SHOPPING
spotlight
Every month, we throw a spotlight onto one of Bangkok’s malls or markets, selecting the shops you need to check out, what to buy from them, as well as all the information you need to know on how to get there and navigate around
Lido Cinema, Siam Square
Opposite Bangkok’s shopping mall holy trinity of Siam Discovery, Siam Center and Siam Paragon is a low-rise maze of streets filled with small boutiques, workshops, and galleries; a neighbourhood collectively known as Siam Square. Built on land owned by nearby Chulalongkorn University, at the heart of this district is the Lido Cinema, which has been screening films since 1968. Around and under the cinema are a variety of unique boutiques selling everything from vintage attire to cutting edge fashion – this celluloid blast from the past is giving local indie culture a future. Krittana Khurana
MATA MADE Named after designer and owner Mata, this shop stands out from the pack with an eye-catching décor matched by its equally charming vintage-inspired collection. White-laced frocks, floral-patterned dresses, and playful jumpsuits are simplistic renderings of a range of styles and inspirations that effectively reflect the shop’s charming garden-themed décor. Overall, the clever designs mostly have a soft feminine appeal with the occasional eye-popping graphic print or multi-coloured patterns brightening up the muted palettes. G/F, underneath Lido Theater, Siam Square Soi 2, 08-0771-2080; facebook.com/mata.made
TRAPS & WANA Mark our words, this rapidly expanding brand has the potential to become a ubiquitous name. Founded by talented Japanese designer and managing director Teppei Oue, Traps & Wana already has branches across Bangkok, as well as one each in Chiang Mai and Singapore. With numerous television interviews and appearances in street wear magazines under his belt, Oue is one to watch. The menswear line consists of an eclectic combination of classic polo shirts, coloured jeans, plain and graphic tees, and ethnic-patterned shorts. A cohesive collection best described as bohemian street-wear, it honestly doesn’t get much hipper. 2/F, Siam Square Soi 3, 02-742-4790; trapsbkk.com
82
august 2011
shopping
www.bangkok101.com