.com/thewonderroomstore, IG: @the_wonder_room.
American Rag Cie
1/F, Groove, CentralWorld
Brand count: 50
If you've ever been accused of being "so L.A." and a hipster, you'll feel right at home in American Rag Cie. What sets this multi-label retailer apart from the others is that, as a franchise from the US, it only carries American brands and those that haven't exactly broken into the mainstream but still maintain a dedicated following. Heck, even the in-store music is a strain of American hip hop foreign to our radio stations. Here you'll find the mainstays of so-called California fashion — Vans, Obey, designer Hawaiian shirts and army jackets — as well as random wants such as vino gadgets, ashtrays and clever postcards. But be warned — prices for basic wear and clothes that look old despite being new are plush. Homies up for expensive Americana?
Highlights: Limited-edition Apolis x American Rag Cie market bag, plain sneakers and backpacks.
Check out: http://fb.com/americanragbkk, IG:@americanrag_bkk.
Fablab
2/F, Zone B, CentralWorld
Brand count: 41
Similar to SOS, Fablab caters Thai labels to the stylish working woman whose idea of everyday clothes is what some of us shlumpadinkas — I dare you to Google that — would honestly consider wearing to a wedding. That said, pieces you'll find in Fablab's dream walk-in closet are guaranteed to look polished and trendy, yet versatile enough to ease the mathematics of mixing and matching across brands. You can expect the same affordable prices as can be found at SOS, since many of the brands are reoccurring. However, Fablab does have a definite edge over its competitor in the jewellery department. As a plus, if you're into Thai celebdom, VJ Woonsen's Jewel Addict brand is housed here.
Highlights: Accessories, notably Shannta's bird-themed trinkets and Lisa Jira's pearly
collection.
Check out: www.fablab-store.com, http://fb.com/fablabstorebkk, IG: @fablab.store.
WELL ESTABLISHED BUT STILL AWESOME
Another Story
4/F, Helix, EmQuartier
Brand count: 160
Another Story was hard to miss on your inaugural exploration of EmQuartier. Besides being noteworthy in sheer size and variety of products sold, this mixed goods emporium uniquely sources most of its brands from Europe, Japan and Taiwan as part of its "globetrotter" concept. Everything here is edgy and intelligently designed, but realise that whatever you buy will be purchased in the name of art, not because you're in need of a particular item's utility — a wooden keyboard should say it all. Another Story also tends to draw a more relaxed and mature crowd. This may or may not have anything to do with the wine, bread and cheese boutique located inside.
Highlights: Home accessories, things for anagram lovers, wooden electronics, Japanese stationery and, if you're really eccentric, a French foosball table.
Check out: IG: @another_story_bkk.
The Selected
3/F Siam Center
Brand count: 90
As a pioneer of the new wave of urban retailing, The Selected is the distribution hub for the most well-known independent Thai brands. First-gen Thai fashion start-ups such as Varineswear and Labyrinth began their offline distribution here, subsequently developing into household names. Like Another Story, The Selected is a great place to find statement pieces. But the real charm of The Selected is its identity as a platform for Thai visionaries in art and design. Every month, a special brand-artist collaboration is featured inside the glass rotunda in the middle of the store.
Highlights: Swim trunks by Timo, Hom home fragrances, Labyrinth scarves and men's loafers by Project M.
Check out: http://fb.com/theselected, IG: @the_selected.
Onion
19/12 Ekkamai Soi 12
Brand count: 60
Despite its compact size, Onion offers impressive inventory geared towards menswear and one of the best vibes of all the multi-labels mentioned. Lesser-known, soft indie-pop plays in the background as you browse through artefacts of canvas, denim or some other earthy material in the store's cosy wood interior. The highlight of the atmosphere? An intimate look into the bean-roasting process of Onion's coffee stand. Visitors should keep an eye out for an in-house brand of pocket squares, bandanas and men's bags called Clothier Ekamai, amid the mostly American labels that are sold here.
Highlights: Eclectic shades, Clothier Ekamai, The Hill-Side menswear, Mast Brothers Chocolate and a cup of joe.
Check out: www.onionbkk.com, http://fb.com/onionbkk, IG: @onionbkk.
