Into The Blue
Tatler Singapore|April 2020
Husband-and-wife team Philip Huang and Chomwan Weeraworawit use traditional Thai craftsmanship and natural indigo dyes to create seductively sustainable clothes. Now they’re ready to introduce their ‘indigo grandmas’ to the world
Oliver Giles
Into The Blue

Fashion designers have always been obsessed with youth. They parade teenage models down runways, favour millennials over boomers and fall all over themselves to court the latest fresh-faced Hollywood stars.

Not Philip Huang—his closest collaborators are grandmas. “It was April 2015, and we went on this road trip to find the indigo grandmas,” recalls Huang. He had recently left his home in New York, where he had enjoyed a successful modelling career, to relocate to Bangkok with his wife, Chomwan Weeraworawit, a co-founder of creative consultancy Mysterious Ordinary and an expert on intellectual property in the textiles industry.

The couple had long been intrigued by how clothes and colours are made, having attended indigo dye-making workshops years earlier, and so were intrigued when they started hearing stories of communities in Thailand’s northeast province of Sakon Nakhon that specialised in making the pigment. “We didn’t have any [work] in mind when we went on the road trip; we were just curious about this blue colour and where it comes from—and I wanted to see more of the country,” says Huang. Weeraworawit adds: “We did a bit of research, printed out a list of villages, and just dropped in on them—it’s about 13 hours’ drive from Bangkok.”

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM TATLER SINGAPOREView all
Mathew Leong
Tatler Singapore

Mathew Leong

As the Norway-based Singaporean chef celebrates a milestone year both personally and professionally, he opens up about the toughest moments of his career and why failing is not an option

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Asian Inspirations
Tatler Singapore

Asian Inspirations

Chef Ace Tan on his second restaurant, Asu-his love letter to regional Asian cuisine

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
State of the Arts
Tatler Singapore

State of the Arts

Arts nominated member of parliament Usha Chandradas discusses growing the creative economy by focusing on both supply and demand

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Through a Curator's Lens
Tatler Singapore

Through a Curator's Lens

Circe Henestrosa, a fashion curator and the head of the School of Fashion at Lasalle College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, merges her personal connection with artist Frida Kahlo with her extensive curatorial experience to explore intersecting themes of identity, disability and cultural heritage

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Second Nature
Tatler Singapore

Second Nature

Poet and educator Yong Shu Hoong brings fresh perspectives to the helm of the Singapore Writers Festival, from interdisciplinary perspectives to multilingual programmes

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Wine Down
Tatler Singapore

Wine Down

Nothing wraps up the day like a nice glass of vino. From flashy hedonistic escapades to geeky watering holes, these new wine bars promise celebrated viniferous pours that will please even the most discerning of oenophiles

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
A Legacy in Silhouettes
Tatler Singapore

A Legacy in Silhouettes

Kristina Blahnik, CEO of the designer shoe brand Manolo Blahnik and the niece of its legendary founder, shares her insights on preserving the house's heritage and introduces the new Manolo's Silhouettes campaign

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
To Have and to Hold
Tatler Singapore

To Have and to Hold

With its sumptuous textures, Loro Piana's elegant autumn/winter 2024 collection is a chic celebration of craft, quality and the universal appeal of tactility

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Scent of Strength
Tatler Singapore

Scent of Strength

Hermès unveils its first chypre perfume, Barénia―a captivating fragrance crafted by renowned perfumer Christine Nagel that embodies bold femininity and celebrates the brand's rich heritage

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Nocturnal Revival
Tatler Singapore

Nocturnal Revival

Nighttime skincare rituals will get a boost of supercharged restoration with La Mer's new Rejuvenating Night Cream

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024